Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-04-30
THE PITTMAN
SILVER BILL
(By George Springmeyer in the Reno
Evening Gazette.l

writers say that the dollar SILVER DILL
Just passed, is the most important sill
yer legislation since the seventies. II
simply means that hereafter foreign 1
governments will not beat down the |
price OF silver, and that dollar silver .
is assured for at least ten years, I'M 1
less, indeed. as is quite probable even I
more beneficial legislation is adopted /
in the meantime. The director OF the /
mint will now control the silver Of the |
world. and in so doing he will be yir-
tualiy concerned with silver mining in
the west. The bill burdens him with
much important work, and 1t invests
him with large discretionary powers.
Opposition to the bill was serious
and widespread. When 1t was intro
duced there was storm OF dissent
from all over the east, howls Of pro-
test came from the silver dealers and
from many New York financlers, and
scores of newspapers attacked the bill
and its sponsors. One OF the metropo-
Titan newspaper editorials caustically
pointed out that at last the free sill
yer men had come to their own with
a free silver mint director and free
silver senator introducing a silver
emergency war measure. The out
look was so gloomy that the secre-
tary OF the treasury said he feared the
bill could not pass. But the director
expressed his belief that he could
force 1t through provided he was CIV
en- carte blanche to use his own meth
DDS. The secretary consented and he
absented himself from Washington
on the Liberty Loan campaign while
the bill was being passed by the SEN
ate and while it was being passed by
ius as a manager and his "wallop"
that so quickly brought about the de.
sired result.
II is unprecedented even in these
times OF stress for SO important a
matter to be ushered unanimously
through both branches of congress
within six days of the first committee
report. 1t was literally "crammed''
down the threats of directors and
damned" through to passage. In
brief, 1t was accomplished in this
way: Senator Pittman and Mr.. Bak.
er opened with a mass attack" by
designating the bill an emergency
war measure, and following up the in
PRODUCTION of the bill with most con
vincing explanatory letter from the
secretary of the treasury. They over
whelmed and, so to speak, "gassed'
the senate committee with mass o.
facts and statistics which nobody
could understand. Senator Pittmar
obtained unanimous consent to thu
consideration of the bill in the senat,
and succeeded in having ii passed
there without a roll call. OF course
Senator Pittman could not be so act
i've in the houses, where the handling
OF the matter devolved upon Mr.. Ba
ker. 1t is to be regretted that every
thing done TO whip the DIRECTORS int
line cannot be published. But it i
not out of place to state that som
senators and representatives made
known that they supported the bi
only because IL was mysteriousl
whispered to them that in some ''ul
known" way which could not be G:
planned to them the matter was OF tn
greatest exigency and one upon whic
the very fate of the war might Deepen,
Think OF 1.-THE fate of the war d.
pending on three hundred and fit
million dollars of silver. To cap tn
climax, when Carter Glass, chairma
of the house committee on bankin
and currency, became obstreperou
and refused TO report the bill, som,
how he quickly received a cordial br
very emphatic letter from the pres
dent Of the United States himsel
whereupon Mr.. Glass, very docilel
and with commendable neatness an
dispatch, headed in" and execute
his little about-face and other lit
moves. BY unanimous consent, Il
house rule shutting off amcudmei
and general debate, was invoked, ar
the bill was quickly passed without
roll call.
Assistant Secretary Of the Treasul
Leffingwell and Oscar Strauss
prominent New York banker who
now on the war export board, say tn
they never heard SO able present
ton OF any matter before a commit,
as that made by Senator Pittman ar
Mr. Baker before the senate commit
tee. Passing, IL may be Of intere
that In the presence OF Senator PIT
man and Mr.. Baker the presidei
signed the bill with two silver pen
and then gave one pen to Senate
Pittman and one to Mr.. Baker.
Tho credit for the bill belongs I
these two men, and to them alone.
Is at least gratifying that easter
newspapers quite unanimously accor
due recognition to the director OF TIA
mint for his mastery handling OF
very troublesome question, and, inc
dentally, for the very good work II