Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-10
JOHN SHERMAG ON Sill YER
Free Coinage Would Not.Advanoe the Farm.
ers 1ntarEsts.
He Discusses the ssCrine of '73s and
Says That Jefferson First STONED
the Mfnting Of silver Dollars.

John Sherman by Murat Halstead, in
which the Senator says that the free COIN
age Of silver could not help the
farmer one particle. THE meaning
of free coinage" the Senator continued.
"is that all holders of the metal. whether
they get 1t out of rocks or take their sill
yer spoons, Mexican coins or any form
of silver at home or abroad and deliver
1t to the mint can get from the govern
ment silver dollars which, Of course are
lawful money.
Formerly. when there was no restric-
ton upon coinage. there was a charge Of
from l to ~ per cent to the silver pro-
Queer for converting his product into coin.
That has been done away with, and II
the democratic Chicago platform Is car
ried out the government takes charge Of
the product of the silver mines and turns
it over in United States coin to the silver
men. and the general public bear the ex-
pense of the conversion of the silver bull
lion into dollars"
The venerable financler declared in en-
phatic terms that the free coinage of sill
yer would not advance the market value Of
the metal
IAN the silver dollars that have been
coined have been held up by the govern
ment to parity with gold dollars, but the
government would have no obligation
silver dollars. Those dollars would have
to take care of themselves, and be sus-
tanned only by their intrinsic value.'
Began With Jeferson.
When asked regarding the Crime If 49,
Senator Sherman replied: eff there was
crime in stopping silver coinage it must
have been that committed by the father
of democracy, President Thomas Jeffer-
son, and it happened at the beginning of
the century. In May, 1906, Jefferson stop
ped the coinage Of silver dollars because
they were favorites abroad, esteemed for
beauty as we'll as bullion. and therefore
exported. Jefferson did no; want TO waste
money In coming our money and having
1t go right off to other countries: It
amounted to gratuitous coinage-the same
thirg that is proposed under the demo-
cratic platform adopted at Chicago
The crime of 1873. with which 1 am
charged. was unlike the crime of 1906
which Jefferson committed in this that he
ordered the coinage of silver dollars to be
stopped. and in 1873 the order for coinage
OF legal tender silver when the mint regu-
lations were revised was not given. Now
the ratio by small fraction, and the mat
ter did not seer, of material interest,"
Silver Men Then for Cold
1.-The Nevada Senators, foremost in the
fo-,y for silver, fought the crime of the
century bitterly in the year 1873, did they
not?" "'
were for the gold standard at the critical
time when the colossal crime of 1873 was
committed. While 1 was arraigned as the
chief criminal l opposed the alleged crimi-
nal legislation and voted against 1t. while
all the represen tatives of the silver states
In the Senate and House, were in favor of
that very legislation" -
What was the metallic basis when the
coinage act of 1873 was passed."
The metallic basis was gold" was the
ha in,
tallic. We employed greenbacks, except in
the Pacific states. Neither silver nor gold
was used Ill domestic transactions. Specie
payments were resumed in 1S73.'
The Political Outlook.
Senator Sherman was asked his opinion
Of the political condition Of the country.
I'm my judgment" was the answer,
there is already reaction in the demo-
cratic and populistic excitement. 1t has
reached high-water mark. and Is percepti-
bly, going down. Evidently there were rev.
oiutionary Influences IN the democratic and
populistic conventions, and they are being
more and more understood and earnestly
deprecated by the people. OF course moth
Ing or that revolutionary nature could sue
coed. The people are incapable Of tolerat-
Ing that sort OF thing"
What about Ohio?"
There is a feeling Of safety as to Ohio
The republicans will lose votes in some
quarters owing to the silver infatuatfon.
but there are larger gains in sight. There
are many democrats who cannot consent
to support the Chicago platform, and as for
the fragrant assaults upon the government.
the aggressiveness of them is already pass
Ing away"
What of the workingmen-the organized
labor Of Ohio?"
There is evidence that the workingmen
have not lost their heads on silver, and are
sound both on protection and money. There
q hIpf
the anxiety has abated"
DO you expect to enter actively into the
campaign"
Il have promised to make two speeches
one at Columbus on the 18th Of August and
one at Cincinnati on the 10th. 1t Is thought
desirable that 1 shall pretty thoroughly
discuss the money question. After that l
desire to have some weeks Of recreation"