Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-17
Senator Sherman a BimetalIlst

We were grati6ed yesterday in reading
Mr.. sBERNAs's speech Of Monday, as re-
ported In the Congressional Record, to find
that he Is bold advocate OF bimetallism.
He used almost exactly the words we yes
terday put into Colonel CoALrER CABELL's
mouth. But Mr.. SHERMAN, as did the
Dispatch in 1878, advocates the policy Of
making a silver dollar whose real value
shall be the same as Its face value, or as
nearly so as possible. Mr.. SHERMAN's
speech Is q highly interesting one, and
worthy Of attentive consideration. We
quote one short paragraph from It,
"Now, sir. / must say 10 my friend from
Colorado-he may sneer at those who have
my views on the subject Of silver-that l
am In every fibre OF my body bimetlllist.
think that the attempt to establish gold
alone as the monetary standard OF the
world would bring destruction upon mil
lions and hundreds Of millions OF people
but to be bimetallists we must make our
metals equal In market value. A man Is
not bimetallist who would coin either
OF less than its market value and
try TO palm It of on his people
for more than otis market value. Put
these two metals on their legs side by side
with each other, measured by the judgment
OF mankind as to their market value, and
believe during the life of the longest liver
OF all who hear me, they will be regarded
as the equivalent OF each other; they will
he bime,alic money In the broad sense OF
the term. and the United States will have
had the honor OF relieving the whole world
Of difficulty that now agi:ates cabinets,
countries, poor and rich, in all parts o. the
civilized and even Of the savage world"
Mr.. SHERMAS's "frlend from Colorado"
Senator HILL, said on the same day in the
course Of long speech:
"There Is not in either the Presidents
message or in the report OF the Secretary Of
the Treasury single valid reason given for
the discontinuance OF the silver coinage or
the issue OF silver certificates. 1t is true
that Sf0,000,000 out Of the S1S7,000,000
already coined are now held and owned by
the Treasury, but IL Is equally true that
sl3S, OOO, 900 in gold are held and owned In
the Treasury, or three and one-half times
as much as Of silver dollars. No rea.
son is given or can be given why
the Treasury ownership Of silver Is
more injurious to the public interests
than its ownership of gold. 1t being the
opinion Of the Treasury officials that a cer-
tain amount OF coin must be kept to pro-
:ect the redemption OF the greenbacks, 1t Is
plain that 10 give up the present ownership
| OF forty millions OF silver dollars would
compel the locking up OF forty millions
| more OF gold. That there are now any sill
| YER dollars In the Treasury is caused solely.
and, as / believe, Intentionally, by the re-
iusal Of the Administration to execute the
ret OF 1880. according TO its plain intent,
| by paying out silver and silver certificates
at the New York Clearinghouse"
Mr.. BECK, OF Kentucky, said:
~ expect to show, and 1 think can,
that the silver dollar or the silver coinage
OF this country has never been treated by
the Administration, or any member OF 1t,
with anything like reasonable fairness. and
that the reason why silver Is to-day de-
pressed as much as II is grows out oil the
hostility Of our own Government; aud no
man has evinced that hostility more abso-
Iutely than the Senator from Ohio from his
high place as Secretary OF the Treasury"
Mr.. SHERMAN: Where have ever
said ANYTHING against the silver certificate
Where have i said anything against the sill
yer dollar, except to make 1t goodi On
the contrary, IL may be allowed TO claim
any credit for II, claim to have done as
much as any one could possibly do to Keep
the silver certificate in circulation. be-
heye that gold and silver certificate IL the
Rest form OF paper money that was ever de-
yised. hope, therefore, the Senator will
Mr.. BECK hope when this discussion
comes ND again shall show from report
after report OF the distinguished gentleman
as Secretary OF the Treasury that he has
denied that we had right to pay oul
creditors in the silver coin OF the coun
Try
Mr.. SHERMAN: All!
In the House Of Representatives the SAM
day MIR. CASSIDY, of Nevada, said:
s"The fact Is, Mr.. Speaker, ever since th'
reconciliation in 1870 we have attracted L
this country from the Old World more thar
three hundred millions OF gold, and durinI
the same period We have exported NOR
then seventy-fve millions OF silver. contra
: dieting every assertion and prediction mad
at the time, aud since. by the enemies o
! silver; showing. also, that this metal anon,
the people OF this country Is OF equal diguit!
; and Of equal value with gold by the peopl
everywhere"
Congress understands the subject. ant
will not reduce the volume Of currency
, Go on with your factories and other enter
prizes. Put the workingmen to work.
----------------