The record-union., 1896-07-19

| into legal tender of guaranteed weight
| and fineneSS.
1T was soon found that fifteen pounds
of silver were not worth quite as much
as a pound of gold, and Congress de-
cided that the silver dollar should weigh
sixteen times as much as the one coined
of gold. This ratio was also incorrect.
the proper one being about 1oH2 to J.,
and as the silver in the new dollar
was worth more than 100 cents, the
holders Of silver bullion ceased to send
il to the mint, and dollars of that metal
were boarded. At the revision of the
mint laws in 1873 the provision for the
free coinage of silver was dropped. But
little attention was paid at the time to
this, because none Of the silver dollars
had been in circulation for years. Then
came the discovery of new silver mines
and the consequent further cheapenlnS
in the value of the metal. The people
demanded that the old ratio of 10 to l
be maintained, and the Bland law.
which has since made its author fa-
nous, was passed as a concession. This
law resulted in the coinage of nearly
400, ,000,OG0 silver dollars, the treasury
buying the bullion at it's market value.
! Then, in 1890, came the Sherman law,
which compelled the treasury to buy 40
tons of silver every month and issue
| notes in payment. This law was subse-
quently repealed. Up to 1893 nearly
GEO. 000,0C0 silver dollars had been
coined under the numerous laws.
Eds. Record Union: Where can I
=. 4 ~
| of sociology? There are oceans of books,
but is there not a cheaper and current
literature obtainable? S. c.
! Sacramento.
Yes The publications of the Ameri-
can Academy of Political and Social
Science, Philadelphia. Write to it and
/ you can get any of their publications at
small cost.
Eds. Record rd-Union': I find a differ
ence in the wording of two reports of
the ship protection plank of the Repub-
lican st. Louis Convention. Can you
| give me the correct wording of that
| plank? ELMER.
| Yes. It reads as follows. The errors
you refer to are not, however, material:
I'VE favor restoring the early American
policy of discriminating duties for the
| upbuilding of our merchant marine and
| the protection of our shipping in the
| foreign carrying trade, so that Ameri-
can ships-the product of American la
bnr employed in American shipyards,
sailing under the stars and stripes, and
manned, officered and owned by Amer
icans-ntay regain the carrying of our
| foreign commerce..
! Eds 'Record-Jnion"': Please answer
me, through your query column, the fol-
| lowing questions to settle an argu-
ment: IF an American family are Wis
/ iting Japan and child is born without
| an American flag floating from the
| housetop in which the child is born, is
| the child an American or Japanese
. If male child be born in Germany
| and his family move to the United
| States when said child is ) years of age,
after remaining here long enough and
takes out papers and becomes citizen
Of the United States, then visits Ger
many, is he subject to military duty
there? J. p. Met.
Sacramento
l. We do not understand that the
floating Of the flag has anything to do
with it. A child born of American par
ents visiting abroad Is an American. .
No, he is not subject to it, but is an
American citizen.
Eds. Record Union: I have often
been interested in studying the reason
why all marksmen desire perfectly