New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-18
"THE CRIME OF 1873"
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE wORKINGMEN
OF THE UNITED STATES.


OF LABOR AND EDITOR OF THE OF
rIcIAL ORGAN OF THE ORDER.
To the Workingmen Of the United States
As many of you are aware. have been conneclei
with the labor movement for two decades. ana nave
held more or less important Official POSITIONS III
labor ORGANIZATIONS | do not pretend TO any right
10 speak with official authority for labor Out II
long study Of the problems in the solution OF "n'c"
wage-earners have an especial interest," anu a"
earnest desire to aid in discovering theh true Sou
ton en,itle any one 10 speak to American WORK
ingmen I think / may, without egotism OF arr
rence claim that right. I am neither a fepuo
Ican a Democrat Populist for the aui'e
sufficient reason that am not CITIZEN Vi 'no N'
public But II have no vote as citiHen' "i1'
fairly claim, for that reason, 10 be Tree liohi '''
nreiudice which must In some degree Diunt anu
warn the Judgment Of partisans. My interest III
tho American labor movement is due TO the convi'-
ton that az labor Is OF no country, wise soiu
ton OF Industrial problems here VIII hcac"'aoN
benefit while an unwise one Will injure immeas-
urably labor everywhere 49,
You are called upon 70 decide by your votes t"o
,uos,iopa-one whether your country shall continue
the policy Of protection or whether II snail by the
route OF revenue tariff travel 10 the goai Oh free
trade: the other question. though perhaps not Vi
equal actual importance, Is the one "hich aPped''
to engage the greater share OF pubic at'en'io".
That question Is whether the minis OF the Cnteu
S,otes shall be thrown open TO the free ana I'M
limit, ID coinage Of silver at ratio or ID 70 l. a.
compared with gold. Arguments more o' 'S'
plausible and In bewderlng variety are Deihs pu'
forward for and against this proposal but IL is no.
nv present purpose TO examine all or ihdeeo any
Of these There are occasions. and thinK inns j.
ono Of ,bem when the actions OF parties ana the
methods they employ TO influence public op'hon
furnish a fairly accurate means OF estimating '"e
value OF the arguments they put forward hohe''
men. conscious Of no desire but the welfare OF the
hof
rests on the strong ground OF truth ana re"'oi'
n.ver anneal 10 the pre- udices OF men or OF classes
and never make use of falsehoods 10 sway the
minds Of the PEOPLE You do not nced 10 DE 'oiu
whether the advocates of free silver are resting
ther case on calm. dspassonate argument or
uhether they are seeking TO nfame the passions
Of the people and engender class ha,reus. LOU
road and hear their statements. and know what Is
true to this. ,,,
There "a one statement which is being widely
circulated which | think should be careiuily eN-
an,,ned II Is that silver was demonetized by
trick in 1873 In the interest OF the owners OF eou
and that the present silver movement Is nothing
more than an effort to undo the wrong when was
secretly and dishonesty done twent!-tnree years
ago You can scarcely listen 70 free-silVer speech
or read a book. brochure or article puolsneu III
furtherance Of the free-silyer agitation without
hearing seeing the crime Oh 1919 ie'''''' 49,
pcrfervidly. denounced
What was this "crime of 1873
The most sober and least frantic statement vi "
which has been given from free-siiVer SOURCE was
made by Senator Stewart in carefully prepared
article over his own signature In 1893 These are
his words:
After visiting London and consulting the bond.
holders. Mr. Sherman. chairman Of the Finance
Iudertook 70 demonetze silver in the United States
and he managed II so secretly as 10 aNoiu us -
sion and prevent book two Years be-
fore Il became generally known
Such IS the statement Of Senator Stewart others
have denounced the crime and characterlzeu II
IN language more notable for strength IMAM ere
gance and the sum total Of the crime as paint
ed by the advocates Of free silver Is this: Senator
sherman at the instance OF and for the advantage
~ the British bondho,ders, struggled the measure
through both branches of the National Legislature
the object and intent of the conspiracy being 10
demoneze silver In order that Dy might
be enha need in value. So secretly was tne In.ls
when he voted for the measure ever suspeeueu ns
it demonetized silver. and even the PresidenT wnen
me ssnry and It is made more dramatic and the
sroundresm OF the "conspirators Is mace fnoIe
dsmnngly plain BY telling hO ,Se none MON Of the
main people" that has reduced the market VaIue OF
silver and the price of all the produc's Oh the
T To t,'' some pcope-to most reasonable people.it
might be sufficient reply to point out IT fnh h senat
but then the Senator has pleaded the papy ~ ACT,
nd he did not understand the DlIl n, n'o
aiHo In the gall OF bite ness and bonds of niquty
at the time. being still gold bug whose eyes .dH
been opened to the divinity Oh otSer cSam
pions of debased currency are too busy taking o,
the lniquy of the crime TO have me 20 se' ,be
history Of the crime"
April 3 1870 Mr. Bomwe S scn az sS on iHf
sherman chairman OF the Committes ON of th
m nffS AVS p Acconpanylng the BIZ report
which had been prepared by the Deputy Controller
era provisions Of the BIN and giving reasons for
them One OF the sections OF the biii proxiaen d LTr
& ana ana, me ecas Of M excess Of bullion over its
cuiation This would seem to conflict. first With
in ENGLAND. and. second with the assertion that
the bill was intended TO demonetize silver
The proposed bill before being sent TO Congress
was printed. with wide margins. and distributed
garded as valua be-a curious part OF secret con-
sPiracy by the way In its original form pro
to be OF limited legal tender. The following ex-
that If Mr Stewart Was Unable to understand the
rnG E1n Of S TIE bill so a % 1s s
rot shared by others 1T would be better wrote |
DR. formery p[ect .yo of the Mint
getherr than to issue it at reduced value as a |
unit and measure OF value. Having higher value
bullion than Us on o value the sye5 dollar
be discontinued"
This suggestion. also made by others was |
adopted. On December 10. 1870 and January 8 |
1871 the bill discussed at much length in the |
Senate Among those taking part in the debates |
a ppears the names OF Senators Cole. sherman. Cor
bctt. Williams Morrill,, Casserly Nye and-noi !
surely noti-yes-Stewart Managed It so secretly |
"a 70 s avoid horo and opposition
discussion. and opposition well. Senator Stew
art spoke not once. but several times and both
occasions and voted for the bill which he now has |
the hardhood to shy neither discussed nor |
opposed. The records OF these debates will be |
found In The Congressional Globe for that ses- !
sion page 36S and the succeeding pages. and page |
39t and the succeeding pages.
The BIZ then went TO the House, and dis |
cussed there and amended. but failed to pass for /
lack OF time At the next session of Congress on /
March g. 1871. II was again introduced In the House