Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-16
SILVER COINAGE

SILVER COINAGE.
At the time of the passage of the act now
in force requiring the coinage of silver dol
lars, fixing their value and giving them legal
tender character, IL was believed by many OF
the supporters of the measure, that the silver
dollar, which it authorized, would speedily
become, under the operations of the law, OF
equivalent value to the gold dollar. There
they doubted as to the probability of this re-
suit. nevertheless were willing to give the ex.
coinage, if experience should prove that the
silver dollar authorized by the bill continued
to be OF less commercial value than the stand
The coinage of silver dollars under
the act referred to, began in March.
ana bv tbs eea The rates
per month to the present time has been
Az The total amount coined prior TO the
amount S47Oe4, $50 remain in the Treasury,
and only 81. az, PSI are in the hands of the
people. A constant effort has been made to
keep this currency in circulation, and consid-
cradle expense has been necessarily incur
red for this purpose. but its return to the
the confident anticipation of the friends of
the measure at the time of its adoption, the
value Of the silver dollar, containing 4lsh
the year prior to the passage of the bill au-
thorizing its coinage, the market value of the
silver which it contained was from ninety to
ninety-two cents, compared with the
standard gold dollar. During the last year
has been eighty eight and a half cents
1t is obvious, that the legislation of the last
Congress in regard to silver, so far as it was
silver as a result of that legislation has failed
to produce the effect then predicted. The
longer the law remains in force, requiring as it
does the coinage of n nominal dollar, which,
in reality, is not dollar the greater becomes
the danger that this country will be forced to
accept a single metal as the sole legal
standard of less value than it purports to be
worth in the recognized money of the world.
sound financial principles, and our best inter-
ests, all require that the country should have
as its legal tender money, both gold and sill
yer coin, of an intrinsic value as bullion,
purports to possess. The Constitution, in ex
press terms, recognizes both gold and silver
as the only true legal tender money. To
Danish either of these metals from our cur
rency is to narrow and limit the circulating
medium of exchange to the disparagement of
important interests. The United States pro-
duces more silver than any other country,
one of the two precious metals which furnish
the coinage of the world. 1t will. in my
judgment, contribute to this resultif Congress
will repeal SO much Of existing legislation as
requires the coinage of silver dollars contain
ing only 4l2k grains of silver, and in it's stead
authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to
coin silver dollars of equivalent value as bull
lion, with gold dollars. This will defraud no
man, and will be in accordance with
eral occasions, has altered the ratio of value
between gold and silver. in order to establish
it more nearly in accordance with the actual
ratio of value between the two metals.
In financial legislation every measure in the
direction of greater fidelity in the discharge
of pecuniary obligations, has been found by
experience to diminish the rates of interest
which debtors are required to pay, and to in
crease the facility with which money can be
obtained for every legitimate purpose. Our
own recent financial history shows how surely
money becomes abundant whenever conf;
obligations is established.
AMY.
The Secretary of War reports that the ex-
penditures OF the War Department for the
773 o.. The appropriations for this Depart
ment. for the current fiscal year, amount to
With respect to the Army, the Secretary in
vites attention to the fact that its strength IL
limited by statute (Section Ills, Revised stat.
utes) to not more than 0,00O enlisted men, but
that provisos contained in appropriation bills
have limited expenditures to the enlistment
of but 5000. 1t Is believed the full legal
strength is the least possible force at which
the present organization cnn be maintained,
having in view efficiency, discipline and econ
Omy. While the enlistment OF this force would
add somewhat to the appropriation for pay OF
the Army, the saving made in other respects
additional OUTLAY. and the efficiency of the
Army would be largely Increased.
The rapid extension of the railroad system
west of the Mississippi River, and the great
tide of settlers which has flowed in upon new
territory. impose in the military an entire
change of policy. The maintenance of small
posts along wagon and stage routes of travel
is no longer necessary. Permanent quarters
at points selected of Il more substantial char
acter than those heretofore constructed, will
be required. Under existing laws, perma-
nent buildings can not be erected without the
sanction of Congress, and when sales OF mill
tary sites and buildings have been author
lied, the moneys received have reverted to
the Treasury. and could only become avail
able through a new appropriation. 1t is rec
commended that provision be made, by
general statute, for the sale of such aban-
doned military posts and buildings IA are
unnecessary,
ton of the proceeds to the construction of
other posts While many of the present posts
of but slight value for military purposes,
owing to the changed condition of the coun-
try, their occupation is continued at great
expense and Inconvenience, because they at
ford the only available shelter for troops.
The absence of a large number of officers of
the line, in active duty, from their regiments,
is a serious detriment to the maintenance of
the service. The constant demand for small
detachments, each OF which should be com
manded by a commissioned officer, and the
away from. their command, occasions u
scarcity in the number required for company
some extent, it is recommended that the law
authorizing the detail of officers from the ac-
tive list professors of tactics and military
science at certain colleges and universities, be
so amended as to provide that all such details
be made from the retired list of the Army.
Attention Is asked to the necessity OF pro-
yidin~ by legislation for organizing. arrniny.
and disciplining the active militia of the
country, and liberal appropriations
the Adjutant- General of the Army and the
Chief of Ordnance touching this subject fully
set forth its Importance.
Especial attention il asked to the report OF
the Chief of Engineers upon the condition Of
our national defenses. From personal in
spection of many of the fortifcations referred
to- the Secretary is able to emphasize the rec
concentrations made, and to state that their
incomplete and defenseless condition is dis
creditabIe to the country. While other ma
lions have been increasing their means for
carrying on offensive warfare and attacking
maritime cities, we have been dormant in
preparation for defense; nothing of impor-
lance has been done toward strengthening
and finishing our casemated works since our
late civil war, during which the great guns OF
modern warfare and the heavy nrmOrOf mod
ern fortifications and ships came into use
among the nations. and our earthworks left,
by sudden failure of appropriations some
years SINCE in all stages of incompletion, are
now being rapidly destroyed by the elements.
IMPROVEMENT OF NAvIGABLE WATERS.
The two great rivers of the North American
Continent, the Mississippi and the Columbia,
have their navfgable waters wholly within the
limits of the United States, and are of vast
importance to our internal and foreign COM
merce. The permanency of the important
work on the South Pass of the Mississippi
River seems now to be assured There has
been no failure whatever in the maintenance
of the maximum channel during the six
months ended August 3. last, This eXpcr1.