, 1892-01-06
WHY, OLD LAW
Senator Stewart Finds a Law
For Free Coinage.
BE Says Such a Law Was
Enacted in 1887.
Three Hundred Bills Intro
duced in the House.

WASHINGTON, Jan. ga resolution
was offered in the senate by Senator Vest.
Dec. 10, requesting the president to
cause the correspondence and negotia-
tons he had had through the department
of state or otherwise with the British au-
thorites for the purpose of securing the
%abrogation or modification OF. the regula-
tons which require the American cattle
to be slaughtered at the port of entry.
ETC., was taken up and advocated by Vest.
Hale treated the regulations in question
as a marked instance OF Great Britiaus
Inconsistency in the matter of free trade;
that that nation was constantly preaching
on free trade. obiectipg in every
way to protection as embodied in the
statutes of the United States and yet
under form of quarantine regulations is
actually prohibiting the expectation from
the United States to Great Britain of live
animals. establishing a complete pro-
hibitory tariff. Vest deprecated the intro
ducton of the tariff discussion on the
resolution. Great Britain's action was
based ostensibly on the fact that there
had been sporadic cases of pleuro-
pneumonia found In exported American
cattle. That those eases had been largely
exaggerated in England. from the
mercensry motives which have been made
fully apparent, he thought, by the report
of the senate select committee. II, after
the state department had called the
attention of the British government to
the subject and calmly presented all the
facts showing that no diseased cattle we're
exported from the United States, if the
British authorities refused to treat the
American cattle justly, he (Vest) would
not be found tagging when the senator
from Maine proposed the most extreme
measures in order to remove the outrage.
After some further discussion tho reso-
luton was adopted. Among the bills
introduced were: For local government
of Utah territory and prohibiting free
passes on railroads except in certain
cases. After an executive session the
senate adjourned.
Senator Stewart of Nevada added a
new feature to the silver question today
by the introduction OF a resolution
founded upon the proposition that hold
ers of silver bullion are entered under an
existing law, never repealed so far as the
senator can ascertain, to the free coinage
of silver. The resolution directs the COM
mittee on judiciary to inquire if any fur
Their legislation be necessary to make it
the duty OF the proper officers of the
mint to receive and coin the silver bullion
tor the benefit of its depositors. Sen.
ator Stewart said it is provided in an act
of 1887 that gold and silver bullion
brought to the mint for coinage shall he
received and coined by the proper Off
GERS for the benefit of the deposltor."
There is no other mode or manner pro
IL H.. ALA M
Bland act of 1878 revises the law of 1887.
Omission to enforce this provision is un
accountable. 1t appears to have been
overlooked by all parties. He had exam
ined the question and failed to find any
repeal or medication of the statute. II
shall be surprised if the judiciary commit
tee does not find that as a matter of law
it is the duty of the officers OF the mint to
coin silver bullion into standard dollars at
a ratio o~fsixteen to one for the benefit OF
Its depositors," he concluded.