The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1893-12-16
GOV. YATES CURRENCY SCHEME.
HIS SPEECH TO THE MINERS.
Advises Making all American Dollars IA
l. gal Tender In the state.-severaI
Other Recommendations.

/ OF the twcnty-on- camps invited to send
delegates eleven responded and eighteen del
cgatcs We're present, as follows;
| Sllyerton-F. b. Brown, Henry Smith, NJ.
! Stockman.
! St E!mo-James Holtschneider, George T..
johnson, John Mcbride.
| Brcckenrdge-J. W. Swishcr.
Aspen. G. Fitzgerald, j. NJ. McAlichacl,
! NJ. l.. Parr.
| Crecdc-rhornton II. Thomas.
/ Bichclor-Thomas johnson.
! Cripple Crcck-C. I. Mccoy.
| Kokomo-W. 7. Farrow
Central Clty--H. c. Balslnger.
Ouray--L. y. White.
| Lawson-W. T. Adams, P. Kaufman.
| j. NJ. McNichael Of Aspen was chosen
chairman and j. w. swlsher OF Breckenridge
! secretary.
| Judge Mccoy of saltda delivered an ad-
dress of welcome to Governor Waite and
| W, p, Harbottle welcom med the delegates TO
the city.
After instrumental music Governor Waite
was intr oduccl and delivered his address to
the delegates. He was frequently interrupted
! by applause.
| The governor opened his remarks by ex-
against certain camps in issuing the call for
the present convention. lie 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 10 camps where men with
families and homes predominatcd.
The governors constitutional right to call
| special session Of the General Assembly was
next cited and the opposition to such a special
session coming from the moned classes was
declared to be IA: greater than tho occasion
| called for, 1t was not TO be taken for grant
ed that the legislators, If called together,
would 'lcgislate' at all, and it was certainly
not presumed that they would do anything
unwlse or revolutionary.
The governor then dwclt at some length on
the silver crisis. The situation has somewhat
improved since ins darkest hours last summer
he said, but not over 4 OO) silver miners out of
the 5000 thrown out Of employment have
been able TO resume work. To be sure, Colo
radios varied resources are stlll here, but
there Is little demand for developing them
while silver Il stricken down.
The governor thea made number of sug-
gestions as 10 the legislation that might be
considered at the extra session, aside from
the silver coinage problem.
lie recommended that state and county
warrants for the payment OF which there Is
no money in the proper funl at the time OF
Issuance, be cxchangeab!c for state certificate.
Of small denominations that would doubtless
pass as currency among business men. lie
said;
II a special session is called a recommends
ton 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 ali municipalities OF Colorado de
string TO construct public improvements to
the gross amount ut upon assessed pr2pertY, Is
now permitted by law. may Issue. instead oil
bonds their certificates In small sums, re
celyable In whole or In part for the lax levied
by that municipality TO parties who may con-
tract to take them for materials and work
aud labor performed.
That the Interest on judgments be reduced
to 9 per cent. pes anuum.
That the interest and penalties on delln-
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 FL Paso county and contiguous
territory, TO relieve the people of tho Cripple
Creek region Of the unjust and heavy burdens
which they arc now compelled to endure, and
in view OF the great increase, present or pros
pectiyc. of legal business In the judiciary dis
trlct, 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 as TO provide for the issue OF
small certificates, instead of those of $1,000,
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 lrrigating companies, except In
proportion to the water supplied.
To amend the law relating TO homes'eads
| IN the Interest Of the homestcader.
The governor then proceeded to the cues
| Ion of 4 states right to coin money. He
| iwclt at considerable length on the history OF
| 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, $50, volume q,
| part |, Forty-nfth congress, second session,
| Feb T. 1883, James &. Blaine said: 81 believe
| gold and silver coin 10 be the money of the
| peop!c-indcrd the money OF the American
| people anterior 10 the constitution, which
| that great organic law recognized as quite
| iudcpendcn; OF its own existence. No power
| was conferred On congress TO declare that
| either metal should not be money. Congress
has, therefore, In my judgment, no power to
| demonctize silver any more than to demone-
| tie gold no power to dcmonetizc either any
| more than TO demonetize both. In this state
| ment ] am but repeating the mighty dctum
| Of the first of constitutional lawyers. i am
| certainly of the opinion said Mr.. Webster,
| that gold and silver, at rates fixed by con
4 cress, constitute the legal standard o! value
in this country, and neither congress or any
state has authority to establish amy other or
| to displace this standaAl.' Few persons can
| be found, apprehcnd, who will maintain
| that congress possesses the power to demonc-
| tie both gold and silver, or that congress
| could be justified in prohibiting the coinage
| of both: aud yet in logic an legal construc-
| ton 1t would he difficult to show where and
why the power OF congress over silver Is
| greater than over god-grca:er over either
| than over the two. II, therefore, silver has
| been dcmonctlzcd, ! am in favor Of remonc-
| tizins it, If It's coinage has been prohibited
| am in favor of ordering it to be resumed. II
| Il has been restricted ] am in favor OF having
1t enlarged
This concession to Congress of the right
! To-. tl,n aatt al a rtI.f