Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-08-04
The New silver Law.

anG bad falth Ia written upon every
section, from first to last. How could
an intelligent public expect anything
else? In the first place the coinage
committee which had charge Of the
subject was appointed by a Speaker
whose active hostility to silver coin.
age was known to the who'll, country.
The committee was selected with the
view of defeating the wish of the
people upon this important question.
The chairman Of the committee, an
Iowa man, had no will upon the sub
ject except to obey his masters. He
introduced no bill Of his own, but re-
ceived one ready-made from the hands
of Wall street secretary whom ev
crybOdy knew to be bitter enemy Of
the silver dollar. The friends of sill
YER were snubbed, brOw-beaten and
kicked at every turn. And when, in
spite of all these obstacles it seemed
that free coinage would triumph
against ali odds, the threat of veto
was hurled from the White House.
Let us not make a mistake. This is
not personal question. Conger was
only the plant instrument in the
hands OF Reed and Window. Reed
and Window were only the mouth
pieces of their party, which is organ
lied and controlled throughout by the
money sharks for this and kindred
purposes. Why talk OF an honest
silver bill from such pack Of pi-
rates? Gen. Gordon imprisoned at
KhartOum might as well hoped for
mercy from the besiegng and blood
thirsty Mahdi. Are the tax-ridden
and mortgage covered people OF
America so silly as to expect relief
from the devOuring horde of eastern
money sharks? If The christian
world wishes to suppress the slave
traffic in Central Africa, will they
send out the master spirit of this
traffic, the cruel Zebehr, with cara
van and force of his own selection to
carry out their wishes? There would
be just as much sense i'm SO doing as
there has been in the past conduct of
the people who are struggling for cur
rency reform. Can it be possible that
we have not yet learned that if we
are ever to secure friendly legislation
we must send men to congress for
that express purpose, men whose
every day lives are guarantee of
their good faith?
But let us examine closely some of
the features of this silver law. The
old law made it mandatory upon the
secretary to purchase not less than
$2,O00000 worth of silver bullion per
moth and coin it into dollars. The
new law repeats this, and enacts that
he shall only purchase when offered.
NO such provision was ever before in
serted IN our silver legislation. If
less than 100000 ounces are offered,
he can purchase no more than is ''ot-
fered." But what will be construed
to be an offer by a secretary who is
unfriendly to silver? Can anybody
tell The secretary is to purchase
the bullion at the "market value"
gold value Of course. Who is to de-
termine what the market value is ?
The secretary may conclude that the
market is little strained by specula-
ton, i'm which case he will "bear"
the market and become involved in a
speculative controversy that will pre-
vent any offers for month or go.
The bullion purchased is to be paid
for with treasury notes to be issued
for that purpose in denominations of
from 81 TO $1,000 i'm the discretion of
the secretary. And these notes are
in turn to be redeemed in gold or sill
YER coin "under such regulations as
the secretary may prescribe" He
has already given orders for the issue
of $40 Xl00 and 81 0Ql hills He will