The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1896-09-05
SOME FALsEHoops.


A lamentable feature of the free
coinage propaganda is the disposition
of its advocates to indulge in misrepre.
sentation and absolute falsehood. To
our mind, this is a subject which PEG.
pie can not afford to trlfe with. It goes
to the very heart of the body social. 1t
Is the duty of every voter to study and
investigate, because IL free and indie.
pendent coinage Of silver at a ratio of
16 to | be attempted and fail, it is 60.
ing to precipitate a panic such as this
world has seldom seen. It is going to
bring distress into everv home in this
broad land; it is going TO ruin or seri-
ously cripple nearly every business in
stitution in the country, and bring on a
commercial paralysis that will depress
and desOlate the nation for years to
come. A proposition fraught with
such momentous possibilities demands
most serious discussion, honest and
fearless investigation. Therefore, the
tendency to promote free coinage by
falsehood and Misrepresentation de.
serves unqualified condemnation. In
order to guard our readers against i'm
position, we call attention to few Of
the most glazing falsehoods which are
being industriouslY circulated, and
which no doubt have influenced many
good but not well informed citizens.
The "Crime of 1873" is still being
employed as free coinage argument
1t is claimed that the act of February,
1878, which dropped the silver dollar
from the coinage was passed surrepti-
tiously. In describing its passage,
Senator Stewart said: at passed
through the halls of congress as silent
ly and stealthilY as the tread of cat
by night" And ever since Senator
Stewart said that, all the great silver
champions have been loudly repeating
the same thing. Now, the fact of the
matter is, the so called crime of 1873
was steadily before congress for three
successive sessions; the bill was print
ed IL times and its discussion occupies
some 80 columns of the Congressional
Record, and Senator Stewart himself
advocated and voted for it. Senator
Jones, of Nevada, also voted for the
crime of 1873 and advocated it. The
vote in congress stood ITO for and 10
against. 1t was well known that the
dollar of the daddies" was dropped
from the coinage and the trade dollar
of 420 grains was substituted in its
stead upon the petition of the Califor-
mia legislature. Whether or not the
act of 1873 was a wise one may be
questioned, but there certainly was
nothing fraudulent about its passage.
In connection with this legislation an
other falsehoOd has been extensively
circulated. 1t is said that Ernest Seyd,
noted French bimetallist, came from
England to the United States with 49,
100000 with which to bride congress:
that he succeeded and that the act of
1873 resulted from his Vaccinations.
That story has been completely and ut.
terly exploded. Mr.. Seyd was not in
the United States in 1873, and besides
he was a pronounced bimetallist and
had written an excellent book advOcat.
ing 1t. Another Misrepresentation is
that in Mexico, on account of free
coinage, a silver dollar passes current
as the equivalent of a gold dollar.
This is not true. In Mexico a silver
dollar is worth only half as much as a
gold dollar. It is claimed that there
has been Fuinous contraction of cur
rency since 1873. This, as is shown
elsewhere in this issue, is false. Fin.
ally, campaign document entitled the
Grip of Gold" is being scattered
broadcast and deceiying thousands and
thousands Of unsuspecting people.
This fraud is thoroughly ventilated in
another part of this paper, It was
published at first in the Omaha World.
Herald while Mr.. Bryan was its editor,
Even the Salt Lake Tribune was de-
,eived by it, and in recent issue took
occasion to call Mr.. Bryan to account
Tor its publication. 1t would be well If
III silver champions were as frank and
honest as this great inter-mountain
iaily' Every honest man must deplore
he injection Of so much falsehood into
me discussion of the money question. (
What the people want, what we all /
want, is the truth and truth only.
I free coinage win benefit the country. J
We all want 1t and win rejoice to have /
{; but none Of us want to be led into q
n experiment of this kind through {
he influence of falsehood and misrep. '
esentation. It is the solemn and bind t
ng duty of every patriotic citizen to I
tudy the question candidly aud hon. '
eflV Erfehorvk s,,,zs, |