The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-06-07
WHAT THEY WILL DO

A friend has asked us TO point ont ,,.o
leading measures that the fire., sil.or
party would adopt II it came into control
Of the Presidency and both branches Of
Congress.
The rrst thing It would do would be.
OF course, TO provide that whoever took
81 IA grains Of silver 10 the United
States mints should receive I'm return n
coin stamped by the government as a
dollar and made legal tender by law for
a dollar Of debt. As that much silver
can now be bought for about 81 cents
every one who owed money. would, Of
course. buy silver and carry 1t to tho
mint and ask for dollars in return for
# with which 10 pay his debt. lie would
save the difference between the face Of
the debt and what no paid for the silver.
But the mints OF the United States
can only ccin about S5OM0OoO a year.
This. II is said. would constitute a
serious impedimcnt in the way Of
accomplishing anything practical But
an old provcrb says there are
more ways Of killing a dog than by
choking him TO death with butter They
would provide that whoever took 81 IA
grains of silver TO one Of the sub-troas-
uries or national banks should receive
one of the governments silver certificates
for dollar and that that silver cortid-
cate should be a legal tender for a dollar
OF debt. In this way facilities would be
provided for Immediately increasing the
circulating medium 10 an unlimited ex-
tent and We should right at once have
all the cheap money that the widest in
Gationist ever dreamed Of.
The next act Of this party would be TO
pass law providing that all contracts
calling for gold should be payable in sill
yer dollars and silver certificates Many
excellent mon raise their hands In horror
when this suggestion is made. and de-
clare that 1t cannot be supposed any
party would violate all justice and over
throw the very foundations OF order 10
the extent that such measure would so.
But there are innocent people who do not
understand the nature Of revolutions.
Revolutions never stop until the force at
their back has driven them TO their ut
most limit. Justice Bradley, who was
nut into the Supreme Court OF the United
states TO reverse the decision Of that
court that held the legal-tender act to be
unconstitutional, strongly intimates IN his
opinion overthrowing that decision that
contracts OF this kind are solvable IN
whatever Congress may declare 10 be
legal tender. II Is not generally known.
but IL is a fact nevertheless, that the
Judiciary Committee OF the House Of Rep
rcsenati,es Of the last Congress-the free
silver congress that came In with Mr.
cIeveIand-rcported a bin providing that
futures contracts for the payment Of
money may be discharged by any money
which 10 by law a legal tender for the
pa,n,ents OF debts when the contracts
ma,ures." This bill contains the germ Of
the measure We are discussing. 1t shows
What IL the lay of the free oOiner's
mind In the premises and that II Is only
a question OF his power But he Will
settle the question OF his power by add
ing ten new justices TO the Supreme
Court o. the United States or by Great
ing new court which shall have the ex-
elusive right TO pass upon the constitu-
tlopality OF any act Of Congress. Tho
free-,f1ver President Will appoint all
the justices in this new court--he will
appoint none but men who are known TO
ouse 10 the opnstltutionauty Of the free