Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-02-03
THE SILVER QUESTION.

the hands Of the House Committee on
Coinage, Weights aud Measures. when,
orln what way, II will emerge from IT,
seclusion Il n question OF the future.
The opponents of the measure are de.
velopIng greater strength than was
expected. Its frlends are trying earn
eslly 10 obtain report from the com.
nit,ec, while it, enemies are as zeal.
ously working TO stavc of the report.
The late Secretary Window was a
herceopponent Of free coinage OF silver.
IL IL saii that President Harrison /.
also opposed 70 II. ~ also IL Speaker
Reed. Petitions and protests against
II, are pouring In from prominent
flnauclers, bankers aud commercial or
CARNATIONS.
IL is contende by theso that the free
coinage Of silver would drive gold out
oftho country, aud Ia short period
bring about national bankruptcy.
They contend further that the bill Is
the work OF conspiracy Of mine
owners and Spectators who want to
get full dollar for rs cents worth Of
silver. On the other hand, the friends
ofthc bill contend ,hs' silver has been
demonetixcd by former legislation, and
that this bill will remonctize Il.
Daring last year silver bill became
law which limited coinage TO 4,OOo,OOO
per month nj tho utmost, A grave
scandal IL attached 10 that statute and
the goldltes are making the most Of II.
A gentleman named Oscnby told the
correspondent OF the -. Louis
SioJc.DemOcrdt that pool Of
members Of Congress aud spccu.
lators was formed TO control
the sale Of silver bullion, aud compel
tho Treasury 10 pay high fees for II.
This Information was published aud
tho result was that an investigation
committee was appointed by Congress.
The most important evidence given
before that committee was by David T.
Llttlor, of Illinois. lie testified that he
invested 800, 900 In silver bullion for
Don Cameron, q. y. senator from
Pennsylvania, while tho silver bill
was still pending In Congress.
Cameron acknowledged the fact,
stating that he bought silver n he
would any other article OF commerce.
But he had the good fortune TO be- 70.
elected last month, before this tcstl.
mony was published. Tho Silver
Pool Investigation Committee has not
yet finished It's labors, aud what the
future may develop time alone eau tell.
But the Senator from the Quaker State
IN In a bad fix.
To speak nationally and oonsorva.
lively, there 10 something In this free
coinage idea, "a II now stands, that Is
not at all reassuring. II would not
only affect the silver producers Mt
home, but those Of all foreign coun.
tries. Any peron could tAsc his bull.
lion TO tho mint and get for il2 grains
one dollar, no matter what tho price OF
silver may be. a silver candlcstick
from Russia, or silver nose.ring from
the CoRgo could be turned Into United
States dollan without question. The
wisdom Of this Is very Questionable
from domestic point Of view. There
should be some restriction on foreign
silver, by all means.
Tho fact that there Is something
wrong In the financial and industrial
condition Of our country goes without
saying. But there are Few who have
patriotism and unselfishne.- enough TO
prescribe the proper course. Every
body knows that there are 200 persons
In the United States who possess In.
dlvldually $50, 0O1, 900 each. II Is also
known TINT we have one man whose
wealth exceeds the assessed valuation
OF four States Of the Union, and more
than the whole country had when the
Constitution was framed. We have
four hundred persons who possess
slO,0OO,OOO each, one thousand who
possess 5000, 900 each, two thousand,
s2,OO0,O00 each, six thousand, 81 900.
600, aud fifteen thousand persons who
possess 100000 each. We have, In n
worI, thiriy'one thousand who possess
In the aggregate $50, .5O,0OO,OOO.