Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1896 — Two Kinds of Dollars. [ARTICLE]

Two Kinds of Dollars.

The Santa Fe railway has a branch from Rincon, N. M„ to Guyaiiias, in old Mexico. On both sides of the boundary line between Mexico and the United States this company nays its section hands $1 a day; but the Mexicans are paid in Mexican dollars, while the Americans are paid in American silver. The Mexican employe, if he crosses the line, finds that liis dollar is only worth 50 cents; but the American employe, if he crosses the same line, finds that his dollar is worth twice ns_mueh as at home. The Mexican dollar is a free coinage dollar and is valued at the market price of the bullion which it contains. The American dollar is intrinsically worth less than the Mexican, lmt it hns the credit of the government at its back, and its purchasing power is equal to that of gold. Tlie moposition to establish free and unlimited coinage of silver here is a proposal to Mexicanize our silver dollar. Who is the true friend of the silver dollar? Is it the man who desires to “strike down at one fell swoop” its present purchasing power? Or is it the man who wishes to preserve its purchasing power intact? Wnteh of these two is the friend of the poor, the friend of the workingman? Free coinage of silver saves the Santa Fe road just one-quarter of the wages due to its section lmnds, beenuse it pnvs Americans SIOOO a day in American money, but pays 1000 Mexicans only SSOO in American money, while nominally both are earning the same wages. Workingmen! think of these things and be not deceived!