New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-13

20 theEd tor Of T h T RI p
Sir: The communication of Judge West in The
Tribune is. you say. one OF the clearest ana
most lucid papers the subject that have yet ap-
pcared But there is statement in 1t that u
hardly correct or at least. needs little further
considerations Thus he says: Under the statutes
in force previous 20 1873 any person delivering gold
or silver bullion at the mint was entitled 10 nave
converted and the returned 10 him III stahu'
ard dollars trifiing cost" Again. Free
coinage demands its restoration TO It's ancleht
privilege d. In other words 1t is demanded
that every one delivering 6s cents in value IN :
silver at the mint shall have 1t converted into
standard dollar and returned to him without charge
clothed with equal and the same debt-paying power
which the statute confers on the l0o-cent dollar
For all that | know. the persons delivering GOLD
and silver bullion at the mint previous TO le'S 10 "
converted into standard dollars. were required 10
have the dollars returned to them 10 dispose Ok
as best they could. But do not understand tha'
that is what free coinage demands now OF 10
the provision Of the present coinage law "ha'
free coinage demands is that every person VINO
chooses 10 bring his 66 cents worth or less o,
silver 10 the mint To be converted into stahua'u
dollar but not that it shall be returned TO nun
to dispose OF as he can, but that the Government
shall pay him for his IS cents worth OF silver whas
Is equivalent 100 cents in value In gold. ana taHs
the 66-cent dollar itself dispose of. or, what ]"
practically the actual result. store 1t away IN
vault Now here II Is the crucid
point of this whole question. IL the persons de-
liverng the silver to the mint were obliged 10
take the dollars into which 1t was converted 10
dispose OF as they could, the attempt TO pass them
In any amount even II they were clothed with the
same debt-paying power the l0O-cent dollar
would at once raise such storm of indignation a.
would require the repeal of any such enactment
and not only that but the whine and wall apou.
the decentralization OF silver and its right to equa'
frao coiua with gold WOul he shown up III
it's true light. The people don't want silver do-
lars for currency. and. what is more. they w9 mat
have them such for the simple reason thas
they too inconvenient. The silver Senators ~
Washington may exhaust their rhetoric and tneH
eloquence they list about the wickedness OF ueS
glory OF bimetallism. but 1t will not move =, "a
dollar of silver out of the Government vaults ~
is not free coinage the sverites are camorlng io,.
but the compulsory purchase by the Governments
the price of 100 cents In gold for every 90 cents
worth OF silver. And II Is right here that ~. W.
colossal injustice and outrageous wrong OF .I,.s
whole business lies. How long Is IL TO be petorS
these facts become too patent to be longer sho'e~
by the silver men?
GEORGE CAMPBELL.
Kenwood n. Y. August ., 1898.
THE PRESIDENT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED
TO the Editoro fThe Tribune
Sir: Your article the Presidents message was
so sincere and for the general good of the business
public that cannot resist the temptation to thahH
convictions so ably put forth. The country neees
this end f. Fl. coEMAS "a Democrat.
New-York. August 8. 1893