The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-01-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Congress indicates that no measure de-
signed to interrupt the coinage of sill.
YER dollars can pass either chamber.
The attitude of the democrats, as a
party, was we'll defined in the Senate
by Mr.. Pugh, who, in good natured
reference tn the administration silver
policy said that on this matter both
parties allowed differences of opinion
within the ranks, and that be bad no
disposition to quarrel with the Presi.
dent for holding views at variance
with his own. After this explanation
he pitched into the gold. bugs and the
banks without mercy.
Col. Snowden who was superintend.
ant of the Philadelphia mint for many
years, and who is recognized author.
ity on coinage, says that ex.Congress
man Horr's declaration that there are
fifty million counterfeit silver dollars
in circulation is ridiculous. He says
that it would be impossible for outside
parties to coin and circulate imitation
dollars in any considerable amount
without detection. The dollars could
not be minted without costly machin.
cry of special patterns. The old fash
ioned method of moulding is a very
slow one, aud the coins so made would
be palpably inferior to those minted
by machinery. Then, granting that
the coin could be made of standard
metal and in perfect imitation of that
manufactured by the government, how,
asks Col. Snowden, could it be made
to circulate freely? With all it's ap,
pliances, the government has been
able to float only fifty million silver
dollars in sever years. Evidently,
counterfeiters could not duplicate his
issue secretly and by paid agents.
Again, where and when was necessary
bullion purchased?
Col. Snowden concludes that there
are very few counterfeit dollars 10 cir
eulation fewer, he thinks, than at
any previous time in the history of
the government. 1t looks, in short,
as if Mr.. Horr was indulging himself
little in that propensity for joking
for which the rotund ex.member from
Michigan is SO famous.
The House shows praise worthy
alacrity in regard to the presidential
succession bill. 1t has already passed
the committee, and has been reported
to the House without amendment.
There is some disposition among mem.
bers to object to certain provisions Of
the bill, but the prospect now is that
it will be passed substantially as il
came from the Senate. The feature
in the bill most criticised, perhaps, il
that which creates a cabinet interreg.
mum till the expiration of the full
presidential term. But the contiu
gency is so remote that the objection
is rather fanciful. 1t is altogether un
likely that both President and Vice
President will ever die at the begin
ming Of the term, and in case that any
considerable portion of it has elapseC
before the two offices were vacated
there would be practically little differ
ence in time between the date of I
special contest.
The ordnance committee find tha
country can manufacture its own can
non, if it is given time and none,
enough, aud they urge that this b
done. The necessary expenditure
would be rather large, but there is N
good reason why the governmen
should not make its cannon as we'll a
its small arms, or at least extend sucl
guarantees to private concerns a
would justify them in provislng th
necessary plant. Even if we ordere,
cannon from abroad we should hav
to wait some time before we could ge
them. And considerations of nationa
safety urge the manufacture of gun
on our own soil T..