The Southern Mercury. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 18, 1892 Page: 2 of 16
sixteen pages : ill. ; page 15 x 11 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
SOUTHERN MERCURY.
Aug. 18, 1892
tain a dollar's worth of silver and
there would practically be no dif-
ference to the people between
coining it free or buying it and
coining it.
The intrinsic value of gold is
often mentioned. Many use the
word "intrinsic" when they mean
"commercial." They say "intrin-
sic value" when they mean "com-
mercial value." A dollar in gold
contains 100 cents in commercial
value because that is the price of
it( made so by law, but the intrin-
sic value is less than a cent. The
intrinsic value of gold is less than
the intrinsic value of iron. A
pound of gold has a commercial
value, created and sustained by
the free coinage law, o. over 25,-
000 {cents, while the commercial
value of iron is less than three
cents. In intrinsic value iron is
the greatest, but in commercial
value gold is 8,000 times the
greatest.
If gold were demonetized it
would not become as cheap as iron
because of its scarcity but it would
greatly depreciatc in value- This
would be a benefit to the people,
especially the poor, because it
would reduce the price of filling
tooth with gold, but unless some
other kind of money took the
place of the gold the benefit would
be ofVset by a disadvantage.
It would not be wise to demone-
tize gold, at least at this time. It
would be wise to restore the free
and unlimited coinage of silver
and remove the present exception
clause so that the silver dollar
would be as good as the gold dol-
lar in every respect.
In additinn to this the govern-
ment should issue enough paper
money to do the business of the
country on a cash system. The
paper dollar should have the same
legal tender character as the gold
or silver dollar.
The present "greenbacks" or
United States notes will pay any
debt that gold will pay. The law
that created them put two excep-
tions on the back so that they were
not a legal tender for duties on
imports and interest on public
debt. The "Greenback" party a
few years ago forced the issue so
that John Sherman, as secretary of
the treasury, ordered that "green-
backs be received for duties on im-
ports" and since that time thoy
have been received. Now, why
not remove the exceptional clause?
Our present treasury notes are
good for "all debts and dues, pub-
lic and private, except where oth-
erwise expressly stipulated in the
contract." Why not remove the
exception clause and make them
as good as gold money?
The national bank notes, that
the government issues to national
banks at one per cent tax, are not
a legal tender for debts and dues
between individuals. Why not
abolish them and issue in their
stead full legal tender notes of the
government.
There is much being said by
politicians about "keeping" every
dollar as good as every other dol-
lar. Such talk would be more
conaistant if it should occur alter
the money is actually made equal.
Talk about "keeping" things equal
when they are not equal is clap
trap of the cheapest sort, and un-
worthy of any gentleman.
It is not the purpose to say that
a paper dollar will not purchase
as much labor or products as a
gold dollar now in times of peace,
for it will. But there was a time
when it would not do it. I speak
now of the paper money that was
not a full legal tender. The paper
money that was issued without
the exception clause was always
"art- a par with gold, but that issued
with the exception clause was
greatly depreciated. Should we
become involved in war again the
same cause would produce the
same result, the exception clause
would depreciate our paper money.
Why not remove it? Why do
not the parties in power remove
the exception clauses from all va-
rious kinds of money and make
one dollar just so good as every
other dollar before they prate so
much about "keeping" it there?
The people do not care paiticu-
larly what the government makes
the money out of, but they want it
to be good money. The people
prefer paper money to metal money.
The destruction of the fractional
paper currency was a wrong and
the people still feel it. The popu-
lar demand is that all gold and sil-
ver available be made into full
legal tender money, and that the
remaining deficiency be filled with
a full legal tender paper money
issued by the general govern-
ment. This will work no in-
justice to any one but will
relieve the financial distress of
the nation and make the peo-
ple prosperous and happy.
— ► «—► -4 -
Political Power of Railroads
The Minnesota Stock, Farm and
Home makes the following clear
and forcible presentation of its
views on this subject.
"The railroads is the population
centralizer par excellence — by
common consent acknowledged to
be most unwholesome if not dis-
asterous. It discriminates against
small enterprises that large ones
may be made larger; it tears down
innumerable small private fortunes
that a few largo ones may be erct-
ed upon their ruins; it transcends
its duties and obligations as a com-
mon carrier and undertakes to
dictate how the private business
affairs of citizens shall be conduct-
ed; in short, it exercises powers so
despotic that they must not be
tolerated, for if they are then this
ceases to be a republic.
"Second, the political power of
the railroads must be destroyed if
this is to remain a government of
the people. Debauching legisla-
tors, corrupting courts and con-
trolling elections have been com-
mon with railroads for many years.
Emboldened by custom, and suc-
cess in that line the railroad now
enters the arenas where the candi-
dates for the Presidency are named
and selects the men who are to
stand for that high office. In a
recent lengthy editorial the Chica-
go Tribune, a Republican journal
of acknowledged orthodoxy re-
garding all the tenets of that
party, the charge is made clear,
direct and explicit, that Chauneey
Depew, the gifted lieutenant and
affable purse bearer of the Van-
derbilts, went into the Minneapolis
convention and purchased for hard
cash, the renomination of President
Harrison. When a leading party
paper makes such charges outsid-
ers must perforce believe it, espec-
ially as the charge stands without
explicit denial.
"Turning to the Chicago con-
vention, it is discovered that
Democratic journals and men are
preferring similar charges against
Mr. Whitney, of New York,
though the money he used was not
the Yanderbilt's, but that of the
Standard Oil Company and other
capitalistic combines and interests
of analogous character, but so
closely allied to the railroads that
they may be reasonably regarded
as members of the same family.
So self evident is the officiousness
and power of railroads in making
Presidents of the United States
that certain outraged souls within-
the parties so controlled are forced
to voice their protests, and make
charges that it is puerile to deny,
and that should inspire all good
citizens with the gravest fears for
the republic's safety. Here is a
situation that cannot be ridiculed
off the stage of human thought
and action; this is not a 'calamity
howl;' it exhibits a condition that
must/be speedily, radically chang-
ed, or else the republic is a 'barren
idealite,' a whited sepulcher! The
issue is now fairly presented be-
tween government ownership of
the railroads or railroad ownership
of the government. The people,
if not this year, soon will have,
must have the courage to sign
their verdict upon this question,
and when signed it will be a right-
eous one."
A Light Step.
Anybody can have it who will
be at the pains to set the foot
down right. In that lies all the
difference between a thumping,
lumping gait and the light tread
that makes people call you "velvet
footed." It is something ridicu-
lous easy to learn, and one which
adds even more to the comfort of
those about him. The whole art
and mistery lies in a single sent-
ance—put the ball of the foot
down first, throwing the weight
upon it, and letting the heel come
to the ground the hundredth part
of a second after. Treading flat-
footed—over all the sole at once—
the weight comes with a jar that
is about equally destructive to
quiet, to grace and shoe leather.
By stepping first on the ball, just
behind the toes, its cushony mus-
cles act as a spring and make of
walking a double pleasure.
The St.Louis Platform.
We can furnish it neatly printed
in large type. Price, post paid 15
cents per hundred, or $1.40 per
thousand.
Southern Mercury, Dallas.
Take Saxet for the blood.
The Eoonomioal Congress.
The present congress (as shown
by the Record) during the first
thirty-five days was in session just
eight hours and forty-six minutes.
In other wards, each member had
been paid bv the starving tax pay-
ers just $420 for performing eight
hours and forty-six minutes work
at their desks. And when the ab-
sentees are all counted up it will
be found that not more than half
had been at their desks more than
two or three hours, and yet, during
these thirty days, at least three
bills were introduced authorizing
the granting of a clerk or stenogra-
pher to each member of the house,
to help him conduct his private
business at public expense.
The leaves of absence granted to
members of the house thus far this
session (July 12) number 646, ag-
gregating a total of 4,539 days,
exclusive of indefinite leaves grant-
ed, amounting to 172, and averag-
ing each indefinite leave at 10 days,
the grand total up to July 12 is 6,-
295 days, at a cost to the people of
$13.33 2-3 a day for each of these
6,259 days. This is only a small
part of the record of this "economy
congress" that would deny soap to
the farmers' sons at West Point,
with which to keep clean the bare
floors of their barracks, and com-
pel them to use their soiled shirts
for saddle cloths. Ye Gods! deliv-
er us from any more economy
shriekers if this is a sample.—
Jimplicute.
Freedom and paradise arc not
behind, but before us. No life itself,
but the deviation from life, is
disease; life is our aspiration, the
ideal, our affections, our engage-
ments, which will one day be
fulfilled; our virtues, a step to-
ward greater. It is a blasphemy
to pronounce a word of contempt
against it.
President Biddle, of the State
Alliance, said: "I have fought in
26 battles, have bled and almost
died from rebel bullets; but to
stand here and second the nomina-
tion of Col. Harris is the proudest
moment of my life." Col.- Harris
is an ex-confederate and candidate
for congress in Kanaas.
The Standard Oil Company holds
the title to 1,000,000 acres of land.
Blood Poisoning
Mrs. Mary E. O'Fallon, a very intelligent lady
Of Piqua, Ohio, was poisoned while assisting
physicians atan autopsy
5 years ago, and soon
terrible nicer* broke
out on her head, arms,
tongue and throat Her
hair all came out. Her
husband spenthundreds
of dolía without any
benefit. She weighed
but 78 pounds, and saw
u „ .. no prospect of help.
Fallon. At laat 8h0 began to
take Hood's Sarsaparilla and at once improved;
could soon get out of bed and walk. She says,
I became perfectly cured by
Hood's Sarsaparilla
ahd am now a well woman. I weigh 128
pounds, eat well and do the work for a large
family. My case seems a wonderful recovery
and physicians look at me in astonishment, as
almost like me raised from the dead.
HOOD'8 PlLL8 should be in erery family
medicine cheat. Once used, always preferred.
m
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Park, Milton. The Southern Mercury. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 18, 1892, newspaper, August 18, 1892; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth185478/m1/2/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .