The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-01

fences and inserting one of seven lines
not found in the original. You brazenly
mlsapplled the paragraph, which you
would have hardly attempted had you
been compelled to quote II correctly. These
facts are presumptuous against your hon
esty, to say nothing Of the numerous
other faults of theory and logic in the
BODY OF the book"
Name a few" said the minim philoso-
pher, as a white ring encircled his tremb-
ling lips"
and demagogical picture of the Columbus
monument on another page of your pre-
race, began the critic, you start out
with the false assumption that the present
hard times, beginning in 1899, were brought
on by the coinage act of 1873 wholly ig-
noring the historical fact that the country
was enjoying unprecedented prosperity up
10 the very edge of the panic, and the
other historical fact that the Democratic
party went into power in 1892 pledged to
cripple our industrial system by repeal
ing the robber tariff You ignore the
logical fact that such a threat against
the manufacturers must, in the nature of
things. create panicky fear in the minds
OF that class of business men who, as YOU
know. employ the bulk of the working
population in most of our towns and cities.
Is II any wonder our Industries were para
iyzed when the people voted that party
into power? Is it any wonder manufactu-
rers withheld further inves tments, closed
their factories or cut the wages of their
employees pending the action of a congress
profesSedly hostile to them? But, going
back to your book, let me ask you a few
questions touching some of its wild as
sertions:
First, you hold out the impression in
more than one paragraph that the coinage
act of 1873 was secretly and stealthily
rushed through congress do you not?
81 quote the words of Senator Daniel of
Virginia. replied Coin, who said it went
through both Houses like the tread of a
cat And even President Grant said after
ward that he would not have signed the
ell
ver''
Then YOU re-assert that the bill was
sneaked through congress?'
1T certainly looks that way"
This is another of the false represen-
tatiOns in your book. Now, do you not
know that as far back as April %, 1870,
rotary of the Treasury, transmitted to
the United States Senate the original
draft of that bill? That the Hon. John
Jay Knox sent copies of il to some thirty
States for an expression of their opinion;
that several of them in their replies noted
that il practically demonetized silver;
that the House called for these expert
replies and got them, and discussed them
that Jan. 10, 1871 the bill passed the Sen
ate by S6 to IA; that it then went to and
fro between the two houses for several
years; that Mr.. Kelley of Pennsylvania,
Mr.. Stoughton of Michigan and other
representatives spoke of its character in
open debate in the House; that the bill
was printed thirteen times by order of
congress- and that the debates on the
measure occupy 1B pages of the Congress
ional Globe2 Does this look like con-
ceblment? Don't you know that John j.
ingalls,, a loud advocate of free coinage,
declared in the Senate Jan. II, 1891. that
the bill was pending in various stages
for four years in both houses of congress,
passed them by decided majorties, was
read and re-read thirteen times, was COM
mented on by newspapers, and was a
subject of discussion In financial bodies
all over the country? Have you forgot
ten that Ingalls,. in the same speech, sar-
casticaly asserted his belief that both
houses and the President We're at that
time hypnotized? DO you still think the
bill was rushed through secretly2"
Possibly l was misled on that point
But that is not the issue. The question
is Did the bill demonetize silver?'
How much silver was in circulation
at the time of the passage of the bill?'
suddenly asked the citizen.
None, 1 believe"
How many silver dollars were in the
United States at that period ?"
Some say not a thousand"
What had become of the dollar of the
daddies?'
Well, I suppose it was either exported
or melted into bullion"
Why exported and why melted into bull
lion?"
Because silver was at a premium, I
reckon"
Correct. Now, wasn't that one of the
beneticient results of free coinage?"
But silver was scarce then"
so you admit that the price of silver Is