The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-08-12
The Cabinet Idiot Again.

Tho Cabinet Idiot Again.
The blue-ribboned idiot of the admin
istration has broken out in new spot.
We refer, of course, to the Hon. j. Ster-
ling Morton, secretary of agriculture.
His last exhibition is the announce
ment that the free coinage advocates
employed in his department will be paid
their salaries in silver. He cannot reach
them otherwise on account of the pro-
lection thrown around them by the
civil service, and being unable to dis
charge them he endeavors TO make their
service as disagreeable as possible in
every way in his power.
The press dispatches announce that
when one Of the principal asss-
tants of the agricultural depart
ment, who is an earnest advocate of
free coinage. returns from his vacation
he will be paid his salary in a lump sum
in silver; and then the press dispatch
referred TO states:
Secretary Morton is now anXiously
awaiting the result. lie believes that the
official in question win make an awful row
about his payment in silver, but the see
rotary will insist that he cannot consist
entity object to coin payment in view of
his repeated utterances I'm favor of the
white metal. The secretary says that
arguments having failed to convince his
assistant that silver as circulating me-
dunn is not equal to gold, he has had re-
course to the method Of treatment used by
physicians OF the homeopathic school.
which is expressed In the Latin phrase
''similia simiiibus culantur."
IL more evidence taan this was ncces-
sary TO convict this pyrotechnic states
man from the prarieS of idiocy enough
could be gathered to secure his incarccr-
alton for life on Il writ of lunacy. OF
all The freaks who have broken into
the cabinet the present secretary of
agriculture is the most pronounced, and
he will be fortunate indeed if after his
official service is concluded. he is not re-
tanned in Washington rs an Interesting
exhibit of the Smithsonian institution.
In reference to the punishment
which the secretary proposes TO admin
lister to an assistant for exercising the
right to express his opinion, 1t might he
well TO call attention 10 the fact that
the argument which it seeks TO advance
against the use of silver is not sustained
by the attitude Of either those who favor
or oppose the remonctiZa ton Of silver.
The effort to make it appear that silver
should not he used rs legal tender, good
for any amount ON account of it's weight,
is best answered by Hon. Hoke Smith,
secretary Of the interiar. who Vvrotc--at
the time he was writing all The Gnan-
cial editorials Of Tho. Atlanta Journal
as follows in IN cditoxf I'M The Journal
on September 3 1891
The object OF prime Importance to the
people generally is to increase the curren-
cy, and whether this is done by the imme'
date coinage of the silver bullion purchas-
ed by the government, or by the issue OF
legal tender silver certificates is a matter
of less Importance Indeed the WORD
coinage is often improperly used Zane
perhaps by this paper sometimc9 in the
discussion of this question IL Is so usec
for brevity OF expression, and implies AS
well the issue of silver certificates as the
coinage OF silver bullion.
We do not Know positively how the adj
mnistrauon is executing the ad'er act
of the last congress. But its design GER
tainly was that for every ounce Of silver
bullion purchased by the treasury silver
certificates should be issued and put inc
circulation.-Journal, September 5. 1891.
This covers the ground completely
We commend II rs a valuable contribu-
ton to the argument in favor of the re-
m0netization Of silver, and as a final an
swer 10 those who seek to disguise the
true issue by making it appear that the
bullion weight of silver makes II incon-
venient for use as money.
The silver certificate is just as con
yenient as the gold certificate, or rs
note of the Bank Of England. 1t simply
stands for the amount of silver it repre-
SCENTS. and means that it will be re-
deemed, subject to call, in the silver GER
titled 10 on the face of the note.
The weight argument is entirely
irrelevant and has already been eGfcctu-
ally dismissed by the secretary of the
interior.