New-York tribune., 1900-11-04
Department at or soon after the date Of the re-
sumption of specie payment

Department at or soon after the date Of the re-
sumption OF specie payment
Further on in the report he made this sig
nificant statement
Believing that the Secretary of the Treasury
has now by law the right to redeem legal tender
notes by the payment of either gold or silver
coin. whichever Is most conye enient for the Gov
ernment. and believing that the exercise Of this
discretion by the Secretary OF the Treasury is
absolutely necessary to protect the Government
from organized and unorganzed raids upon the
coin reserve. we are not willing indorse. di-
rectly or by implication. the administrative pol-
icy which has precipitated the present financial
conditions. 1t is urged that change OF
policy at this time will CAUSE embarrassment
If that he true the blame must be borne by
those who first inaugurated the policy and by
those who have adhered to IL in spite OF the
clear intent and letter of the law. We have
only To consider whether 1t Is wiser to resume
an exercise of rights preserved by existing laws
or to aggraVate our present difficulties by de-
LAYING relief and entering upon new experiments
We have no hesitation in declaring 1t as our
conviction that there is no remedy permanent in
character or promising in results except an i'm
mediate exercise by the Secretary of the Treas
ury OF the right to redeem United States notes
and Treasury notes in standard silver coin
whenever il is more convenient for the Govern
ment to do and we further believe that the
greatest dangers which can possibly attend such
a course are infinitely less than the evils which
are certain to follow an adherence to the present
policy.
In the debate On the Gold Bond bill Mr.. Bryan
was. if possible. even more emphatic in charg-
ing that the policy OF giving the note holder
the option to redeem in either gold silver
in violation OF law. On January %, 1895 econ
eressionaI Record" page 1,3SO Mr.. Bryan said:
We too are in favor of stopping the raid on
our gold reserves, and know that the quickest
and best way to do is to assert at once the
right and option of the Government to pay all
coin obligations in silver. If the Secre-
tarv OF the Treasury would administer the law
Of the land. and exercise the option Of redeem
Ing in silver. he has the right to do. we could
| 2 ford to yield this demand | wish we
! had the power here to compel the Secretary Of
| the Treasury to administer existing law in the
| interest of the people.
HIS REAL PURPOSE REVEALED.
II has been shown what the law Is in re-
gard 70 coin obga tions that the policy Of the
| Government has been and is to give the note
| holder The option to redeem in either gold or
| silver: that Mr.. Bryan is opposed to that policy
| and in favor Of giving the Government the op-
| ton and that he considers the Treasury's policy
| 70 have been in violation OF law. Therefore, in
| the light Of all this. Mr. Bryans declaration
| that il elected Presid ant he will enforce the
| law" can onlv he const~ued to mean. to use his
own language. that If elected he will assert
| at once the right and option of the Government
| to pav all coin obligations in silver.
| The disingenuousness of Mr.. Bryan g reply to
| the question so often asked in this campaign is
| thus made plain, and his real meaning and pur-
| pose are revealed.