The Wasp — 1891 — page 452: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features an article by Hon. John Sherman (U.S. Senator from Ohio) on silver coinage policy, with his portrait photograph. The text debates whether the U.S. should maintain free coinage of silver at a fixed ratio to gold. Sherman argues against unlimited silver coinage, contending that the government cannot artificially fix metal values. He advocates for a single monetary standard rather than attempting to maintain both gold and silver at fixed ratios—a position opposing the "free silver" movement that was politically contentious in the 1880s-1890s. The article cites financial reports from Secretary of Treasury Gorham (1830) regarding metallurgical standards and currency stability. This reflects debates over monetary policy and economic stability during America's post-Civil War financial reconstruction.