Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-07-06
sHINPLAsTeRs VS.. SILVER.


We cannot tell in advance whether
the Democratic convention which is
This week III session at Kansas City.
will adopt the IL to | plank of the
Chicago platform or not, and it is i'm
material AT the time that plank was
adopt, d money was scarce, the Dem
Ocraiic party SAW that the volume OF
currency must be Inc eAsed, and in
It's opinion the hest way to do it WAS
to coin silver, because I'LL issue OF
paper money WAS then impossible and
besides not in it's opinion wise. That
party believed silver dollar WAS bet
ter than II paper dollar and believes so
now, it believed that Il silver dollar
was far better than National bank
dollar and believes so now, and it
knew it was far less expensive. But
They knew and saw if silver was coin
ed Oh the same basis as gold their shin
plasters would not flood the country,
and their power would be curtailed.
&c they went to work and helped beat
an issue that would have beaten them.
The Democratic party WAS not a silver
party per Sc. that is not for silver for
silver's sake, and few of it's mem berS
were silver owners, SO th the cam
paign lie which stated that the Demo-
cratic party was run by the Silver
Trust was AS base as the mind that
has been Il silver trust. Had there
been it would have Joined it's brethren
of the Republican party. The Demo-
cratic party has not seen silver coined
at 16 to ], it may never see it, and 1t
is not material that it should. if the
volume of Currency is maintained with
good substantial money. but that par
ty has just seen the principle for
which it contended, which was, an in
crease in the circulating medium, full
ly exemplilied by Republican legisla-
ton during the last session of Congress.
Congress, as IA reward for cOntribu.
tions TO the last campaign fund has
just turned over to the national bank
trust the right and power of issuing
ALL THE PAPER MONEY the country
is to have. except some gold and silver
certificates which will be issued by the
gov eminent, possibly as the banks
dictate. These bank notes are nothing
but fiat money, they rest upon the
faith of the government, and possess
all of the elements of the greenback
which was so roundly denounced a few
years ago. They are no worse, but no
better. The banks buy government
bonds and having these bonds they are
allowed to issue dollar for dollar on
them. The Democratic party believes
a silver dollar at the ratio of sixteen
to one, is better money than the bank
shinplasters, and so must anybody not
interested in the banks who possesses
ordinary reason. Instead of national
bank shinplaster the Democratic part
prefers that the government issue this
paper money direct, and thus avoid the
enormous interest on the bonded debt
Its promise to pay made in bank
note is as good as its promise in a
bond, hence there could be no danger
of the worth of these notes, as long as
We have a government, and thus could
the people have been relieved from a
national bank dynasty.
But let these questions be as they
may, it comes with poor grace from
the present denOuncers of silver, to
curse the Democratic party because il
wanted silver dollars instead of nation.
al bank shinplasters The Republican
party has supplied the lack Of curren.
cy with these, the Democratic would
have helped the cause with silver.
Which king then Benzoniar, will you
serve, the national bank shinplanter
or the. United States silver dollar
Which is the better dollar, the one the
Democrats tried to give. or the Repub
licans have given? Which do the PEG
pie prefer silver dollar or paper
shinplaster