Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-04-25
THE FINANCIAL QUESTION.
Hon. Luclus o. Wilson. of Chicago, Rises
to Offer "A Few Remarks About Secretary
c arhsIe's Visit and Incidents Connected
with II


To the Editor Of the Register:
I have read the speech of Secretary Car
Isle and Mr.. McConneirs answer TO the
speech on silver. As most Of the papers
of Chicago are gold bug papers, probably
TO keep up the credit OF gold bonds the men
who furnish the money TO run them having
made money on gold bonds and your paper
prints both sides of this controversy, l
would Ike 10 ask Secretary Carlisle few
questions. with your permission, even
though Mr.. Mcconnell has produced the
best argument. 1st Section 10, of Article
of the Federal Constitution says: NO
State shall coin money, make anything but
gold and silver a tender in payment OF
debts" Under this section the States can't
make money. Is Il not the duty OF Con-
gress 70 give the people gold and silver
with which TO pay their debts?If Congress
discriminates between gold and silver. Civ
ing 10 either metal power superior 10 the
other 10 pay debts with, Is not that dis
elimination a perversion OF the Cousti;u
ton? Is It wise 70 permit policy whose
effects can only euure 10 the benefit OF gold
bonds to obtain that is plainly a perver-
sion of the Constitution? Are policy laws
wiser and safer than Constitutional laws?
Under the above provisions of the Consti-
tuition could not the coinage OF gold be
limited If The coinage of silver can be?
And. If the coinage of both can he limited,
is there any need Of a Constitutional pro-
vision about what shall constitute a legal
tender 10 discharge debts? Might as we'll
say Congress is a King and be done with
l. 90 81 oh !, ft,rr
monetary documents when IT helps power
full allies so TO DO.
I Will concede that Congress has the right
20 change the ratio. because the Constitu-
ton gives Congress that right. of either
gold or silver. and fix the value Of foreign
coins. Mr.. Carlisle can't be so foolish as
10 argue that a gold standard of this coun-
try can affect the laws Of commerce of the
world. He knows we'll enough that both
gold and silver are weighed in foreign
countries and their value fixed on the open
market. Our stamp being taken only TO
determine the fneness. Congress couldn't
make a law that a foreign country should
accept our money as legal tender in a
foreign country. The gold contracts that
our very wise citizens are making are
void Why? because the citizens Of the
States have right 10 pay their debts In
sold and silver and contraet-discriminat-
.ng against either gold or silver is as much
void as a law would be. Cold and silver
Is legal tender money. because nothing else
can he. and the Constitution expressly
classes them as a unit. Cold and silver
the unit expresses the metal out Of which
the money is 70 be made. one has as much
legal tender quality as the other. A law
or a contract that limits either or makes
one superior in legal tender powers 10 the
other. IS VOID. There isn't a particle of
doubt in my mind bu, the men who made
the Constitution intended 70 give the people
Of the States this protection IN order to
prevent Congress from depressing them
Just as Congress has oppressed the people
Of the States since 1873 about money The
above Interpretation ought 70 be the ex-
preston of every respectable judge in the
United States.
Secretary Carlisle uses millions OF words
and crates al over'the country about this
and that policy of is to I. Lord bless the
man, 1 dor't care anything about policy
What powers do the Constitution give?