The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-11-16
TIKI SILVER QUESTION:.

the present status Of silver would BE- disad.
yantageously felt by the citizens of Montana
as we'll as by those Of other silver producing
states and territories, the subject presents
itself TO them as one invested with more than
ordinary interest. The people by their votes
at the late election relegated the whole sub
ject to the politicians. No expression of the
popular wish in regard to the matter can
reach the ears of the government, only
through petitions, for at least two years TO
come. Montana very wisely sent a person to
represent her at Washington whose views Oh
the silver question are in accord with the
popular sentiment of the territory. But one
individual, though he may be never so earn
est in protecting the interests of his constitu-
ents, cannot control a congress. During the
late canvass in the states lit'le or no attention
was paid to the silver bill by the speakers of
either party. The continued issue of legal
tender notes was occasionally referred to, but
the general subject matter of coin and paper
money was either ignored or handled very
tenderly. This manner of treating the sub
iect is due to the fact that the bondholders,
or rather the creditors of the government, are
untriendly to the present silver coinage bill,
while the mass OF the people recognize in sill
yer the poor mans money. Here is an evil
dent clashing of interest, and hence the mat
ter was silently passed over or shuffled out Of
sight. Notwithstanding this disposition OF it
by the politicians the problem is engaging the
serious attention of the business men of the
country who will undoubtedly force it to a
solution in the near futule.
In view of this fact, and that it is now be-
ing asitated by the:press i'll the east, a brief
history of the bill may be Of interest to our
readers The silver bill was passed over the
presidents veto, February 2sth, 1878, by the
votes, taking house and senate, of 90 republic
cans and l49 democrats voting in the afirma-
tive, against 80 democrats and SO republicans
voting in the negative. In December of the
anne year, a bill was introduced to require
the secretary of the treasury to receive the
existing trade dollars at par and recon them
into standard silver dollars. This bill passed
the house by the votes of 1O5 democrats and
As republicans, against 20 democrats aud II
republicans. But it did not reach the senate.
About the same time a resolution passed the
house by a vote Of Isl to 50, that the refusal
of any national bank to receive silver dollars
on deposit, "shall be deemed a defiance OF
| the laws OF the United States" In June 10,
a joint resolution was offered in the United
States senate in favor of the full remonetiza
| zion Of ciirnr nr . ,~ptior t> ,oFo, - o. I
committee on finance, 10 republicans and 4
democrats voted yea, and 81 democrats anG
David Davis voted no. This action was sup
posed to kill the bill. Last April Mr.. Weav
err, the late candidate of the %greenback part,
for the presidency, offered a resolution requir
ing that 'the minis of the United States b.
worked to their fullest capacity in the coin
age of standard silver dollars to enable thu
government to meet that portion of its bone
ed debt which will become redeemable in tn,
year 1881 and prior thereto On this reso
luton the yeas were, 1 republican, (Belfor,
of Colorado), 8 greenbackers and Is demo
Gratis, and 92 republicans, 1 greenbacker, an
"a democrats voting in the negative.
By referring to the votes upon the bill an.
upon the resolutions growing out of its pas
sage over the presidents veto, we can form
some idea of what we may expect from tn
incoming administration. Garfield vote,
against it every time. From the above recor
the republican press in the east claims tina
their party may be relied upon to stop tn
coinage of silver, which, as they put it, is liza
BILE to become so plentiful that a popular ag1
tation Of what to do with 1t will result in it
being paid out to the bond holders and othe
public creditors. Here is the secret to tn
whole opposition to the silver coinage bill. i
a nut shell. The public creditors are alarm
ed lest they will be compelled to receive it i
exchange for their bonds. Let lis see wha
likelihood there is that such a disposition {
our silver will be made. Under the opera
ton Of the law silver to the amount of So
100000 Is coined each month, or about sos
100000 since the law was passed. OF tn
amount over $40, 200, 900 are in circulation
and the balance remains in the United State
treasury. At the present time the dehan
tor silver dollars equals or exceeds the coil
age. IS thu small bills are withdrawn frol
circulation the demand for coin silver wi
: increase until the amount now laying in IL
treasury will be absorbed, together with tn;
| which may be monthly coined under tt
r present law. There can be no question
regard to this. An increasing populatio
. the planting of new colonies in the west, Il
opening up of new industries throughout Il
country will create a demand for the po'
man. money--silver.
The United States has more paper nom
. and less coin in circulation than any 9th
country in the world. The coin circulate