Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-10-01
From the Phillips6urg Dispatch, August 30, 1901,
John O. Royce, Editor.
nORRTLL's sIL.YER RECORD.

JVhn W EpyVVl hulVor,
r1ORRILL'S SILVER RECORD.
The populist papers and cheap ora
tors, have had much to say about Ma
jor Morrill, as gold bug" Nearly
every paper you pick up Of that kind
you will find an article which says
that Mr., Morrill, is not only opposed
to the free coinage Of silver but that
he is a single gold standard man.
Not one Of these papers know what
they are talking about, and none Of
them furnish any evidence beyond the
statement Of some other pop paper:
The only claim there is or can be
for these statements, is the fact that
Major Morrill, is engaged in the bank
ing business.
Now let US see what the real facts
are. After this gold bug" and single
standard claim had been made all
over the state, Major Morrill, wrote
the following letter 10 Senator Muir
dock, Of Butler county:
II would saw" are the words Of the
letter, "that / believe that the only
practical, sensible solution Of the sill
yer question is to provide free coinage
for all the product of the American
mines, with a tariff sufficient to ex-
cllde all foreign silver. This would
at once put silver Of it's standard
value in this country. u would open
all Of our mines, give new impetus
to business, and would provide for q
healthy and gradual increase OF our
currency to meet the demands Of our
increasing population. The republic
cans in their state convention struck
the keynote, and l am confident that
the general republican national con-
vention in '96 will adopt their view oil
the matter, and on that platform the
republicans will sweep the country"
Now, this letter is clear and unmis.
takeable, and if truthful, gives the lie
to the published statement Of populisl
papers who are willing to publish
anything to injure a republican, and
especially If he is a candidate fol-
Office.
If Major Morrill, has always been q
gold bug" it is quite possible that
his sudden conversion is for the pur-
pose of getting votes, at least it is fair
for his opponents to make that claim.
Let US see if it is true.
Major Morrill, was in congress eight
years as a representative from the
first district Of this state, and what
he said and did during that time is a
part Of the history Of this country.
In the summer Of 1890 occurred in
congress one Of the greatest fights
for and against silver that has ever
occurred in this country, and which
resulted in giving us what is known
as the Sherman Law"
When the Conger bill had passed
the house and gone TO the senate,
Senator Plumb at is hardly necessary
to say a republican senator from Kan
sas), in the interest Of silver, succeed
ed in having original section one
struck out and the following adopted
in its place:
"That from and after the date Of
the passage OF this act the unit Of val
ue ia the United States shall be the
dollar, and the same may be coined
of 412k grains of standard silver, or
of 25.8 grains Of standard gold; and
the said coins shall be legal tender
for all debts, public and private.
That hereafter any owner of silver or
gold bullion may deposit the same at
any mint of the United States to be
formed into standard dollars or bars
for his benefit and without charge, but
it shall be lawful TO refuse any depos-
it of less than 800, or any bullion so
base as to be unsuitable for the oper-
atoms Of the mint"
After this was done, the bill passed
the senate aud came back to the house
for concurrence in the amendments,
or non-concurrence.
On the 25th day Of June, 1890, this
bill came up in the house, the ques-
ton being, shall the house concur with
the senate in its amendment TO section
one-above quoted in full.