Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1903-07-08
The Gold Standard Question.

Some Of the Democratic papers,
the Atlanta Constitution among
them, have discovered. OF prctend-
ed that they have discovered, a
weakness in the Republican posi-
ton in preparation for the cam
paign Of 1904. Stated in the Ian
guage Of the Constitution, the case
stands thus: ''But the Republican
party has yet to face the fact that
it has announced the establishment
of the gold standard for our ma
tional currency without having
actually and legally established it.
| Out Of its own ranks and from the
entire financial press Of the conn-
try arises a continuous chorus Of
voices demanding that an absolute
gold STANDARD Law be enacted. Yet
the party leaders hesitate, daily,
and are evidently going to tie
country on the assumed fact tbGt
gold is the standard, and trust the
people 10 ratifE that assumption.
The Constitution is guileIess
journal. 1t has been imposed upon
by some wicked newspapers which
were seeking victims to dclnde.
There is no chorus of voices de-
mandiEg that an absolute gold
standard law be enacted. The
United States has the gold stan
dard ut this time. The Rcrub!;-
cans made the gold standard the
issue Of the canvass of 1896, and
when thew carried that election the
complexion OF the country's cur
rcncy was fixed. ln March, 1900,
the Republicans carried out the
premise Of their campaign Of 1896
by an act which established the
gold standard as firmly in this
country as any law Of Congress
co.ld do. Nobody makes any
mistake as to tho monetary stan
dard which prevails i'll the United
States. In every division between
the gold and the silver standard
countries which is made by any
| ncwspa, or in any country III tho
| world, the United States is on the
gold side. This ia all 50 clemen-
tary that it would hardly seem to
be necessary to mention it. If the
Democrats imagine that there arc
any doubts about the standard
which prevails in this country LET
them put in a silver plank in their
platform of 1904 and gee what tue
Republicans and the country will
DO about it. The Republicans
would be oyerjoyed If the Demo
Gratis would bring up the question
of the monetary standard in the
canvass next year. IN that case
the Republicans would gain much
bigger majority in the clectora
college than they rolled up in 1900
Gold is the basis of the monetary
system of the United States. This
is established by the Republican
supremacy which has been held
for the past six years and by the
Legislation which the Republicans
have placed upon the statute book
If anybody has any doubt as to th'
name Of the standard which pre-
walls in this country let him lool
at the treasury statements as they
are published from day to day
The immense pile of gold which il
in the treasury proe!aims the fact
Of the standard with such empLasi
that its assertion will not be chal
lengcd. The country has more
gold than any other nation in ths
world. This stock of gold is in
ereasing with great rapidity. Golt
comes in through every channel O.
communication between the treas
ury and the outer world. The sill
yer currency Of the country ha
grown 80 unimportant in the com
parison, although it remains sta
tionary, that nobody ever consider
it now. No one mentions sllve
any longer as a menace to the ii