The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-06-05
'al|3. J Z, LOGAN ON SILVER.
Tho Soldier Senator Denounced Dcmoas-
tinntiou aa n Tricl.


Tho Soldier Senator Denounced Dsmoas
tisstion ~ Trick.
Dfr. Logah--I do not desire TO entol
into this discussion at this late hour
certainly not to any great extont; but
desire to say to my friend from Vcr'
mont fsrthest from me, Mr.. Morrill,,
that I was a little surprised at his TO.
marks and will not say why. But
his assault upon the silver Of this coun'
Try is q little, extraordinary. do moi
understand why il in that such argu.
monts are usually made here in this
senate. II bill does not exactly suit
tho disposition or the tempor of senators
some especially-some assault has got
to be made upon some person, upon
some class or upon some section. The
senator said that this bill was for the
purpose, Of benefiting few individuals
out west owning silver mines. That Ii
very extraordinary statement Sup
pose was to say that tariff ON pins
and needles, or things produced in the
section the gentleman lives In. was n
bill for the benefit of few individuals,
he would get wrathy in momont
That is not the way to argue q question.
I ask the senator who is in love with
gold, why it is that making gold the
only money in this country is not for
the benefit of tho gold mines. The reas-
oning would be Just as pertinent as to
say that bill Of this kind is for the
benefit Of silver miners only. It Is q
strange argument anyhow to me that
senators sometimes make, always against
their own country and against the pro-
ductions Of their own country. IL silver
is used in other countries and Ia one Of
the great productions Of our country,
ask why ID Is not beneficial to our ooun-
try to make 1t legal standard, as it is
made in other countries. II we arc the
producers of it, the benefit is derived,
not by an individual merely, but by our
whole country. As we are great silver
producers in this country, it seems to
me an argument Of tho character Of that
made by the senator is very strange
one.
/ said here once that was in favor Of
making the silver dollar legal tender
for any amount. SO l am, but at the
snme time propose TO stand and vote
with the finance committee in reference
to this bill. 1 am in favor Of II for sew
eral reasODs-first, because it is the
money Of the constitution, just rs much
as gold; second, il is money and can be
made so as we'll as gold; third, because
it is ono of the great productions Of our
country, and, fourth, because IL Is a
necessity to the people now.
Why is it that silver should not DO
legal tender? Because ID is worth loss
than goldl Is that the reasonl That is
not the reason. II that Is the reason, pa
per would not be made legal tender
when 1t is less valuable than gold. 1t is
made legal tender for the convenience
Of the people and Of the country when
you can bring it up to such standard
rs other countries have. But IL my con-
stitucnts had all their wealth In railroad
bonds and In government bonds perhaps
there might be some reason then why
should insist that tho whole country
should be impoverished in order TO ben
eft my particular constituents to the
disadvantage Of everybody elsc. But.
sir, the argument IN opposition to max
ing the silver dollar legal tender when
you give it certain value Is an argu-
mcnt in opposition to ever paying GER
tain debts In this country in anything
but gold, whether we have tho gold to
pay them with or not. That is tho reason
Of it, and that is all there is in It. But
by trick-and use tho word because
it is proper one In this instance--by
trick of legislation in 1878 the people Of
this country were deprived Of tho right
Of paying their. debts In silver dollars
The words gold dollar were used in
an act passed in 1873 arranging for the
mintago OF subsidiary coin, and the
words "silvcr dollar" were left out, and
by that character Of Legislation the silver
dollar was demonetizcd in this country.
From the beginning of the government
up TO 1873 any debt, bond or note was
payable i'll silver dollars -Congression-
al Record--Senate, June, 1879, Pages
4208-9.