OCR Text |
Show MILVeit AND TIIK CONSTITUTION. When Judge Mi.ki.idk, of Denver, and Judge Mousk, of Clear Creek. Colo,, set up the claim that all laws prohibiting or limiting the coinage of silver were unconstitutional they were generally hughed at, but their position now commands respectful consideration. considera-tion. They advanced the proposition that gold and silver were both recognized recog-nized by the constitution, that they had been in use as money, and that the grant of authority to congress to coin money and to regulate tho value thereof covered cov-ered both metals alike. The subject w as covered in a paper read by Judge Mkkhick in tho Colorado Col-orado silver convention iu INKS, and the theory secured the adhesion of mauv who heard the address. Later on it was determined to test the matter in tho courts. A bar of bullion was secured and taken to Philadelphia by Judge Molts K and Judge Mkkhick where it was offered at the mint for coinage Upon the refusal of the superintendent su-perintendent of the mint to receive the silver the director of thb mint was appealed ap-pealed to and then the secretary of the treasury, the plan being to bring suit, upon final refusal, to test the question. Just what the preseut statin of the matter mat-ter is we do not know, but the proposition is now enlisting enlist-ing the earnest aUeut;on of many inllu-eutial inllu-eutial people and sever! powerful newspapers. The men who propounded propound-ed it havethj satisfaction of seeingthe laugh against them die out; and when a journal !:ke the San Francisco Chronicle advocates the theory we msy conclude tiiat there is something in it. It is certainly plausible, and if it is sound it ought to be pushed to a conclusion. con-clusion. Monometallism in congress and in the White house would count for nothing in the face of a decision from the judicial department of the government declaring that gold and silver const'tute the money of tho constitution con-stitution and that congress has no power to dissolve the union between them. |