The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-27
SECRETARY MOTIONS OEJECr-LEs-


son.
Secretary Nor;on's ohjcct-lessoh W
the frcc-silver employees OF the As'io"'
tural Department is what the loglcia"s
call as. "arsumentum ad hominen' o''
IL is a perfectly fair and Logical arr J.
rion.. If these gentlemen think tnat
there should be an unlimited coinage oi
silver dollars. Il on they should be en-
,.relv willing 10 receive their salaries III
silver dollars. The whole stress oil 'h''i
case IS and always has ben that great
wrong vas done his government wheh
Il vas derived Of the right 10 pay us
dctt 30 silver dollars. since SILVER was
money when the debt was created Inns
ia in al Of their resolutions ana pla1-
forms. ana IS the text Of every speech
that their orators make Since they IN
Gle, that the government shall have the
right TO nav all its obligations in silver
dollars il docs not lie In their mouths
TO object TO receiving payment o. their
own salaries in silver dollars. since their
salaries are part of the governments
obligations
But another view of the case leads to
the same conclusion. II their free-sil-
YER theories are enacted into law. then
every man who has money due him from
any quarter whether from the govern
mcnt or from a private citizen. will be
compelled to receive silver dollars in
payment Of that debt. though the debt
may be large enough 20 require him 10
carry his money Off in two-horse WaS-
on. That IS the state of affairs which
they are seeking to bring about They
arc seeking TO put every man 90 whom
money Is due in that very exasperatins
condition If they are sincere IN say
ing that II is for the benefit OF man that
ne should be lesislated into that state,
they cannot object to silver dollars be-
ing rendered them for anything that is
due to them. II is proof positive that
they are not horest and sincere I'm their
contention If they make any objection TO
receiving silver in payment of what Is
due TO them
Nor is there any force in the argument
which one Of the employees Of the De
partment has made against Mr.. Nor
toms act He says that Mr.. Morton
might as well pay them in nickel pieces
or r copper pennies. and, if they OBJ
iectcd 20 receiving them on the ground
that they we're irocnvcnitat to carry.
argue from that that they wrre not in
favor of Gel per and nickel coin
But lis gentleman has mixed toseth-
or two entirely separate IDEAS that are
not to be ooHforaded. ANA hat must be
treated each ore oy itself His claim is
that silver is TO be admitted 10 all the
rights OF coinage 1t is 20 be Ccined into
collars containing 81 II grains OF sit
ger. worth in the market fifty cents.
bur the coin is TO be legal tender for Il
dollar and all - silver that is brought
TO the minis is TO be coined into those
nfty-cent dollars empowered by law 20
pay whole dollars Of debt. But he does
not cl1im that there is 20 be free coinGse
oi nickel and copper He only asks that
enough nickel shall be coined into five
cent pie. and enough copper into cent
pieces 10 answer the needs of the pco-
pie for change This is to be leSal ten
der for only s. lie may well object
to large sum Of money being paid him
in nickel and copper pieces because his
doctrines do not call for free coinage of
nickel and copper. But his doctrines do
call for free coinage Of silver, and for
an obligation upon every man to receive
doubly valued silver dollars in payment
OF all debt. Since he would have all other
men coerced into receiving payment Of
what is due them in silver dollars. he
cannot honestly object to having silver
dollars forced upon him in payment Of
anything due 10 him. lie does not ask
that men shall be forced 10 receive nickel
and copper for more than s.. lie 1oes
ask that they shall be forced TO receive
silver in payment OF any sum whatever.
The distinction between the two cases
lies right there.