has been brought about during the last few months by the operations of speculation in sterling exchange. The American people have got hold of some money, and think they are going to have a good time.

In reply to his invitation, I wrote to our Secretary, July 27th:

"The times are not propitious for moderate views or for efforts for accommodation between the partisans of gold and the partisans of silver. The artificial appearance of prosperity produced by the gold which government has borrowed at an exorbitant rate has intoxicated the people, who now expect to be saved by getting deeper in debt, and are unwilling to be reminded of the day of reckoning.

"So I must wait to appeal to Philip sober, as he will be when gold exports commence again in earnest after the government's partnership in exchange speculation comes to an end. In this partnership the government put in its credit and the good-will of the business, and the other partners contributed experience."

It is well known that the bonds sold abroad are for the most part coming back. It is well known that we can, if we are willing to remain in such a dependent condition, go on for some years in that way, with frequent issues of government bonds. But, unless we can get into a position to export more of our surplus products, we cannot reduce our foreign debt nor get out of danger.

Saratoga Free-Coinage Debate.

217

Our greatest danger is our greenback currency, which is at least twice as dishonest as our silver currency, for there is more than half a dollar of real value behind each silver dollar or silver-dollar note.

I have enjoyed this debate very much indeed, although I do not agree with either side. I do hope that we shall not think only of the simple proposition of 16 to 1, but that we will think of the greater proposition of putting our currency on a safe basis. If credit money is good money, then fiat money is the best money, because the government's credit is the best credit. What we want is more real money and less credit money. What we want is that no dollar shall be issued that does not have a specie dollar behind it. As the human character is constituted, we shall never have any safety except on that basis.

PROPOSED CURRENCY PLANK.

To the Editor of the “Springfield Republican”1 :

SIR: How would the following do for a Democratic currency plank?

The Democratic party asserts again its historic belief in hard money-gold and silver freely coined at a ratio regulated by Congress-the only legal tender contemplated by the Constitution-and demands that the greenbacks and paper money based on bonds and issued for the benefit of banks and speculators shall be replaced by coin and coin certificates of deposit, and that in this country nothing shall be money that does not honestly represent labor.

The Democratic party, which has always opposed monopolies, denounces the gold monopoly as the most oppressive of all.

ANSON PHELPS STOKES.

LENOX, Mass., June 26, 1896.

1 This letter and the following letters were printed in a number of newspapers.

2 Constitution of the United States, Article i, Section viii, Paragraph 5. See page 80.

THE BIRDS AND THE FARMERS.

To the Editor of the "Republican":

Most of the political platforms are claiming to favor bimetallism. Some demand it now, others want us to wait until European nations help us to attain it.

This brings to mind the old fable of the mother bird telling her young that they must leave soon their nest in the wheat fields, as it was time for harvest. The little birds said: Mother, we overheard the farmer tell his sons to go and ask his neighbors and friends to come and help him reap to-morrow." The mother bird replied: "There is no danger yet." The next day the little birds reported that the farmer had sent for his relations to come and help him cut the grain. But the mother bird would not take her little ones away. The following evening they heard the farmer say to his sons: We will come ourselves to-morrow and reap this field." Then the birds left. "Who would be free, himself must strike the blow." When you hear a man say that undoubtedly your claim is just, but that you had better wait and sell him some more produce on credit and wait until he can conveniently pay you and others all together, you will do well to look out for your own interest.

As a Berkshire farmer I am considering whether we farmers had better now buy and pay for silver bricks to be delivered when England adopts bimetallism.

LENOX, June 29, 1896.

ANSON PHELPS STOKES.

45 BETWEEN SILVER AND GOLD.

AUD AS BETWEEN TEST AND EAST.

AISY PEELS STOKES OF NEW YORK AND LENI ARCE FOR A FARIDA 3 GOOD TEMPER ASD ZIPLOCALLY PLAKS FOR SOTER AND THE WEST.

To the Editor of the "Regaltzen":

In these times of angry dispute over an old problem in economics, is pleasant to find a leading journal keeping its head, giving each party a fair hearing, promoting kindly feeling between the different sections of our common country and disdaining all opportunity to gain popular applause by abetting partisan strife; saying ever, respectfully and firmly: "Sirs, ye are brethren. The Union is more important than any question of money."

I am glad that such a journal is published near my summer home, that my first reading of the news these lovely mornings is not colored and distorted by sensationalism, hatred, and violent appeals to partisan passions.

One of the most serious of the dangers that threaten our national welfare is the temptation that