Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1903 — WHAT INDIANA EDITORS ARE SAYING [ARTICLE]

WHAT INDIANA EDITORS ARE SAYING

The Bilver Shrinkage. Instead of the free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of IS to 1, we are witnessing the free and unlimited shrinkage of silver at about the same ratio. The Laporte Republican says: “Ten years ago, or Just prior to the enactment of measures completely excluding silver from further mintage Jn the United States, the bullion value of the silver dollar was about 67% cents. The people and the government hold in their possession silver bullion and dollars aggregating n nominal or coinage value of Just about $500,000,000, and the present market value on this metal Is about 33% cents on the dollar. Here, then, is a shrinkage in the value of this mass of property within ten years of 34 cents on the dollar, or $170,000,000. As a nation, we are worth In tangible property Just so much the less, because of the fall in the price of silver. Other nations have also suffered, but not to any such extent as the United States.”