Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-09-04
DEAR BISHOP:

playing a game, the name oi winch DO
not now recall. who when called must |
come down. though hear he often dis /
likes TO do so. This Is INV position IN |
again trying To make clear To your MANY |
readers some matters intended To leave |
very clear, but your criticisms may have
helped 20 confuse Ny purpose has not |
been To change any mans faith or vote
but to try and show INV old time neigh |
bors and friends, readers OF your paper.
that there is a ground for an honest
difference OF opinion upon this financial
question that is occupying the attention
of the brightest men of all nations, and
being fought out TO the exclusion OF all
other questions in the political battle
just opening up in this country. would
have your readers believe that the vile
epithets so freely used by the Eastern
press, together with the clergy and the
stump and street corner orators against
the millions of honest and intelligent vo-
tiers Of this country is un-Christian, UNI
dignihed, and show lack of matcrialiOr
an argument to present their side OF the
case TO the intelligence of the public.
In your first quotation OF my paper,
including your first - lines, you say my
proposition is not to return to any
known condition of the country, etc.
stated simply in that connection that
the question OF a single gold standard as
set forth in the ST. Louis platform, or the
return to the condition of bimetalhsm,
which existed for more than 40 years be-
fore silver was demonetlzed iii 1873, Is
going to be the only important issue be-
fore the people from now till the votes
are counted next November. You make
the point that the proposition is not to
return to- any known conditions but to
coin silver 16 to and make it a legal
tender for both public and private debts.
As silver was coined at 3 to / and 16 to
for so years prior to 1873, it is fair to
presume that your position is either that
silver has not been demOnetized and we
have no different position to return to
than we are now living under; or that
silver did not for 20 years, or at any
other time. occupy an equal position
with gold. The latter will dismiss, be
lieving you are too conversant withtacts
and history to take this position. Your
member of Congress, Gen. Grout, and
one other man that lnow recall has taken
| the position that silver has not been de-
monetized. Your allusion to the Gov
eminent buying and coming large quaint
ties of silver since 1873 and the ay you
reason from the effect OF such coinage,
seems to warrant the conclusion that
this is your position, and would lead
Your readers to assume that the amount
of silver, silver certificates and Treasury
notes representing silver now IN circula-
ton, occupy the same position and have
the same relation to our money standard
that they would if the law in force from
1892 TO 1873 had not been changed. II
silver was in fact demonetlzed, 1t nc
longer held its former position rs a
money metal on an equality with gold
If it was commodity and was no longer
in position as Rothschld SAID, with
gold to be the measure OF things" 1t
could simply so into the market and
shift for itself and take its place with al
other commodities, farms, farm products
etc. AS Senator Thurston said, 1T IS
peculiar thing that silver and wheat
touch their lowest point on the
same day." | might cite hundreds o
eminent authorities to prove the deinone
tization of silver but will quote but ont
and that from standard work published
many years before the people began tt
study the conditions of the universe
depression in all our great Industries.
read in report Of the last 1880 Edin
burg and London Edition of Chamber:
Encyclopedia on Money these words
1.-THE Act of Feb. -, 1873, now know
as the Decentralization Act was one O
67 sections, matured in Committee anc
presented to Congress. 1t was presumed
to collate and embrace in one act al
previous legislation on the subject of tn
United States money. 1t did not demone
tie the standard silver dollar. 1t dit
not make anything else the unit OF valu
but it only authorized the coinage OF sill
yer into half quarter dollars, and dime
(according to the reduced act of 1853
and into a trade dollar above the stand
ard of the unit dollar, and prohibited
! these coins from being legal tender TO
more than five dollars. The Act con
tanned no change in the old unit dollar
it simply omitted to mention it rs one @
the coins to be made at the mint AM
practically accomplished its demone
, tization by the following words: M
coins, either OF gold or silver, or mino
coins, shall hereafter be issued from tn
| Nllul OIICI Iutlli tlIOoS VI lin N1~''NhilhS
tons, standards and weights herein 81
forth. This Act, which i'll effect, thong
not in terms, demonetized silver eXcep
for small change, was not general
known to have that effect until two o
= three years after its passage. Eminen
and careful statesmen of both houses {
Congress, then admitted frankly that tn
nature and effect of this part of the b
were complete surprise to them.
| was part of the we'll concerted polio
began in England to bring about tn
, single gold standard, but which inaugur
ated revolution in money, far more me
mentous in its consequences than it
t supporters themselves had any concer
| ton Of"
This and the whole history of silve
legislation since 1878 ought to satisf
your readers that the intention of tn
. silver man is to return to the condition
, which is known to have existed in thi
country from 1892 to 1873 and extricat
the people from that condition whic
has been brought about by the gol
r standard. blaine said when the effect c
, the Act of 1873 was beginning to b
, known in his speech of February, 1873
II believe the struggle now going on i
this and other countries for single gol
: standard, would, if successful, produc
, widespread disaster in and Throughout
the commercial world. The destructio