The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-06-20

Became n law feD IL lot-.
1t is perfectly clear from this that there
was no haste nor secrecy about the case.
1t was printed again and again. laid on
the desks of members again and again; 1t.
was debated until 144 columns Of the
Globe were filed. How, then, can any
one of intelligence for moment offer the
charge that the bill was passed stealthily?
Here are the fnots of record, to be vcrl-
fed by any man in the land. They are
as clear as day. The senate occupied its
time chiefly in debating affair relatings
to scigniorage and abrasion, while the
house was concerned with the salaries of
officials Why was thisp Because every
one knew no silver dollar pieces had been
in circulation for more than twenty-five
years. That was all there was to it,
But it might be supposed the omission
of the silver dollar was kept in the dark,
and that this matter escaped attention be-
cause it was not brought out in the de-
bate. In fact, an item has gone the
rounds of the press that Mr.. W. d. Kelley,
of Pennsylvania, declared he never knew
of the "demonotiztaion" Of the silver dol
lar This seems extraordinary in view of
the following words of Mr. Kelley on Jan.
9, 1872, when, as chairman of the COM
mittee of coinage, weights and measures,
he recommended the passage of the bill:
"It was referred to the committee on
coinage, weights and measures, and re-
ceived as careful attention as / have ever
know committee to bestow on any
measure The committee pro-
ccded with great delibcration to go over
the bill, rot only section by section, but
line by lire and word by word.
"I wish to ask the gentleman who has
just spoken If he konws of any govern
ment in the world which makes its subsi-
diary coinage of full valueY 1t
is impossible to retain the double stand
ard The value of gold and silver con-
stantly fluctuate.
Again, on April 8, 1872, Mr.. Hopper
Mass. }, in charge of the bill, declared to
congress in unmistakable clearness the
object of the bill:
"It declares the gold dollar of 25 $40
grains of standard gold to be the unit of
value, gold practically having been in this
country for many years the standard OF
measure of value, as it is legally in Great
Britain and most of the European coun-
tries. The silver dollar, which by law is
now the legally declared unit of value,
does not bear correct relative proportion
to the gold dollar.
Being worth intrinsically about Sl.0S
| in gold, it cannot circulate cOncurrently
with the gold coins. The com
mittcc after careful consideration, con
cluded that % $40 grains of standard
gold constituting the gold dollar, should
be declared the money unit, or metallic
representative Of the dollar of account"
1t is unnecessary to further fortify thi
point There is absolutely no ground fCl
the belief that the omission of the silvel
dollar from our legal coins in 1873 wa
done either hastily or secretly. If tn,
general public did not discuss it, and If j
was not noticed by the press there is tn,
same reason that holds of any one of I
thousand bills in any congress. Their
was no earthly interest in the matter
How many readers know just what bill
passed the last Congress-?