The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-11
THE CRIME OF '73."
n True History of the COnEressional
Progress Of the Now
Enmaua Act

The Misrepresentation. so gross So
pre2osferoas and In many cases so de-
noefate. which are being re,aiiei In the
Popallst and Popocrztsc press and from
the stump regarding the revision OF the
coinage and mint laws In 1913. range all
the way from the ridiculous to the sub
line Yet IL Is subject the official record
and facts regarding which are so
Tar from popular access that many are
thus deceived. Some indeed are deceived
by the mere audacity and iteration Of the
charge that the act was "a crime the
resait u conspiracy which procured
It's passage clandestinely through con-
gross.
What are the factse
The dill for the sc. was read in fun
IN the senate several times and the res
ord states on January 2. 1872. tina, il was
read in the house. All this was In the
congress which passed e. The bin was
printed separately eleven times. and twice
in reporf5 made by the deputy controller
OF tas crtrency. thirteen times in all. hy
order OF congress. As thus printed the bill
drops the sl2iz grain silver dollar from,
coinage. liz was considered al length and
in detail by the drar.ee committee OF he
nous The printed reports OF the CON-
naittees expressly stated that the bill
provided for ''discon.inuing" the Gsiz grain
dollar from coinage Il was expressly 81
stated IN open session BY those in charge
OF II and by others in the course of debate
The seoates on the bill in the senate ali
sss'y-sis columns Of the Congressional
Globe. sn3 en- the house seven..s-eisn.
eoluH1rzs- Previous "a ail this the dropping
or ihe silver dollar coin had been discus
sd for year,
II must be remembered that al that
urae there was practically no silver dol
iar coins in exisseacs-cerfairty none IN
circulation. Since 1854. when the ratio %
free coinage was changed from IS 10 -
Is 20 J. the silver in dollar coin was
worth from loi to ina cents II was an o.
saiMta coin
wha; was the act Of ls7g-
II was Senerai revision OF the coina re
iaHs. an elaborate eozftdcailoa, simplify
fag sa6 sys,ematixiEg the coinage laws
thirg greatly needed At the tine IL
made beneficial changes In the organixa-
lion q the mint and greatly Increased
ats efficiency
As FAR back as Isss. seven years before
ta@ Passage OF the act J. j. Knox. one
| OF ne rsoss efticient and learned officers
ever corrected wath the treasury arr
Enisit. a. the request % Secretary McCat-
tech visited the branch mint az San Fran
sisoo ana Car<en City and Purchased he
ssse fcr sae mint AZ TIE former place. and
Essase an elaborate rerost in the course
az ~aten ne made iris recommendation.
/ ~ts a corrFaisSkoa coals r. apr.-5nre~. ~
! persons familiar wifh thss suayece 10 res-
wise 81 tire laws relative ~ sh4 mint srss
branches. after having exa.nlnra the laws
NfG institutions - other countries fea
benefit q such Legislation wossls b ser
- 0gsee II me Increased efficiency ard -
Cs3pfs ~ eur ONT Institutions " Secret A ~
Art'a5icch in hts report 10 congress fnao-S-
81 Mr. kno1's report Ia $50 Secretary
EesttNesi in his annual report renewed
the suggestion and ~ssesSess asas9y es~es~es~s
-.Fsssss II 49, -
Mas pet IN charge af ire work. sna or
t4insssranan. saa had Tor many years been
an officer o. ire salHt az PAEa1es2hEz VS.
associated @stA afsn
TIE metA03 adopted r. the rrepz-a-
t3an 81 fh4s htH VAS Arss 10 arrange IN
a. eercise form sc possible ire Taiur an4
Sasnag~ lss then n existence ~{sh al
ssss&erSs sessions aE& sssRxwstAo1s. The ain
2s rasGs prepared waN vriassss upon paper
| SffA - wfs~ rsArSta and tn this fGrrn
transmitted to tae of.ceTs q the d1rsress
uzsnts ans assay es~e~$. ard 20 ether r.~-
flsEsn wsse by special study. experience
ard ss-ssnsfsse aSsasnnsass sers. hs<s qua L.
nsssv NH ise request sast IRE printed Bill
sas9t b. returned =isa shegr notes ana
comments,
ThlS ball. tAss carss4sgy prepared 49,
tween tesc~ertsr rSsS ana Ars~s fx-A
VS. Transmitted TO senator She~rssu
cnzsT@aaa - tire senate finance committee
~ Secretary Beageeg3. wssa rpco-n-r.e nee =
SIS gsasS2gs. AMI vho also stated. There
! sss sssSs ~ revision % ire LAYS pertain.
irlS - ths mint A15 c0lnzgs sanc& *. an
ii 5 ae3ksx~t iaat tae passage NJ TIE err
closed Ast3 wiH ronsnre greatly To tn@
ststesesscy ard economy - eats important
hrAnSA * vse government serxE<e
Ths report ana eaa acre referred On
AaFG =. SsTA 10 tae S3aase Strange coca
nsttse. ard 90 Nay > sSea So ssgssson-
Al s1e$sss acre cE4ese1 - - r-.ztes3. m
Proposed SrsseS$zssskS e. fhs hBs4 were
fsssmIx stated 81 tAe resscrs a. f5lhsu-s.
TIE Bew features az tse S5A new sab
sstsse8 zTe, ssse1y. re es5s nfsxn-s.ms AZ
Sasns b&Teaa 81 sae tres4s@ry s@eszrt-
nsea@ ~aea snAG also Asee chsarvu ss
Raass eas sSes&2z @E ssAg1sg3es r4kaFixe 60 The
arwseaa&s sHsSsls. FAe r0ss~s.s sssksavs q yAa
sesssee - tae sss@eFs@ tem=eS. MIN tAat -
ffes xns&8ager. f1aS Sasa3 Stag fas latter
esa@se- A9s 5sSc0aHe@sAzsE fAs rzs-t ea-
tsTeks froes TO- sSTses - assistant sreA~-
s AfeF fn@ r~sekl Of t1~ coinage rAAxxe
| @nS AataaTszAax sAs exchange % s4Hyarses