Money: Speech of Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada, on the Free Coinage of Silver; in the United States Senate, May 12 and 13, 1890Jones, John P. (John Percival)
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Money: Speech of Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada, on the Free Coinage of Silver; in the United States Senate, May 12 and 13, 1890
Jones, John P. (John Percival)
Silver question -- Speeches in Congress
The gold going out would tend constantly to restore the equilibrium
between our prices and those of the gold-using countries, making the
proportion of the gold outflow each year less than that of the year
before. If there be included in this computation the remaining
$100,000,000 of gold, which would remain after the outflow of the
$600,000,000, we shall be compelled to come to the conclusion that the
time when our stock of gold can be driven out will be almost
indefinitely postponed.
But even should all our gold go by reason of the remonetization of
silver, it will not be to the injury of the gold standard, but to its
great advantage, and to the equally great advantage of the masses of the
people, as well of this country, which the gold may leave, as of all
countries to which it may go. It will make the "gold standard"
consistent with the prosperity of the countries maintaining it. But
instead of preserving the gold standard of to-day, which is a standard
of wrong, it will inaugurate a gold standard that will approximate to a
standard of justice.
The new "gold standard" that would be established by the outflow of our
gold would be a standard of prices resulting from the influx into
England, France, and Germany, the principal gold-using countries of
Europe, of more than $600,000,000 of money.
So considerable an addition to their money-stock would raise prices in
those countries, and by remaining there, would, with the current
production, which we could spare to them, tend to maintain prices at a
steady level. Such a condition would be an inestimable boon to the
overburdened masses of Europe, and their prosperity would not be
attained at the expense of the people of the United States. We could
well afford to let gold go, since, by the coinage of silver, our own
money volume would not be reduced. The rise of prices which it would
effect in Europe would not only, as I have stated, secure better prices
for our exported goods, but would undoubtedly enable us to maintain
prices here at a substantial parity with those of Europe--that is to
say, with those of the new, more rational and more beneficent gold
standard which would be established by the full remonetization of silver
in this country.
PRACTICALLY NO GOLD MONEY IN THE UNITED STATES.
But, aside altogether from this consideration, the gold that we already
have is really a surplus--it is practically a dead and useless article.
Gold, Mr. President, can not with entire truth be said at the present
time to form any part of the money of this country. Who but a bank clerk
ever sees a gold piece? With the exception of a few million dollars on
the Pacific coast, gold is not really in circulation in this country.
It is performing no useful function whatsoever. While I am engaged in
delivering these remarks I venture to say no Senator within the sound of
my voice has in his pocket a single gold coin of any denomination
whatever, or any paper representative of one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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