The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-12-14
WAITE's CONVENTION.
ONLY EIGHTEEN SILVER MINERS RE
sPoNDED TO THE CALL.
But the Governor Had His Convention Just
the same-Concsded the Right Of the
Federal Government to Coin Money,
A Great Farce.

SALIDA, Col, Dec. Only 1S dele,
gates representing 10 mining camps
were present at the opening today OF
the miners convention, called by Gov.
ernor Waite to consider his proposition
for spe cial session of the legislature
to take some action in behalf of silver.
The convention organized with JIM.
McMichael of Aspen as chairman; j.
w. Swisber of Breckenridge, secretary.
Judge @. F. Mccoy, in an address of
welcome, said if the condition favored
the calling of an extra session the gov.
ernor should recommend the enact
ment of law authorizing the sec, e.
tary of state to purchase silver bullion
and issue therefor silver certificates
and place the bullion purchased upon
the market; also law for.th coinag e
of Colorado bullion in Mexico, this
Mexican coin to be legal tender in this
state for all debts, IN | o lvlte TE...4
Governor Waite delivered an address
outlining his views as to the silver
crisis and suggesting topics to be con
sidered by the legislature. The right
of congress to coin money was conced-
ed,and that right exclusive so long as
theright is exc rcised. The governor
said: "This right is given to the gen.
eral government by the states as q
trust, this trust calling for continuous
coinage. In default of the exercise of
the coinage right the trust reverts to
the states and the people. By the
passing of enactments putting an end
to free coinage of silver the general
government defaulted in its trust.
Competent legal authority holds that
the right of the people to free coinage
of silver has never been taken away.
The extra session of the legislature
should take action to compel the adiu.
dication by the United States supreme
court of this question. The right of
the state to make gold and silver coin
tender in payment of all debts collect
able within that state cannot be de-
MED.
The governor asserted that he then
affirmed that this right applies to for
elgn gold and silver coins as well as to
those of the United States. The
remedy. he said, is for each state to
enact that the silver dollar of the
United States and our cister republics
in North and South America, contain
ing not less than 81 la grains of fine
silver, shall be legal tender at 100
cents each for all debts, public and
private, collectable within that state.
In addition to his silver coinage, Gov
ernor Waite said he would make rec
concentrations: State and county
warrants. for payment of which there
is no money in the proper fund at the
time of issuance, should be exchange.
able for state certificates of small de-
nominations that would doubtless pass
as currency among business men;
that interest and penalties on
judgements, lands sold for taxes. ETC.,
be reduced; that a state bankrupt law
be enacted; that state canal certifi-
Gates be issued in small denominations
instead of amounts $1,000 each as the
law now stands.
Bya vote of 10 to s the convention
decided in favor of an extra session.
The proposition to submit the question
of the right of the state to coin gold
and silver to the supreme court of
Colorado was lost. The governor an
nounced that he would call the legis-
lature together early in January.