Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-08-31

A scheme to solve the silver, Problem
Forthwith.

| TO tls EQ00r or Nc HsgistsFs
SrR:-It seems TO me that the silver
question is much beiogged by the great
| variety and multitude Of ideas advanc-
ed. Ii is difficult question only be-
cause so many arbitrary and artificial
modes OF testing il (many OF them
sprlnglng from selfshness and many
from innocent ignorance) are before the
/ public that the public judgment Is con-
\ fused. Upon simple first principles l
believe the solution Of the question
1 easy. That silver ought to be al parity
! with gold, we nearly all agree. That II
may be so made by the mere fat OF the
government; it Is upon that proposition
/ we differ. l, with the majority, DO not
/ think IL can be so made; yet l believe
| that il is within the legislative power OF
! Congress to enact means by which those
/ having silver 20 be coined can be re-
/ Quired 20 make IL absolutely and perma-
nently par with gold. The whole soul
| aud secret Of my plan is this: Let Con-
/ gress pass law requiring that persons
| having silver bullion TO be coined shall
/ guarantee the parity OF the coin made
| from their bullion.
Who could complain, justly, OF such
/ a law? Not the silver producers, sure
/ ly; not, at least, il gold is placed in pre-
cisely the same condition, as propose
10 shall be. Shame would prevent him;
I for does he not loudly and frantically
| assert that silver is and ever will be the
par OF gold, n not Disseminated against
If only given an equal chance? Not
the gold-bug, either; for his only COM
plant Is that silver is not good mouey
par mOney-and If made so, his COM
plant must cease. II the former goes
90 his government with a coin called a
silver dollar, saying il is worth 100
cents, and proposes TO get 100 cents for
it, where IS the hardship in asking him
20 give his warranty that the coin is
what he represents il 10 be? When l
90 TO my neighbor, Tom Jones, and pro-
pose to sell him a horse for 500, de-
claring that the horse is sonnd and gen.
tie, Jones is not 20 be regarded as I'M
reasonable II he asks me 10 back up my
representation with a formal warranty
before he passes over the 500.
Now that the Wilson bill, for the re-
peal of that disastrous piece Of Repub-
lican legislation making compulsory sill
majority, the way is fairly open for the
enactment Of a really free silver coinage
act such as 1 have suggested. Aud 1t
should be speedily done. No better
means suggests TO my mind than a bill
reported through q joint committee Of
the two Houses. | have prepared an
approximate form Of preamble and
Joint resolution 10 raise such commit
tee and report a bill accordingly.
Trusting that some one Of our able
West Virginia Congressman will take IL
up and have 1t passed, l submit ii as
follows:
''JOINr RESOLUTION authorizing joint
committee TO prepare and report a
bill providing for the free and IN
limited coinage OF gold and silver,
and TO maintain gold and silver coin
az parity.
"WHEREAs, This Congress recog-
niZes the absolute parity and inter
changeableness of the gold and silver
specie heretofore coined and hereafter
20 be coined under the authority OF the
government, at the nominal value and
according To the ratio thereof estab-
ished by law, and that II is the sacred
duty OF the government 10 preserve and
maintain such parity; and,
WHEREAS, The duty of the govern
ment TO grant 10 the citizens thereof
owning and having bullion Of the said
precious metals, the free and unlimited
right OF coinage thereof, is one that is
cOrelative and can justly exist only
when coupled with the reciprocal duty
upon the part of such citizens TO
guarantee the parity and Interchange
abIeness aforesaid OF the coin made
from said bullion; now, therefore,
Resolved, by ETC., That a special com
mlttee composed Of three members OF
the Senate TO be named by the Presi-
dent thereof, and of five members OF
the House Of representatives, to be
named by the Speaker thereof, be and
are hereby authorized and Instructed to
prepare aud report TO the respective
Houses Of Congress, at the earliest day
practicable, a bill 20 secure TO the citl-
zens Of the United States having bullion
as Aforesaid and desiring the same TO be
coined, the free and unlimited right TO
have the same turned into coin at the
minis of the government tor the full
amount of which coin, when deposited
With the Treasurer Of the United
States, they shall receive, in like amount
legal tender coin certificates, trans
ferrable on delivery, in denominations
not less than ten dOIlarS) upon their
furnishing bond with suritieS that such
coin shall be and remain exchaugeaoIe
at parity with coin of the United
States Of other precious metal, to the
extent that the Government may, at its
option, under proper conditions and
regulations, require the person execu-
ting such bond TO pay into the Treasury
and exchange for an amount OF the
coin of the metal so coined an equal
amount Of coin of other metal
NT-NTSNfA