The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-25
TIME 40 QUIT.

After an opposition to the Bland PHI
devoid of argument and characterized
only by silly slurs and inuendoes, the
Helena Journal has at last discovered
what it believes to be a fatal objection
to the bill SO far as the interests of Mon
tana are concerned. The only fatality
to the success of this measure is the
fight Of gold bugs il our national legis-
lature and the presumption that the bill
will be vetoed by the gold bug presi-
dent. But passing over this, let US *
anime MIR. BANDS amendment wherein
the journal has made its wonderful
discovery. 1t reads:
en- the course Of his argument, Bland
stated he would propose a later amend.
ment to that ortion Of the bill providing
that coin notes shall be issued as fast as
bullion is deposited. He would move at
the proper time to amend BY providing
that coin notes shall be issued as rapidly
as the mints found it practicable to coin
bullion" .*" ..%
This simply means that the mints will
coin silver as fast as possible;
that when the bullion is coined the
seller will receive his bi-metallic coin
notes which in exchange will answer all
the purposes Of silver certificates now
used. The sellers silver bullion in
charge Of the government is exactly like
a deposit ia a bank, and certainly quite
as safe. The Bland bill provides for the
free and unlimited coinage Of silver on
the anne terms as gold is now coined.
AS the minis now coin all gold as fast
as possible, under the Bland bill they
will coin all silver as fast as possible.
The word practicable" over which the
Journal proposes to bubble means
simply that the mints can coin 40 more
gold or silver than their resources
be coined as fast as gold under the pres
system. The Journals attempt there
fore, to show that Mr.. BANDS amend
ment means a legal restriction on silver
coinage is evidence that our contempt
rary is deluded or seeks to delude its
readers. A restriction Of this sort would
actually destroy the purposes of the bill
and certainly nobody believes that after
a gallant fight of more than twenty
years for free coinage Mr.. Bland would
deliberately destroy the object Of his
measure By an amendment; nobody
believes that he would, at this time
prove t~reacherous to the metal and az
ricultural population Of the west an6
south.
On the other hand let us see what the
bill will do for the silver interests o
this state. 1t provides first, for the I'm
limited coinage of silver; it provides
that gold and silver shall be coined a
the rate of sixteen to one; or in othe:
words, for q fixed value of S1.29 pc
ounce which shall be paid by the United
States government for all the silver tina
this value for the present low ant
! f%1uctuating price Of the metal. IT thi
will not benefit the silver interests o
Montana it is difficult to see what unde
: the sun would bring a benefit. But in
, stead Of advocating a law that will re
suit in the development of new mlnin
property in Montana, the employment
! Of another army OF laborers, the re
sumption of work in mines and mil.
that nave been forced to close down O
account of the low price of silver, tn
a Journal has fought the bill in a hal
hearted way because it was assured thu
President Harrison bad no sympath
t with free coinage sentiment. II
x present attempt to show that Mr.. Blar
b has changed front and seos matters in
n new light is tho most foolish of all /
s state against tho measure.