The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-11-09

DuI Tue people Will QeIenO themselves
when they come to see their enemy,
which is vicious legislation. The con-
f1ict, instead of being ended, is but just
begun, and doubtless the mission Of the
United States is to determine it for the
right.
THE DEMONETIZAT7ON OF SILL
YER.
We have received from one of the
most intelligent Scandanavians in the
State the following letter:
SwEDE GRovE, Meeker Co..
Oct. ii. 1876.
Editor A,ati-Monopolist:
DEAR SIR: '.You did we'll that you came, /"
you made many converts that evening.
Could you, without too much trouble, pro-
cure and send to me that act of Congress, by
which silver was asdemonetized? Not that those
who listened to your address on Friday doubt
ed your statement in this respect. have seen
many others, less posted in political matters,
to whom that fact seemed SO incredible and
absurd. that could not make them believe it,
and they said, "Prove what you say, and we
are yours
Very respectfully yours,
In answer we would quote the follows
ing communication from leading Re
publican to leading Republican paper
of the Northwest, the Chicago Tribune,
giving the information asked for by our
correspondent. It will be seen not only
that silver was demonetized, but that it
was demonetized by conspiracy and a
trick. The following may be dull read
ing, but it should be carefully read by
every man who desires to understand
this important question:
''BOsTON. Mass, Sept. 4.-That the
abrogation OF the double standard by the
Act of Feb. II, 1873. and by the Revised
Statutes of June, 1874, was effected with
out discussion, and without the know
ledge OF the country. is, as q matter of
fact, perfectly notorious. The people of
the United States know well when a
matter is debated and when it is not
debated, and they know that this silver
question was not talked or written about
until 1876, two full years after the miss
chief Of demonetizing silver was con>
summated, so far as laws of Congress
can do that.
MIR. Holman, of Indiana, declared re-
Gently, upon his responsibility as men,
ber OF the United States House of Rep
resentatives, that as late as March, 1876.
"a leading citizen ofths United States"
insisted to him that silver had not been
demonetized, and would not believe it
until he was shown the laws which do
demonetize it. 1t is, in fact. not certain
that even now majority OF the people
Of the country know that it is so. All
tenders are made in greenbacks. and the
Revised Statutes of the United States
make q large volume which not one pc r
son in a thousand ever has seen, or ever
will see. Even of the legal profession,
only a small minority possess it. 1t is
true that the Coinage Act OF Feb. 12,
1878, did receive newspaper publica-
tion, but that act did not demonetize the
old silver dollar, and the prohibition Of
the striking of that coin was by general
clause, the effect Of which wonld be un-
derstood only by careful examination
1t is said that the act which was ep-
proved Feb. II, 1878, was before Con>
gress three or tour sessions, and printed
several times, and that the fact that this
act "abolishedn and "demonetized" the
old silver dollar should not have escaped
attention. That the abrogation OF the
double standard did escape attention is
shown by the entire absence OF discuss
sion, in and out OF Congress, and it is
Idle to controvert that Ly the circuitous
and inferential argument that it might
have attracted attention. or even ought
to have attracted attention. 1t did not,
as matter of fact. and there is the end
Of it.
The time selected was skillfuIly chosen
to escape attention. In 1873 and 1874
the entire circulation was paper. No
gold or silver coin whatever was in use
as money, and the expectation Of the
time when any one would be only q
shadowy hope, with no time, place. or
circumstance fixed tor the realization OF
it. What, at such . time, to the mass
OF members OF Congress, or OF the peo-
pie, could have been more uninteresting
than . coinage act? And provided such
an ACT was long enough and this con-
tains seventy-four tedious sections
what opportunity more admirable could
be|conceived Of for slipping in almoss
anything, with the conuivance OF the few
men having the matter in charge?
The Act Of Feb-I12, 1873. originated
in the House, to which it was reported
by Mr.. Hooper. As he prepared it, and
rs the House passed it, it provided for q
silver dollar of the exact value Of q
French fve-tranc piece, and conformed
the smaller silver coins 70 the same pro-
porti0nste value. As the law then ex-
isted, and had existed since 1858, the
silver coin below one dollar were under
eight, and therefore mere broken
currency. and . tender for only Eve
dollars. The new fea,nre introduced by
Mr. Hooper was An under-wei&ht dollar,
and his being mere token. he very
properly limifed in legaLsendsr poss1
70 i've dollars. In point Of psinciplu
there was nothing new n thak Thsra