New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-13
THE GREAT SILVER STEAL.

,ho,, of Inducing I'm the small and despicable
trickcries of life. student OF physioghohy
would have unhesitatingly declared the men eN-
oc,lv similar in cter-rnarvellously so-and
vet I'm rscual aapearance they rcsembed each
other none Both had the dcep-sunken eyes, de-
noting prcscience: both had slightly aqulllne
poses both had strong chins. and ooth were
energetic. daring forceful fellows. Both hao
served throughout tie war. Swift on The sidc oi
the Confe1eratcs, Cutting with 'Ee fcdeth
troops Beth had risen from the ranks TO a
captaincy for gallant and meritorious service
Both were brave and fearless.
After the war Swift and Cutting drfted to
Nevada. They met first In Virginia City when
that mountain town was in It's prime a Sln'i
larty Of war experiences soon cemeh'eu
chance acquaintanccshp into close and last
irg friendship. They jor cd hands and fortunes.
went in for mining and Irospcred marvehousiy.
In any New-England town they would have
been considered very rich men when the slump
In silver values came They watched with alarm
the gradual decline in silver bullion. and hnaily
determined to close their mines until the white
metal was renonetized, or until for some otier
reason silver values improved
Swift lid not bear up well under the adverse
state of affairs He rallied increasingly at the
Constitution" He bitterly denounced the gold
bugs" mathematical the Wall and Lombard
Street "shylocks" and piled abusive adjectves
GROUND and about the Congress and the Presi-
dent
Cutting at first was irrltated al his friend, but
he finally came to regarding him with some
thing of amusement and something of a wicked
twinkle in his eye.
Look here Cutting" exclaimed Swift on one
occasion "our ore mills $50 in silver and Sl5
IN gold to the ton The mint takes our gold
nelts 1t, reiines it, stamps and coins II. and re-
turns us the deposit dollar for dollar without
cost or expense to We have benefited the
country at large by increasing the per capita
circulation"
That's true. Swift"
"The silver from the same they refuse to
coin at any price. What do they do? They bid
for silver bullion on the market. buy it In at 20
cents on the dollar, and then emit 81 in coin
for every dollar paid US for our silver. They
only paid 30 cents for that silver dollar" said
he. holding up piece Of money, yet they make
you and me take 1t for dollar. VIII you tell
me why this Government which claims the ex-
elusive right to coin money. and would throw us
into Jail if We tried to do IT, should discriminate
between these metals? why should it give us
the coin value for one metal and Malt the coin
value for the other? | tell you. Cutting It's
damnable, Internal outrage and If ! knew any
way to get even I'd do II, If died for it,
Swift" said Cutting slowly and deliberately
81 have been carefully turning in my mind
a plan. b. pursuing which we may get even.
have said nothing to you about it. because
rather feared your head had been turned by
this affair what | have in mind requires cool
heads strong hands and brave hearts but
above all cool heads. 1t is but fair to you that
should say your sentiments on this matter are
my sentiments"
Thanks old man. | thought you lukewarm.
and that thought has itself urged me to speak
warmly in yoIr presence"
Il have been afraid TO talk plainly to you,
Swift and hesitated to lay my plan before you
But you are all right; m certain Of il now"
"You have plan? What is t?'
This" said Cutting. he closed and locked
the door of his office II have carefully gone
the National political situation aud have
concluded that the Democrats must win. We
are not without political influence and not with
out money. propose 10 set aside $4,000 estab-
lish Eastern political connections and 20 TO the
next Democratic National Convention with the
delegation from Nevada. and if can work it.
some Of our ncighbors i'm my pocket"
"Wcu what Of thatw
81 propose 10 hold my delegates neutral until |
can determine who is likely to secure the nom
nation and then l will be open to negotiations
with that mans manager. whoever he may be"
-And7" Intercepted Swift
81 propose to trade that strength for the po-
litica patronage of Nevada"
1T isn't worth d-n, Cutting"
"Neyer mind Swift 7 tbap pronoco tbaf Won