New-York tribune., 1906-11-25
SILVER HIGH PRICED.
Christmas and Wedding Gifts Held
at Almost Famine Figures.

Christmas and the fall weddings have this year
become greater terroTs than the real victims
of Cupid and Kris Kringle. The wise man who
takes time by the fCrelock has already begun TO
flank his wlfe's hints about the beautiful silver
tea set which she in GOrfany's last week BY
counter reflections the striugency OF the money
market and the prospects for a hard winter and
high prices for coal AS fo- the shameless wretch
who furtvely notes in the family of a friend those
nameless Indications OF orange blossoms and old
lace soon come. he craftily and deliberately IS
seeking crouch" against the family, which may
be safely depended upon 10 continue an estrange-
meut decent period beyond the ceremony.
The reason for this is that silver bullion, which
sold at AZ cents an ounce in 1902. the year which
marked the end OF that steady decline in the price
of the white metal. beginning with the crime OF
'73 recently rose above 20 cents. and there has
been another advance in the price OF slverware-
Altogether this advance has amounted 10 nearly
20 per cent in the last year. The first was made IN
January which gave the victim of holiday sacrI-
fees To friendship opportunity 70 gioat over
the friend who found it necessary TO shoulder the
task of exchanging duplicate silverware for some
thing Just as good Now. the friend retorts that
the mocker is punished. that it is of Just
-etribution-
Present prices FOR bar silver are higher than at
anv previous time in the thirteen years since 1884,
when the Sherman Silver Purchase law was re-
neaIed Manufacturers protest that not until the
last moment was the advance IN the price OF sill
verware made and victims who suffer from 1t Will
believe them. y nile reRdfNluS WIN apprehension
the statement of some in the trade that still
higher prices in prospect. not only because Of
the higher cost OF bar silver. but also OF other
metals used in the manufacture of plated ware
Not all the efforts OF all the miners deIying in
ali the mines of the earth have been sufficient TO
maintain the worlds production OF silver. The
silver output. which in 1897 15.6i,2S3 ounces,
of which 65.200@o ounces were produced in the
United states. dropped To $3.50 23S ounces in 1904
the last year for which complete statistics are
available: and although the present high prices
will undoubtedly result in increased production
the additional supply Is not likely 10 he available
in time 10 save the Christmas shoppers
on the other hand, there mas been enormously
Increased output OF gold which has had the effect
0f advancing prices OF all other commodities, until
some economists foresee menace the business
interests of the country, the opposite of that
which agitators prophesied ten years ago. ac-
count OF the scarcity OF the yellow metal. In the
cnsa of silver, this condition has further
1~roeDted by the fact that the cumpa -ative cheap
ness Of silver. relative TO coinage value. has
greatly stimulated the manufacture OF stlverware.
while unprecedented activity in business has set
a,D,os; every nation OF the world to buying vast
Quantities OF silver for subsidiary currency.
France and the other European countries have