Rocky Ford enterprise., 1893-12-14
GOV. WAITE'S CURRENCY SCHEME.
HIS SPEECH TO THE MINERS
Advises Making all Amer.can Dollars q
Legal Tender In the state.-Severnl
Other Recommendations.

The convention OF miners called by Gover-
nor Waite met at Salda on the 9th.
OF the twcnty-one camp, invitcd to send
delegates eleven responded and eighteen del
egatcs were present, as follows:
SIlverton-F. B. Brown, Henry Smith, NJ.
Stockman.
st. Eimo-Jamcs Ioltsch neider, George T.
johnson, John Mcbride.
Breckcnrdse-J. W. SwIsher.
Aspcn-J. G. Fitzgerald, j. NJ. McMichacl,
NJ. l.. Parr.
Crecdc-Thornton II. Thomas.
Bachelor-Thomas johnson.
Cripple Creek-C. T. Mccoy.
Kokomo-W. I. Farrow.
Central City-H. e. Balsinger.
Ouray--L. N. White.
Lawson-W. +. Adams, P. Kaufman.
j. NJ. McMichacl Of Aspen was chosen
chairman and j. W. Swlshcr OF Breckenridge
as st cretnry.
Judge Mccoy Of salida delivered an ad-
dress OF welcome TO Governor Waite, and
w. p. Inrbottle welcomed the delegates to
the city.
After instrumental music Governor Waite
was intr oduccd and delivered his address to
the delegates. He was frequently interrupted
by applause.
The governor opened his remarks by ex-
p!aIning why he had apparently Disseminated
against certain camps In issuing the call for
the present convention. He had included In
his call only silver miners, as the class most
vitality hurt by the present money crisis. He
had not even included all silver miners, CIV
Ing preference to camps where men with
families and homes prcdominated.
The governors constitutional right to call
u special session Of the General Assembly was
next cited and the opposition to such special
session coming from the monied classes was
declared to be fa: greater than tho occasion
called for. 1t was not TO be taken for grant
ed that the legislators, II called together,
would "legislnte' at nil, and it was certainly
not presumed that they would do anything
unwisc or revolutionary.
The governor then dwclt at some length on
the silver crisis. The situation has somewhat
improved since in, darkest hours last summer,
he said, but not over 4. .00o silver miners out Of
the 5000 thrown out Of employment have
been able to resume work. To be sure, Colo
RADIOS varied resources are still here, but
there is little demand for developing them
while silver Is stricken down.
The governor then made number of sug-
gcstions rs 10 the legislation that might be
considered Mt the extra session, asido from
the silver coinage problem.
lie recommended that state and county
warrants for the payment Of which there is
no money In the proper fun at the time Of
issuance, be exchangeab!c for state certificates
OF small denominations that would doubtless
pass as currency among business men. lie
said:
II n special session is called q recommends
tion will be made to repeal the present law
providing for the issue of bonds by the state,
or any other municipality fulfilling OF course,
all obligations of that kind already incurred.
Also that MI municipalities OF Colorado de-
string to construct public improvements to
the gross amount upon assessed property, rs
now permitted by law, may issue. instead OF
bonds, their certificates In small sums, re-
cevable In whole or In part for the tax levied
by that municipality TO parties who may con-
tract to take Them for materials and work
and labor performed.
Thatth Interest on judgments be reduced
to q per cent per annun.
That the interest and penalties on dclln-
qucnt lands, sold for taxes, be reduced as the
General Assembly may determine.
That the state enact n bankrupt or assign
ment law, protecting alike the rights OF the
debtor and the creditor.
That new county be organized out Of the
west part Of Ell Paso county and contiguous
territory, 10 relieve the people of the Cripple
Creek region Of the unjust and heavy burdens
which they nre now compelled to endure, and
In view Of the great increase, present or pros
pective, of legal business In the judiciary dis
trict, that another judge be appointed for
said district.
That the acts passed last winter providing
for the construction OF the state canal be
amended SO ms to provide for tho issue OF
email certificates, instead of those of l,0W.
and provisions made to provide some other
resources OF payment in addition to water
rents.
To reduce abstract charges.
To provide that water rents shall not be
collected by irrigating companies, except In
proportion to the water supplied.
To amend the law relating to homesteads
IN the interest Of the homesteader.
The governor then proceeded to the 1ucs-
.ion of states right to coin money. He
lwclt at considerable length on the history o!
coinage in this country, and explained the
conditions under which the right of coinage
had been conferred by the states on the fed
eral government.
Congressional record, page, SEQ, volume Z,
part l, Forty-hfth congress, second session,
Feb. z, 1883, James G. Blaine said: II believe
gold and sllvor coin to be the money OF the
pcoplc-indecd the money of the American
people anterior to the constitution, which
that great organic law RI cognizcd ns quit,
independent OF Its own existence. No power
was conferred on congress to declare thai
has, therefore, In my Judgment, no power 1t
demonctizc silver any more than TO demonc-
tize gold; no power to lcmonetize either any
more than to dcmonetize both. In this state
ment am but repeating the mighty dictim
of the first of constitutional lawyers. 4 am
certainly of the opinion said Mr.. Webster.
that gold and silver, at rates fixed by con
gress, constitute the legal standard OF value
In this country, md neither congress or any
state has authority TO establish any other OF
to displace This standard. Few persons can
be found, nppr.hcnd, who will maintain
that congress possesses the power to dcmonc-
tizc both gold and silver, or that congrcs.
could be justified in prohibiting the coinage
Of both; and yet in logic an legal construc-
tion 1t would be difficult to show where and
why the power Of congress over silver
greater than over god-grca:cr over either
than over the two. If. therefore, silver has
been demonctized, ! am in favor Of remonc-
tlzlng it. II It's coinage has been prohibited
l am In favor Of ordering 1t to be resumed Il
IL has been restricted am In favor OF having |
It enlarged
This concession to Congress OF the right |
10 coin money was In the nature OF n trust. |
The execution of which can only be enforced |
by Q CONTINUOUS COINAGE. II trustc,
ncglects or refuses to perform trust, the |
courts, in ordinary cases compels perform |
,nce, or In default thereof, the trust revert,
10 the trustor. IL as In this case, the govern
nent being the trustee, there is no competent
power 10 compel the execution OF the trust.
he right to coin money revcrts to the statcs