The Bessemer indicator., 1893-12-09
GOV. WAlTE's SCHEME.
HIS SPEECH TO THE MINERS.
Advises Making all American Dollars q
Legal Tender In the sstate.-sevsrnI
Other Recon m endations.

| ~. Eiuo-Jhmeb nOltbCnnelueF, ucOrRo Il.
johnson, John Mcbride.
Brcckenridgc-J. W. swisher.
Aspen. G. Fitzge raid, J. NJ. McAiichacl
N. l.. Parr.
Crcede-Thornton II. Thomas.
Bnchelor-Thomas johnson.
Cripple Creek-C. 7. Mccoy.
Kokomo-W. T. Farrow.
Central City-H. q. BaIsinger.
ouray-L. N. White.
Lawson-W. T. Adams, P. Kaufman.
J. NJ. McMichael OF Aspen was chosen
chairman and J. w. Swisher OF breckenridge
ms 81 cretary.
Judge Mccoy of Salida delivered an ad
dress OF welcome to Governor Waite, ant
w. p. Harbottlc welcomed the delegates u
the city.
After Instrumental music Governor Waite
was intr oduced and delivered his address tc
the delegates He was frequently interrupted
by applause.
The governor opened his remarks by OK.
planning why he had apparently discriminnted
ngninst 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
special session Of the General Assembly was
next cited and tho 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
cd that the Legislators, II called together,
taD Mt al nd tpna raj inl %
not presumed that they would do anything
unwiae or revolutionary.
The governor then dwelt at some length on
tho silver crisis The situation has somewhat
Improved since the darkest hours last summer,
he said, but not over 4. 900 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 as to the legislation that might be
considered Mt the extra session, aside from
the silver coinage problem.
He recommended that state and county
warrants for the payment OF which there Is
no money in the proper fund at the time OF
Issuance, be cxchangeabie for state certificates
Of small denominations that would doubtless
pass as currency among business men. He
said:
II a special session is called 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 all municipalities Of Colorado de-
string to construct public improvements to
the gross amount upon assessed property, as
now permitted by law, may Issue, instead OF
bonds, their certificates In small sums, re-
ceivable 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.
That tho interest on Judgments be reduced
to per cent? per annum.
That the interest and penalties on dclln-
quent lands, sold for taxes, be reduced us the
General Assembly may determine.
That the state enact bankrupt or assign
ment law, protecting alike the rights OF the
debtor and tho creditor.
That n new county be organized out Of the
west part Of FL Pnso county and contiguous
territory, to relieve the people OF the Cripple
Creek region OF the unjust and heavy burdens
which they are 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
faid district
That the nets passed last winter providing
for the construction OF the state canal be
amended so rs to provide for the Issue OF
small certificates, instead of those of u 900,
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 irrlgating companies, except In
proportion to the water supplied.
To amend the law relating to homesteads
In the interest Of the homestehder.
The governor then proceeded to the qucs-
tlon Of states right to coin money. He
dwelt at considerable length on the history OF
coinage In this country, and explained the
conditions under which tho right Of coinage
had been conferred by the states on tho fed
eral government.
Congressional record, page, $50, volumo7,
part l, Forty fifth congress, second session,
Feb z, 1883, James q. Blaine said: ~ believe
gold and silvor coin to be the money OF tho
people-indeed the money of the American
people ANTERIOR to the constitution, which
that great organic law recognized rs quite
independent of It's 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
dcmonetize silver any more than to demone-
tize gold; no power to demonetize either any
more than to dcmonetlze both. In this state
ment am but repeating the mighty dictum
of the irst OF constitutional lawyers. i 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, nnd neither congress or any
state has authority to establish any other or
to displncc this standard Few persons can
be found, l npprehend, who will maintain
that congress possesses the power to demone-
tie both gold and silver, or that congress
could be justified In prohibiting tho coinage
of both; and yet In logic an legal construc-
tion IT would be difficult TO show where and
why the power Of congress- over silver Is
than over the two. II, therefore, silver has
been demonetized, am in favor Of remone-
tizing It. II Its coinage has been prohibited
am In favor Of ordering 1t to be resumed. II
IT has been restricted nm In favor of having
1t enlarged
This concession to Congress Of tho right
10 coin money was In the nature OF a trust,
the execution OF which can only be enforced
by q CONTINUOUS COINAGE. II a trustee
neglects or refuses to perform trust, tho
courts, in ordinary cases compels perform
ancs, or In default thereof, the trust rcvcrts
to the trustor. II ms in this case, the govern
mcnt being the trustee, there Ia no competent
power TO compel the execution OF the trust,
the right to coin money reverts to the states
or the people.
the United States is that tho right Of the pco-
pie to tho FREQ coinage of silver hes never
been taken away, and that tho United States
Supreme Court, IL tho case ever reaches II,
will so decide. But the evident intention OF
the United States government officials 10, that
this question shall never reach the Unltsd
Statcs Supreme Court. l am rendy to recon-
mend to the Ninth General Assembly any ac-
tion which may bc necessary TO compel on
adjudication by the Supreme Court Of this
question, SO important for the general welfare,
andevaded In 20 cowArdly = manner.
The speaker dwelt At como length on tho
question Of legal tender aud declared that the
states have the right TO mako foreign coins a
legal tender for debts In such states.
The remedy Is for each state to enact that