The times., 1899-12-15
SILVER BILL MAKERS BUSY.
Financial Measures of the White
Metal Men Put Forward.

Metal Wen Put Forward.
The silver advocates in Congress con-
tinue to prepare and introduce financial
measures which they know will get no
further during this Congress than the CON-
mittee to which they are referred. Among
the recent measures OF this class is one
presented by Senator Pettigrew, of South
Dakota. It's purpose is TO provide for the
coinage of the American product Of silver,
maintain the parity, and 10 increase and
extend our export trade with all silver
using countries"
After reciting the conditions under which
silver may be coined at the mints, the bill
provides for the redemption and reissue OF
silver certificates. An American citizen
may import from any silver standard coun-
try or any country upon free coinage
basis. silver bullion or coin taken in pay
ment for any product of America exported
to such silver using country. and on the
payment Of the duty may have the metal
coined.
1t is provided that all other importation
of silver shall pay duty Of So cents an
| ounce.
Representative Gaines of Tennessee has
offered bill Ito prevent decentralization
of or discrimination between money" The
bill recites that any obligation made pay
able in a specific kind OF legal tender stand
ard money may be discharged in any kind
| of standard money.
Representative Little of Arkansas is the
| author OF a bill to provide for the free and
unlimited coinage of gold and silver. and
| the maintenance OF the reserve fund and
| for other purposes"
The bill seeks to revive the act approved
| January rs, 1887. entitled An act supple
! lnentary to an act establishing a mint and
regulating the coins OF the United States. q"
! 1t seeks to repeal all laws in conflict
! Under the provision of the Little bill the
! Secretary of the Treasury is directed TO
| coin all silver bullion in the Treasury pur-
! chased under the act of July IA. 1880, into
standard silver dollars as soon as practica-
| BILE, and as soon as coined they shall be-
come part Of the reserve fund for the re-
| demptiOn OF Treasury notes and Treasury
certificates.
The third section of the bill provides
that it is hereby declared to be the policy
as we'll as the right of the United States
to pay and discharge all its coin obligations
in the standard gold and silver coins Of the
| United States as may be most advantageous
and convenient to the Government; and il
/ is hereby made the duty OF the Secretary
of the Treasury in the redemption of notes
and certificates provided for in this act to
pay out the gold and silver in such redemp-
possible maintain at all times an equal
amount OF gold and silver in such reserve
fund and without discrimination against
either metal"
Representative Stokes of South Carolina
has offered a bill Ito reduce the expendi-
lures of the Government and equalize the
burden of an appreciating money stand
ard This bill reCites that it shall be the
duty of the Chief of the Bureau OF Statis-
tics every tenth year TO furnish the proper
disbursing officer of each department OF
the Government a comparative statement
of the average prices in the first five years
in comparison with that OF the last hve
years in the preceding decennial period.
The Government pay rolls shall be ad-
iusted so that the pay Of each officer OF
other employe of the Government shall
bear to his pay in the previous decennial
period the same proportion that the aver
age prices for the respective periods COM
pared bear to each other. This readjust-
ment. when made, shall remain in force
until the next decennial period, unless
sooner changed by specific law.