The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-14

l SitO0A4 DC TIC c10Af&alu 0tii VI value dl
the omission of the silver dollar of 4l3A
grains remained unchanged. In othe
words sections "A and IS were not modifie
in any respect but passed in 1873 absolute
| ly as originally presented in 1870.
Section Is. enumerating the silver coin
and fixing their respective weights. pass
| ed through SO much discussion and wa.
| subject to such numerous changes that Il
| allsge the omission of the silver dollar o
| 4lz12 grains was not understood is to claim
that senators and members were mos
| obtcse. The bill passed the senate Jan
lo.-1sIl. unmodified. by a. vote Of So to Il
Senator Sherman OF Ohio voting agains
and Senator Stewart OF Nevada yotinf
for it When this bill reached the house
in 1Sa. Ii was modified in committee b.
raising the legal tender from sl.oo to s5oo
making this act an exact reproduction o.
the law Of 1853. No silver dollar was II
be coined. On March 9th, ls71. Mr.. Kelley
in the house reported this bill as amend
ed. In the discussion of the bill sew
eral members expressed the desire to In
clude the silver dollar. though all agreed
that its legal tender should be limited
ard that its contents should not be 4lsis
grains. ct ratio of 1S TO l, but twice that
Of the proposed half-dollar. or ss4 grains.
On Feb. "A, 1872, he reported this bill back
to the house as house bill 1877. with sec
ton lS amended in conformity to the fore
going particulars The bill as thus
amended passed the house May q, 1s7a
When this bill reached the senate, certain
Pacific coast traders with the East Indias
petitioned tbs senate committee to proide
for a ''trade dollar" of equal weigh 20 the
Mexican silver dollar, and complying with
this request the bill was further amended
by inserting the words: "A trade dollar
of 40 grains for the export trade"
Section IS. of the act of 1873. about which
so much is said in the present political dis
cussion. firally rassed the senate Jan. IT,
1873. and it PASSED the house Feb :. 1873.
and was in the following language: SEC
ton 1s That the silver coins of the United
States shall be a dollar, a half dollar,
quarter dollar, and a ten-cent piece, and
that the weight of the dollar shall be sSi
grains, the trade dollar 40 grains, the
half and other coins in proportion TO the
dollar of 3s4 grains. and hat all these shall
be legal tender for 500"
Senator Stewart and every Democratic
senator present voted for the bill in this
form, but Senator Sherman and several
other Republicans voted against ii. 1t Is
thus most plain that there is nothing in
the record nor IN fact TO sustain the
charge of Senator Vest The silver dol
lar Of z121s grains, 1.-The dollar of the
fathers" was not dropped out by stealth
nor doctoring. It was never
IN the bill. ON one wanted It there
The discussion of this bill at the time by
and members shows this and
equally refutes the charge Of Senator
Vest In his speech in the house, record
ed n the Congressional Globe, pages 2Scs-
1903. Mr.. Hooper said in behalf of the
Section 1e re-enects the pro-
visions of the existing laws defining the
silver coins and their weights. respective
", except IN relation 70 the silver dollar,
which is reduced in weight from 4l2ls TO
,si grains. thus making it subsidiary
,oin in harmony with the silver coins Of
ess denomination to secure fits concur
-ent circulation with them The silver !
iollar of 421l grains. by reason of its bui- !
ion or intrinsic value. being greater than |
Is nominal value, long since ceased to be |
coin of circulation. and Is melted by |
manufacturers of silverware. 1t does not !
circulate now in commercial transactions |
With any country, and the convenience |
If these manufacturers in this respect can |
,etter be met by supplying small stamped |
- h. -.a ~.
lseless expense of coming the dollar for |
hat purpose
Page 230S same volume, Mr.. Stoughton.
peaking for the committee said: The
liver coins provided for are the dollar OF
"A grains. the half-dollsr. qusrter-dollar
nd dime of the value and weight of y,
(. and 10 of the dollar. respectively; and
hey are made a legal tender for all sums
ot exceeding $50 at anyone pay ment.
''The silver dollar as now QS73 issued
5 worth for bullion 81 cents moro than
ne gold dollar. and ~ cents more than
wo hah-doIlars: having a greater In
rinsic and nominal value, 1t Is certain
D be withdrawn from circulation when
yer we return to specie payment. and
, be used for only manufacture and ex-
ortation as bullion
On this same day Mr.. Kelley made an
Iaborate speech on the passage OF this
Ill. which is reported in the Globe. vol
2. page 2s1s. as follows: 81 know OF no
overnment IN the world which makes Is
lbsidiary coinage OF fun value. The
liver coin OF England is 10 per cent be-
Nv the aIvue OF gold CON. and. acting I'M
er the advice OF the experts OF this coun-
v and of England and France. japan
as made her silver coinage within the
st year L per cent below the value OF
sr gold coin, and for this reason It is I'M
he value of gold and silver continually
1ctuates. You cannot 6etern'ne this
aar what viii be the relative values OF
bid and silver next year. They were
to ! a short time ago; they are IS TO I
ow Os10 Hence all experience has
lown that YOU must have one standard ,
I'm, which shall be legal tender for all
hers. and then you may promote your
,nestic convenience by having a subsi- ,
ary coinage OF silver. which viii circu-
te in all parts OF your country as legal
nder for limited amount. and be re- ,
.ernable for its face value by your gov i,
But. sir. I again call the at .
ntion OF the house TO the fact that the +,
who oppose this bin INSIST :
ION maintaining e silver dollar worth 1.
cents more than the Fo,1 dollar. and
orth cents more than two half-dOihrs. ,
= that 50 long a. those provis.on-s re-
an you cannot keep silver cola IN ne
untry- Every coin that Is not gold IS
esidisrv. repeat g.. s.r. every coin
at g rot god Is Subsidiary"
AZ pages 10 ard 81. vol : part >
I