Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-09
,IuzzLE THE FINANCIAL LuxATICs

When the story was sent broadcast over
the country that the POpulists of Kansas
were considering the project OF making
Mexican silver dollars n legal tender within
the state. such leaders as John ". Breiden-
7llaI. Governor elect Leeiy, Jerry Simpson
and Senator PETER went into print with
the statement re-at the whole affair was
hoax and that no one was seriously con-
stdering the preparation OF any such folly.
Notwithstanding the denials of these gen
tIonen, ii Is unfort uuately true that a con-
siI,rab.e number Of the Populists of Kan
sas are in favor Of taking precisely this az
tFcn. and There can be no manner of doubt
that aH attempt VIII be made at the COM
iHE session OF trle legislature to make the
Mexican dollar legal tender for all debts.
public and private. within the STATE OF
Kansas. That The attempt will fail is also
beyond doubt. for a large number Of the
Populist members OF b3th branches Of the
legislature are possessed Of enough intel
ligen,n and patriotism TO reject any such
revolutionary measure forbidden as it Is
by the constitution OF the United States.
Eut tRat the project has been seriously
contemplated and has 4 considerable fol
F'wiu- amply evidenced by the discus
sion NJ the local Populist press. and by the
celebrations of some of the Pcpulist mem
larS-'.i. 30 tho legislature II Is reported
~ Topeka that a. resolution looking 10 the
adoption of Mexican silver as Kansas men
cy mas already been prepared by the repre-
sentative from cloud county. auI this
would seem 10 Ia sustained bv the fact
-f'..ij tlss C0ra,rEr E.tda. the fc8-snE Pom
n-.s- paper % rhat county. Is advocating
tae s.Hone ~ hong and seriously worried
editorials. from on. oc which We extract
H. following TaraglaFa-
THAI tine stsre has constitutional -Irbt
10 pass such law We have no more Io,,bt
thar that tho legislators have a aans,fru-
Iioua! right 60 pass a resolution TO- get nav
Tor lH'ir services That such law w5ulH
IToyH ~ vast lmuorcauaa To Kansas any
one with grain u sense rIn secs. S-tisf.
Cd ~ she i=. tn close rroNiyF..rv-fo a, starr,
having silver as h"r only currency. she
would soon Command the United States
'Iffa with that ,5uatgv. The bullion from
o#r own m5a-- w5ula ha sent 10 Mexico
20 bc coined into Mexican money and
brought 90 the state and invested Money
would become pent ru' prices OF products
of the farm. 4ul labor. vii rise. ana with
an abundance ol money Wavu!a, .ories will
start mn ID. over tho state. ana the people
WOULD soon heeoua frnai from the !nsolen,.
ErasplrE, horgIsh East. or such vas; i'm,
poTtans" 10 Kansas docs this measure in
sure that no oua can oTr5ea Il vitHou,
creating the suspicion ih4. he is In the pay
o. tic creditor class And nothing that
the Eol5brgs snaE ouar-u0thiuE that
they ouross. nothing that comes from the
creditor class. should Tatsr rho legislature
from doing something for the relief OF the
debtor class. even though 9. be- IN its nat
mr. heroic.
Without wasting tine or space IN reply
Ing 20 a proposition so mamfeetIy absurd
II is nevertheless Interesting 10 follow ths
line OF reasoning bg which this paper and
Its deludoH followers haze arrived az ;ht
bcIicC that a state can fix the legal tender
quality OF foreign coin. There are but
Two sections of tho federal constitution
which boar upon the matter. one Of which
declares that congress shall have tn,
ronor-is coin money, regulate the vaiW
thereof ana OF foreign coins" and tbs