Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-08-22
EIGHT PAGES
TUESDAY. AUGUST -, 1899.
CLOWN LAW AND PARTI-COLOR'
ED MONEY.

The Richmond Times. usually placid
and mild as a May ze9hyr, seems tn
have been infected by some of the wild
influence of the hurricane in reading
our jocuar remarks on it's proposition
for State Bank notes, each to be Of :,
different color; that is forty-siX states
are each to be provided with differ
ent color out of seven coors. This
good natured reminder of the great dis
crepancy between the number of States
and the number of colors suggests to
our contemporary the r-thought of
combining the colors so as TO reach
around; but there was no hint Of this
combination in the original proposition
of the Times, though tho Virginian-
Pilot did suggest that the difficulty
might be got over by combining the
colors. or Il resort TO shades of color.
But the Virgnian- Pilot would like TO
see the act of Congress- illustrated, de
filming how he bank notoS of every
State shall be colorcd: and we would
like to hear the debates on the Varie-
gated currency. With its forty-sx diff
ferent harmonies or dscords. |, would
be n currency highly conducive TO pro-
young; but why there should be any
difference of color ut all between them,
we fail to 'catch on. If, as the Times
proposes. il is TO be Il criminal offence
to pass the notes Of any State in an
other State
But we protest against The height of
the storm that RACES in the breast of
our contemporary when we dare Ia
question its jurisprudcntial infallibility
in proposing 20 exclude the money, OF
bank notes. of d State from every other
State. Nor do we protest the less when
the Times, riding a high horse ilaunts
In our face the act OF Congress inn
posing a ten percent. tax on the issues
of State banks, with Chief Justice
Chase's decision thereon. When did the
Times become the advocate of that tax
as constitutional, Notwithstanding the
Supreme Court has 50 held 1t? When
did 1t become converted To such whole
sale Invasions of the immcmorial and
reserved rights of the States and the
peoDle--for both are involved in the
proposition to make il Il felony To pass
or attempt to pass the bank issues of
one State in another? Where is there
any express or implied grant of such
power TO Congress? Where are the re-
served rights of states and people as
to banks and currency abolished. or
surrendered? We know Of nothing that
can warrant any intrusion like this on
all our reserved rights. though the
Times seems to think tina, the tax on
no nf
in common. with chief Justice Chase's
opinion thereon. strips tho State of its
banking and currency rights ana in
vests Congress With such extraordinary
powers that IL can make II n felony TO
pass the notes of the Banks of Viz
ginia in the state of North Carolina.
The Virgnian- Pilot does not believe
n word OF It, nor do we see any con-
nection with the ten per cont. tax on
State bank issues. and this denial Of n
privilege guaranteed to all the states
in the provision that THE CITIZENS
OF EACH STATE SHALL. BE EN-
TITLED no ALL PRIVILEGES AND
IMMUNITIES OF CITIZENS IN TILE,
SEVERAL STATES.
The Virginian-Pilot maintains tina:
the right of the banks aud citizens of
Virginia or the State of Virginia. 10 pass
or circulate her valid bank notes in
North Carolina. is among the "priv-
leges and immunities thus assured us.
and. as the Times takes so high a tone
about it. we beg to say that 1t has very
little judgment or information, if it be-
lieves its proposal constitutional. OF
that Congress could be so foolish as tc
enact a law that, together with the