The herald., 1895-07-21

Germany ceased the coinage of silver in
1871 and he claims that it was not done
until later. in 1873. but We both agree
that since January l. 1874, Germany has
been entirely upon a gold basis. We agree
tnat the nations which compose the Latin
union, to. wit, France, Belgium, Switzer.
land, Italy and Greece. are all of them to-
day gold standard countries. There is no
dispute between US that British America
and Australia are also gold standard
countries. We agree that Mexico, China.
japan and several of the republics OF
South America are silver standard
nations. There is today no nation on
the face OF the earth that is actually
using a double standard. The actual
measure Of value in each of the countries
of the world Is either gold alone or silver
alone, except in some countries where de-
preciated paper money is the only circu-
lating medium and metal money is
bought and sold as commodity, Just as
was the case in this country during the
suspension OF specie payments. Mr.. Har-
vey claims the law of 1873 was secretly.and
fraudulenty passed. He won't deny that
he claims that.
l have denied it and still deny it. say
there is not grain of truth in such
statement. But we both agree that the
law was passed and is in force today.
Now the important question before the
American people at this moment and the
one we are here to discuss is: Ought the
law to be repealed? Ought we to again
throw open the mints of the country to
the free coinage of silver upon the old
ratio of 10 to l. when the actual ratio of
value in the markets of the worl:i is fully
30 to 1?
Mr.. Harvey--When l read the printed
record of what Mr.. Horr has lust now
said, it will the time enough for me to
take new subject. / am not done with
the present subject yet. The act of 1858
served the purpose of the men who were
seeking to overthrow the constitutional
standards OF money in this way. In 1858.
on account of the expectation of our sill
yer coins by reason of the French ratio
OF l5H to l, being less than ours, IS to l.
congress. preserving the silver unit. Or
dered by act that : the fractional silver. 40
cents and less. should be cut down in
size to the French ratio to stop its ex
portation. The silver unit was D reserved
nd could DO preserved, " ithout even
coming single one of them. It would
regulate other coins all the same. Now
their fractional silver had ITS legal tender
character. taken from it because s,t was
not OF full weight. 1t was not made full
weight because of the expectation and IL
was made non legal tender because 1t was
not OF iull weight, awaiting further con.
sideration whether we would 90 to the
French ratio as o whole OF not. So that
when the bill in 1858 was being consider.
ed at the time when nobody was thinking
about coins and very few knew ANYTHING
about it. these men who were steering
the bill. said: 1--WE are re.enacting the
act of 1853; there cannot be anvythine
wrong about that" And that is what
they made senators and congressman be-
lieve they were doing, except that they
were going to reduce the size of the sill
yer dollar to put us on the French ratio:
but talking to men who knew nothing
about blmetallism or the previous his
tory OF coinage. The act of 1873 served
the purpose to get the language in, the
bill concerning the fractional coin and
the preceding clause that had the dollar
in it, into the language of the act Of
1858. So that all they had to do was to