The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-07-21
of the world. Thus we answer the
h.-4 A

OF lne world. mus we answer the
questions put by the Argus
Now let the PRESS ask some questions.
Does the argus favor the present silver
coinage law? If it does it is not in favor of
''free and unlimited coinage" If it does
not favor the present law, does it favor the
Warner bill? Does it sustain in their action
the majority of Democratic representatives
who voted in the House for the Warner bill
or agree with the Democratic Senators who
opposed that bill? Does it desire that mi
ner or mine-owner may take to the mint
4121 grains of silver and have it coined on
the same terms that he could have 2SS
grains of gold coined? If he cannot do this,
is there not restriction in the coinage of
silver and favor extended to gold? Does
the argus favor doing away with that re-
striction? 1t says it agrees with Greenback-
ers as to silver. Do or do not the Green
hackers ask that silver shall be coined on the
same terms that gold is coined? Does it con-
slider the extract we gave from the World of
the 9th inst good Democratic doctrine?
These questions have been in substance
eyaded reply. If it continues to evade we
shall naturally think it has reasons for de-
clining to answer. What those reasons are
it is easy to guess If it still lodges there
will be no profit in continuing the contro-
versy.
The AfYus complains that the Press does
not quote what it has said in the controver-
sy. We have before given the substance of
its remarks. However, it shall be gratified
On the 9Th inst. it said, in setting forth the
points of agreement between Democrats and
Greenbackers:
We agree that the free and unlimited coin
age of silver should be restored
That we credited to it, On the 18th inst.
it said:
The Argus favors the restoration of silver to
its old place of honor as one of the money met
ais of the world 1t does not favor giving
bountles to bonanza men nor to any other class
OF men. 1t favors the coinage of silver, not
with the idea that the people are to be COM
PEELED to use the coin for a circulating medium
for home purposes, as some delightful fools
seem to suppose, but because it is one of the
metals forming the worlds money and there
lore necessary to every commercial nation.
That in substance we quoted On the 18th
inst. it said:
Of course we do not favor giving the profit
to individuals. While there is a profit it should
go to the government.
For that declaration we gave it credit. On
the 10Th it said:
We favor putting the coinage of silver upon
precisely the same basis as that of gold the
viii Ia
the government, and not to go to the bonanza
men.
We embrace the earliest opportunity to
give it credit for that.
The declaration of the 5th inst is expli-
city for free and unlimited coinage; and that
means that anyone can take IS cents worth
of silver to the mint and have it coined into
legal-tender dollar. This coinage ''should
be restored it says. That means that the
free coinage does not exist now because the
profit goes to the Government. On the 18th
inst. the Argus favored the restoration of
silver to its old place. That means subject
ing it to the same coinage laws as gold and
giving the profit to the holder of the bullion.
On the 18th inst. it opposed giving the profit
to individuals. On the 10Th inst it took up
both positions, favoring the giving of the
profit to the Government and also favoring
the putting of silver coinage upon precisely
the same basis as that of gold. The two
propositions are irreconcilable, and so we
have accused it, and do accuse it, of Whit
fling on the subject, preaching one doctrine
one day and contrary doctrine the next
We think we have proved our accusation
The argus may not think so 1t has the
word