The representative., 1901-05-02
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NIaben a Dodger.
Editor Representative: In your paper
of April 1S Maben pretends to quote the
United States treasurer to prove his
statement in an article Of March IA, in
which he said:
I'VE all know that gold coin always
passes in large transactions, either at
home or abroad, by weight"
To this answered in the Representa-
tive of March 81, II challenge you to
furnish authorities to show that large
transaction are made in the United
States where gold coins (meaning Unit
ed States coins), have to be weighed to
pay any debt or obligation. where goods
and chattels have been delivered" II
a billion dollars of Indebtedness was due
from one citizen of the United States
to another citizen of the United States,
and the debtor should, or did, tender the
creditor gold coins, indicating on their
face the number of dollars due, tell us
of single instance where the debtor
was compelled to weigh his coins.
say no payments are made in the United
States in pounds, or by the weight OF
coins, but all debts or commercial trans
ID IN lo1l &c
by counting the coins as the stamp on
their face indicates. That is the issue
between Maben and myself
To this Maben replies in Representa-
tative Of April Is, and quotes the United
States treasurer in reply to his (Ma-
ben's) questions, as follows:
Question-When payments are made
in gold coin, United States mint, does
the stamp on the coin or the weight of
the coin determine the value of the
coin? mark his misleading question J
In other words, if the coin is light
weight by reason Of wear, clipping or
boaring, do you deduct loss from stand
ard weight so as to fix the value?-C. B.
Maben.
The treasurer's reply was just what
any sensible man would have told Ma
ben; If he had asked us the same ques
ton, which was that lightweight and
mutilated pieces are uncurrent. Such
pieces are received at the mints of the
United States and paid for at their full
bullion value.
BY the manner in which Maben asks his
question, he makes the treasurer appear
to make monkey or liar of himself:
for he answers; gold coins are not a
legal tender. Meaning, of course, clip
ped, worn or damaged coins received at
the mint for recoinage; for no other
coin ever goes to the mints and the su-
perintendent of the mints has to report
the smallest fraction of bullion that
comes into his possession to the treas
treasurer's) departments.
The superintendent of the mints is
compelled to weigh in and out both bull
lion and the coins he mints, the bullion
is weighed in and the coins are weighed
out, and his accounts have to agree to
the smallest fraction.
Maben's question was asked in such
way. that the treasurer was led to
believe he was going to ship mutilated
or clipped coins to the mint for re-
coinage.
If Maben had been honest or intelli-
gent enough to have asked the question
at issue properly, he would have gotten
an honest decision from the treasurer.
If he had asked: Is gold and silver
coin Of the United States legal tender
to the government in payment of debts
and taxes due the United States at it's
to be weighed when so presented as
payments? he would have gotten an ans
wer similar to the one at my elbow.
which was asked the treasurer on a sim
liar occasion. Here it is:
Office of the Treasurer, Washington,
D. c., Nov. 1, 1S94.-No foreign or mutt
lated or defaced gold or silver coins will
be received Reduction by
abrasion is not considered mutilated.
Any minor coin that is defaced so as
not to be readily identified, or that is
punched or clipped, will be redeemed or
exchanged. Pieces that are stamped
bent or twisted out Of shape, or other
wise imperfect, but showing no material
loss of metal, will be redeemed.
Approved.
J. J. Carlisle, D. S. Morgan,
Sec., U. 5. Treas, U. S.
Roberts, the treasurer, must from the
way Maben asks his question have
thought he (Maben) was a Jew junk
dealer.
My quotation of Treasurer Morgan is
plain and to the point, and no haggling.
Let Maben stick to the question at is
sue. He said that gold coins always
passed in large transactions, either at
home or abroad, by weight.
l say they are never weighed when
rendered in payment for goods, chattels
or debts; for the law says they are a
legal tender at their nominal or face
value. Secretary Carlisles circular
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