The Irish standard., 1896-06-20


on petty larceny, or grand larceny, 81
HAT burg larry, Of fraud, or embezzlenent,
or bank robbery Is not apparent. All
I've are told Is that the silver dollar is
q dishonest silver dollar; and matters
have come to such a pass that it's for
mer friends are now ashamed to own it,
The shrewd old Quaker knew human
nature pretty we'll when he revenged
himself on the dog by saying, Il will
Eneither curse thee nor abuse thee, but
II will give thee bad name" forthwith
raising the cry of t.mad dog against
1.-THE unfortunate canine. The enemies Of
the silver dollar have adopted the same
tactics, and the poor, slandered silver
dollar is forced to go about the world
defending its reputation as best 1t may,
says the Catholic Union. and Times );
Now, what is the offence Of the al
|%leged culprit? What designs has it on
cur persons and purses? Is it lying
lin wait in the twilight like sneak thief
seeking for a chance to enter our dWeli7
ings In the darkness and despoil us OF
our property? Why do men raise their
hands in pious horror when mention is
made of the silver dollar as though, 1t
were guilty of some unmentlonaDle
crime and act as though the person who
said good word of the poor, traduced
coin was to be regarded with as much
suspicion as the dethroned and degraded
coin itself? How much is the silver
dollar to blame?
Time was, and that not 80 very long
ago, either, when the now disgraced
silver dollar held up it's head with the
very best. 1t kept company with the
proudest gold dollar in the land. and
he would be a bold man who would dare
to say word against it. 1t was ca
ressed, and courted, and fattered, and
fawned upon by the money kings just
the same as its sister gold dollar; and
the Goulds and Vanderbilts and Sages
and Rockefellers bent the knee in hom-
age before it. Now none so poor. to do
it reverence. We are told that it is de-
ceitful, designing, conniving hypocrite;
that while it goes masquerading through
the world as a silver dollar it Is not
silver dollar at all; that it is really only
fifty cents assuming all the airs and
Importance of dollar and consequently
is fraud bold, unblushing impostor
An Investigation of the facts in the
case, however, show at once that the
silver dollar is much more sinned against
than SHINING. If fault there be in the
case it is not to be laid at the door OF
the silver dollar but at the door Of the
silver dollars patrons. BY no fault of
it's own, but owing to the tickleness or
ignorance (some say corruption) OF Con-
gress it suddenly and without warning
found itself in disfavor in 1873. At one
fell stroke without rhyme or reason the
government cut off the head of the sill
yer dollar by the sword Of legislation and
has ever since been trying to justify its
action to the world. Like Lady Macbeth
it has been trying to wash it's hands of
the crime. Congress, however, has never
succeeded in explaining it's aetionit
the satisfaction OF the people, N It's s1at-
est attempt is the worst Of all. 1t tries
to show that the effect of its action was
the justifying cause of that action. The
silver dollar was equal to a dollar in
gold but by wildcat Legislation it's value
was reduced to fifty cents, and now the
government turns around and points the
finger of scorn at it because it is worth
only fifty cents.
In the penal days in Ireland English
law made it a crime for Irishmen to
educate their children. The same price
was set upon the head of a schoolmaster
as on the head of wolf. In this way
England succeeded in completely legis-
laring education out of Ireland. When
England had fully succeeded it turned
around and pointed the finger of scorn at
the Irish because they were ignorant and
illiterate.
The United States government. has
treated the silver dollar in precisely .the
same fashion. It legislated half the
value out of the silver dollar and now
it alleges as crime against it that" is
worth only fifty cents. .F<,a =.