The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-21
KEEP TO THE POINT.

! LII lIS QlSCuSSIOIl VI Iue silver Qu6S-
ton we think too much stress is laid
on the manner in which the act of 1873
which demonetized silver was passed
/ by Congress. It is commonly asserted
that the crime" Of 1873 was effected
/ by trick. That is met by the oppo-
nents of free coinage with the state
ment that the matters contained in the
bill had been under full discussion and
that it was understood that the COIN
age of the standard silver dollar was
to be discontinued.
Whether what was done was accom-
plished by deception or it was allowed
to pass unnoticed through inadver-
tence, the effect upon the country is
just the same, and the condition
which demands a change is as grave
an issue no matter by what means it
was brought about.
Mr.. Harvey, in spending so much
time disputing this point with Mr..
Horn made a great mistake. So also
with his endeavors to show up the
corruptions of public men and the sus-
picions entertained respecting others.
He did not go to the length alleged by
his opponent and endeavor to cast
reproach upon all public men, but
what he did in that direction has very
little if any bearing upon the main
question involved in the controversy.
On the other hand the efforts of Mr..
Horn TO prove that Members of Con-
gress generally understood the pro-
visions and opinions of the bill which
was passed in 1873, by merely showing
the points under debate in relation to
! the same matter in 1870, were more IN
the nature of pettifogging than Of
legitimate argument. Both the COM
batants spent more time than was
necessary in these side issues.
1t must be evident to all persons
who have read the history Of the act
of 1878 that many Members of Con-
gress, among them some of the leading
men, did not understand the full scope
and tenor of the act wherein it de-
prived the country of the benefits of
silver coinage. 1t has been one of the
staple arguments of Republicans in
discussing the silver question that
their party in Congress did not under
stand the nature Of the act when it
was passed.
OF course that forms no answer to
the charge that for twenty years sue
ceeding the time when that party de-
monetized silver it also refused to re-
pair the wrong of 1873, and persistently
fought every measure looking to the
restoration of free silver coinage. We
mention their assertion simply for the
purpose of showing that there must
be good ground for the statement,
that it was not generally understood
by the Members of Congress who
passed The &C. of 1873, that it dropped
the standard silver dollar and made
gold the sole unit of values.
But all this might as we'll be ex-
Guided from a genuine discussion of
the silver question. What must be
decided is, shall the nation return to
its former bimetallic policy, or shall
gold monopoiism prevail? To this
Messrs. Harvey and Horr should de-
vote their talents and not stray off
into any side issue. The same remark
will apply to the advocates of free
silver coinage everywhere. 1t does not
matter a great deal whether silver
was demonetized by a trick or with
malice pretense and aforethought The
living, burning question is: Shall the
United States restore silver to it's for
mer monetary status without waiting
for the action Of other nations2 Let