The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-08-22
ExPLAINs HIS POSITION ON THE
SILVER QUESTION.
snys He Cannot support Bryan and
the Free Coinage Movement
He Asks Questions.

this state. which you have undertaken
to answer.
AS you have invited correspondence in
your columns on the political situation,
If you will kindly grant me that privi-
lege, would like to correct you in your
answer.
To the first question. docs not the
United States government accept silver
in payment of all customs. taxes ana
public dues?" you answer that "the
United States accepts silver certificates
in payment of customs, taxes and all
public dues. 1t does not so accept silver
dollars"
If this was true, it would be a surprs-
ing condition of affairs. A silver GER
tificate Is merely a promise to pay upon
presentation a certain number of silver
dollars. Under your Interpretation, the
promise to pay would be accepted by the
customs officers. but the payment Itself
would be rejected.
AS 1 presume you intend to be fair,
and give correct answers to the questions
propounded to you, if you will refer to
the act of February 2Sth, 1878, you will
find it's title to be IAN act to authorize
the coinage of the standard silver dollar
and to restore its legal tender charac-
ter" After stating its weight and fine
ness, the language is as follows:
"They shall be a legal tender at their
nominal value for all debts and dues,
public or private, except when otherwise
expressly stipulated in the contract"
1t is well enough, perhaps. to say that
NIT rha LOT nIo
not be constitutional, because congress
has no right to deprive any citizen of his
constitutional right to enter into pri-
vate agreement or contract, which is not
in violation of law.
You wind up your answer as follows:
why juggle further with this point?
The facts could not be palmer. The gold
reserve is held In the treasury exclusive
ly for the redemption of United States
treasury notes. 1t is never paid out in
exchange for silver dollars or silver GER
tificates. Silver certificates are redeemed
exclusively in silver dollars and silver
dollars are redeemed in nothing. These
facts have been thoroughly established
in letters and kilograms from the high
est officials of the treasury department
Any one who questions their correctness
can inquire of the treasury for himself
This is not the first time such a state
ment has appeared in your paper. The
intent of the answer appears to be to
lead the public to believe that the pres
ent silver dollar is not a good dollar be-
cause 1T is redeemabe in nothing"
OF course. silver dollar is not re-
deemable in gold; why should 1t be? 1t
is a money of final redemption, the same
as a $50 gold piece. Would you pretend
TO say that $40 gold piece is redeemable
in any other money? Certainly not.
Would you pretend to say. IL we restored
the free and unlimited coinage of sill
yer, that the silver dollars would be re-
deemable in gold? Please answer these
questions through the medium Of some
of your financial editors.
1 think the time has arrived when
every citizen has a right to express him
self on this subject. and 1 think the pub
lie has a right to expect fair and une-
quivocal statements from the newspapers
so long as they undertake to answer
questions.
Defines His Position.
In my Judgment, when the boilers from
the republican party and tho popuist.
men in the country. they arrogate a goo,
deal to themselves. Personally. l have
always been an advocate of the free an
unlimited coinage Of silver. and am today
believe that this nation alone might re
store the white metal to its former posi-
ton, provided in doing SO we enacte,
protective and reciprocity Jaws. But
am a bimetallist. not a monometallist
and I believe that monometallism in sill
yer would be even worse than mono
metallism in gold. I believe that undo
the democratic party no other increase,
use of silver can be obtained than tina
of monometallsm.
1 do not agree with you or other so
called silver men, that the free coinag
of silver is the paramount issue. 1 be
lieve that the paramount issue in thi
nation is, and always has been, the main
tenance of our national government tn
enforcement of its laws and wise al
ministration of its business affairs.
think when the representatives of
great political party. like that which con
vened in Chicago and nominated Mr. Bry
an, condemn the president of the Unite,
States, he being member of their owl
party for suppressing the Chicago riots
in Chicago. when they condemn the high
est judicial tribunal for rendering decis
ions not in conformity with their pecul
lar ideas of political economy, it is tim
for all thoughtful, loyal men to seve
their relations with that party.
An insult to the stars and stripes would
not be tolerated today by the humbles
pillow boy that guides his plow through
American soil, and an insult to that fla