The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-03-04
FREE COINAGE OF SILVER.
POLICY OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
DISCUSSED.

DISCUSSED.
Colonel VIM. Patrick CalhOun CrIti.
Icises IL, and Shows Some of the
Evils Of the System.
ApgEv1L1E, s. c., March 2nd, 1891.
Editor Press and Banner:
AS the imitation OF our currency Is just now
creating 40 much interest among our people,
| wroie to Senator Butler TO send Inc copy
of the Act on silver which recently passed the
Senate. You would do q kindness by pub
fishing II, since very few OF our peop!e know
anything about il. From my standpoint IL IL
u serious matter, and 1T should receive care
full consideration, before we make such an
urgent demand for Its passage. The lolloW-
ing Is the Act:-
of this act the unit value in the United States
Shall be the dollar, and the same may be
coined of four hundred and Twelve anu one
half grains OF standard silver, or OF twenty
five and eight one hundredths grains OF stan,
dard gold; aud the said coin shall tbe legal
tender for all debts, public and private That
hereafter any owner of silver or gold bullion
may deposit the same at any mint or the
United States, to be formed into standard
dollars or bars for his benefit and without
charge; but 1t shall be LAWFUL 10 refuse any
deposit of less value than one hundred dol-
lars or any bullion SO base as TO be unsulta-
ble for the operations of the Rint.
SEC .. That the provision of section three
of "An uct to authorize the coinage oil the
standard silver dollar and to restore It's legal
tender character" which became law Fen.
ruary twenty eighth, eighteen hunnred and
Seventy-eight, Is hereby made applicable 10
the coinage In this act provided for.
in The The second Sc section of this act shall be OF
denominations Of not less than one or more
than one hundred dollars, and such ccrtlfl,
Gates shall be redcemable In coin OF standard
value A sufficient sum to carry out the pro
nf this n hereDV
Of any money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, SO much OF the act OF July
fourteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety en-
yer bullion and the issue OF Treasury notes
thereon, and for other purposes" as requires
the purchase OF four inillion lion five hnndred aIoea
be and the same Is hereby repealed.
SEC L. That the certificates provided for
in this act and all silver and gold certificates
already issued shall be Tseeyaoe of os e
scrlpion and shall be legal tender for the
payment OF all debts, public or private.
SEC. 5. That the owners OF bullion deposit
coin or its equivalent In the certificates pro.
vided for In this act, ana such puillon snall
De subsequently, coined.
Passed the Senate January IA, 1881,
am not opposed to free coinage We must
hu We more money There Is no doubt about
that. The means Of securing larger clrcula.
tion seems TO me TO be the only trouble. Lei
heard and in the end we shall get what we
desire; but at the same time let US demand
good money.
do not think that the act printed above
will give us the relief demanded, and the fol-
lowing are my reasons for saying 80. 1t
would be wrong not TO limit the coinage or
the making OF paper money: we shouda a.
have so much per capita. SINCE @ 100 l muSh per
The silver dollar provided for does not con-
tain one hundred cents, but much less sum
and this throws wide open the doors OF
for the rich 10 become richer, without help
lpg the The poor man. The silver of the coun-
try Is owned by the rich, and not by the poor;
rhe rich man can take million dollars
worth of silver TO the mint and he Will re-
ceive In exchange for 1t one million two
hundred thousand dollars In gold, and
and We, the poor people Will nave nave
TO handle and use his silver dollars
which really only contain eighty cents. The
silver owners OF other countries can bring
their silver here, have IL coined free, and re
turn home with many additional thousands
that a man in London brings over here two
million dollars worth Of silver and has
II coined free. For his TWO millions "hlch
ne brings with him he carries back to Lon
don two million four hundred thousand dol.
lars in gold. A clear profit Of four hundred
thousand dollars III gold. A clear profit oi
four hundred thousand dollars OF good mon,
ey, and for this great profit he leaves behind
nim his TWO million In silver coined into dol
,ars with only eighty cents worth OF silver In
them. 1t would take wiser man than SOLO
mon 10 show where the farmer who owns no
silver will be benefited.
All OF this speculation could be stopped
very easily, und In manner that would give
us all the money we desired. 1t Is In this
way: The United States is rich and abie 81 ,,u 10
coin our silver free OF charge. Let II coin,
therefore, our silver free OF charge, ana put
one hundred cents In the dollar, and then we
would have nothing to lose, and we woulu
,,.ll a, do
with gold, and the coins OF other lands: IL
may be asked why this is not done? The
question Is easily answered, and IL Is tnis |:
The rich men and speculators are turning
heaven and ,rth TO prevent II, anu tney are
succeeding by the aid of our people VINO are
demanding this free coinage bill Wlthont
looking at the consequences. There are al,na NIL
tons in this Bill, and we are aiding them to
accomplish their ends. These speculators are
using the alliance to carry out their schemes,
and yet IL does not seem to know IL: Inc
very wording OF the Act shows this. Ihere
IS no limit and no restriction In any shape:
II Is a plan Of the silver men to get rid oi
their sileer at handsome profit at the e1-
pense Of our government and people.
/ say, let the demand for more money con-
lnue. but ut the same time let us also de-
mand good money with one hundred cents
III the dollar, and we will get 1t; IT does not
cost US any more 10 get the good dollar than
1t does the eighty cents dollar. One of them
Is safe and tile other is dangerous. The gov
ernment can coin free oi charge just as many
good dollars as 1t can spurious dollars, anu
we who own no silver are not benehtted Dy
putting eighty, instead of one hundred cents
In the dollar.
Persons tell me that they can take eighty
cents in silver, stamped by the government
Is one hundred cents or one dollar, and ouy
one hundred cents worth OF goods tor IL.
Apparently, such IL the case, but this Is not
where the trouble comes in. No one denies
that such is the case now, NO one Gun teli
t,,n LAM ~ tri loSt
forever, that does not make 1t right. II IL
tax es SO many grains OF silver 10 make one
hundred cents, that number OF grains should
be put into every dollar, Just as Is done In the
gold dollar. There Is nothing like being right
and on the safe side, especially when moth.
ing is TO be gained by doing wrong act.
Principle should control a government just
as much as ii does the individual. II Is wrong
In Congress to give the people spurious
coin, when IT. can just us we'll give US good
coin. 1t Is wrong in Congress TO pass law
that opens the doors wide TO the rich TO make
want the rich man's eighty.cents dolla /
want the governments one hundred cents
dollar. We have right to demand fairness
and Justice, aud we do ourselves an injustice
when We do not demand II. That IL why 1
say, that, even IL one of these elghty;cent
do liars does buy as much as onehundred-
cent gold dollars, 1t Is wrong 10 circulate
them.
Demagogues, and men who want to get Of
flee, will tell you that men opposed 10 the sill
yer bill are opposed to the farmers and their
rights, am opposed to this bill as IL stands,
but tel you that by that opposition | am
working for their interests as opposed to the
rich men and spectators, who Will be the
real gamers by It's passage. After the rich
men have hhd all of their silver coined, they
will lock IL up, and %e can only get hold OF
it by hard work and paying them good In.
terest aud when we do get II, they give us
not one hundred cents. but eighty cents IN
the dollar.