Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-09-24
IELEGRAPHIC.
SHERMAN TO BRYAN.
III, Senator Reviews The History Of
The AntI.SiIVsr Agitation.
the ALLEGED CRIME OF 1873.
yo,hInE Secret or SurrtplilIou' In ih'
Passage Of the B'll-An ufjusl
Charg He think.

CigcINsATi, Sept. ga local
,,p,r publishes signed article from
SENATOR John sherman, dated at
Mansfield, In which he replies TO Nit.
Hfyan and others who refer TO the
uerlmc Of 1873" Senator Sherman
saws that many pages OF tho Congress
,lopal Record show indisputable proofs
that the clause In the act OF 1873 stop.
ming the coinsge OF the silver Collar
wa. not ,uIrsptiiiously and clandes.
timely passed through Congress. The
,snator reviews tho history VI that
legislation, showing that there was an
unusually long sgitaticn not only In
both branches Of Congress but also In
the committees OF both houses and also
10 the treasury department before the
bill was prepared. Ths senator say:
al have never been ablo 10 SEQ what
motive could have existed for secrecy
10 this matter. On April 20, 1870,
when the bill was sent TO tbs com.
mittee on finance by the secretary OF
tho treasury, the silver dollar wat
worth slBl2 In the markets VI tho
world. Germany had not yet aold her
silver or adopted the gold standard.
Tnero was no indication whatever OF
the fall OF silver anu none could fore.
eco that Il was destined TO rapidly
decline iu price. No one ssked
to have tho dollar coined and
no ono was opposed to lie ditcontinu.
Ance."
The SENATOR refers to the frequent
messages between the treasury depart
menlland tho committee ana the unusu-
ally large number Of copies OF the re-
ports on the bill, ana tho bill itself, that
were ordered printed for distribution.
The bill was studied by many men
outside OF Congress during tue three
years or more OF liz consideration,
nnd many OF these nnAnciefa were
given hearings on the bill before the
committee.
Tho secretary Of the treasury in his
annual reports OF 1870, 1871 and 1872,
called tho special attention Of Congress
to this bill. In his report Of 1872, the
secretary oi tho treasury said; ~ aug-
gest such alteration as will prohibit
tho coinage Of the silver dollar for or.
culatlon In this country" dwelling
upon his Ieaoons heretofore given at
length. the bill came 10 Congress
April 20, 1870, and became law Fob.
Tuary IL, 1873. nearly three years after
It's Introduction, and during which
time Il was constantly before tho pub.
lilo. The senator concludes his article
thus:
"rhero was not only nothing secret
or surrepiilious In the passage OF the
act Of 1873, but every step accompany.
Ing Its origin, consideration and pass.
age received as much publicity as
could be given 10 bill. But the sill.
yer dollar was out Of circulation long
before the law OF 1873 was enacted. II
YVES n thing OF tue past, lost to sight.
Conceived by Hamilton ia 1909, sus.
pended by Jefferson In 1905, practical.
ly demODetlzud by Benton and the
mon OF 1884 undor Andrew jackson,
Ignored by two generations except AZ
n convenience for tho expectation OF
silver bullion, and called back TO the
miud OF tbs present generation only
because silver has fallen In pTico and
II deemed more valuable as coin than
as bullion. Never was u more uplusl
OF unwatranlable charge made tnau
that the act Of 1873 was passed secretly
by stealth, aud with ths object OF con
ooAiing any part Of It from the pu
bllc.0