Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-09-24


upon assurances given them by persons actual
ly engaged in the work. Whoever may be
responsible for this error in the revised statutes
the ancient money of the country, instead Of
being Intentionally legislated out of existence
by congress, was revised out of existence. -
Vol. I, page 90.
That statement of the monetary commission
agrees with the recorded proceedings of the
two houses of congress, also with the recorded
testimony of numerous eye witnesses, and it is
strictly and absolutely true.
SECTION SEVENTEEN.
The removal of section II from the bill left
it in very absurd condition. AS it then stood,
all the silver coins, of all denominations, were
excluded from the mint.
Section II reads as follows:
''That no coins of gold, silver or minor coin
age shall hereafter be issued from the mint
other than those of the denomenations, stand
ards and weights herein set forth"
After striking out section IS, this section
would prevent the coinage of silver of every
denomination under the law of 1873 The
question, hence arises, was not this Section
II, also stricken out? There are indications
that it was, but find no direct proof In the
first place, the conference committee report
(Record page I23o) places section II among
the amended sections, on which amendments
both houses agreed. But find nothing in the
proceedings to show whether the amendments
was mere change of language, or to strike
out the section.
But when we come to the recorded testimony
of members who were eye witnesses to the pro-
ceedings, the case is very different. If sec
ing out of section IS, the fraud and adsurdity
would have been so bold and notorious, that no
congressman or newspaper reporter could have
failed to notice it. Even the street gamins of
every city where the people can read would
have been bursting their vest buttons with
spasms of hilarity over the extreme 'innocence"
of our lawmakers.
Evidently, the "amendment" of Section II,
mentioned in the conference report, was to
"strike OUT" and the amendment must have
for the concurrent testimony of so many eye
witnesses, including Mr.. Kelly, of Pennsyl
vania, the chairman of the house financial
committee, and Mr.. Hooper, of Massachu-
sets, acting chairman of the same committee,
who had charge of the bill in Mr.. Keleys abb
sence. Only on this theory can we account
for the entire silence of the vigilant and ever
watchful press reporters, and general newspa-
per correspondents of the country, at the time
of the passage of the bill and for nearly two
years afterwards
To show the spirit and indignation OF the
press and the pesple on the subject, when de-
monetization became known, we have but to re-
fer to the political storm of 1851, which
elected silver congress, capable of passing
the bill of 1873 over the veto of President
HAYES In Ohio, the sentiment of the legis-
lature was said to be absolutely unanimous in
favor of the free coinage OF silver: and, the
sentiment in other states was practically the
same.
But, how came the section II in the law. of
1873-4, if 1t had been excluded from the bill
before its passage? There can be but one an
swer. The same hand that interpoated Sec
ton (, into the new law could, easily in
sert st ction II i'll the same way. The same
thief that ste ais one horse may just as easily
steal two, when they are harnessed in the some
span and cannot we'll be separated.
coNCLUDKD NEXT WEEK.
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