THE CRIME OF 1873

Thomas Brackett Reed.

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, August 20, 1896.

THE CRIME OF 1873.

The Plain Truth About This Falsehood. Told by Thomas B. Reed.

   I suppose that if I have listened once I have a hundred times to a declaration in congress that silver money was stealthily demonetized. Well, now, I myself in the house of representatives produced the volume of The Congressional Record which contained the debates of the change in 1873, and there were 196 columns made upon the subject, and it was up twice and I think three times. And yet they say it was done in a corner. Then they have declared that it was done by an emissary from abroad, and they went to the extent of giving the name of Ernest Seyd.
   Ernest Seyd was always a silver man and was not here when the thing was done.

   It has been said that this was a stealth by which we were called upon to furnish a more costly metal, and therefore our creditors were going to get more out of us, and it was all a plot with that in view.

   The answer is simple and conclusive. In the first place we had not, prior to

1873, had a single dollar of gold or silver currency in this country, and we did not have any for five years afterward. And there is another fact—a pretty important one—and that is that in 1873 the silver which would have made a United States standard silver dollar of 412 1/2 grains was worth 3 cents on a dollar more than a gold dollar was. This was setting up a standard that was 3 cents a dollar lower than the one which you say ought to have been retained. I think, then, we may safely eliminate from our minds any notion that any fraud or wickedness was practiced.

   And the only question is, Which system is the best for this country—which will produce the best results?

   Then in 1861 we had a war, and we issued greenbacks, and greenbacks being cheaper for 17 years drove out both gold and silver, but in 1879 we resumed them, as we agreed to in 1873, upon a gold basis. And that has been the case ever since.—Hon. Thomas B. Reed's Speech at Portland.

NEVER ABLE TO DO IT.

It Has Always Been Either Gold or Silver—Always Will Be.

   We never were able, when there was a difference of 2 or 3 per cent, to keep the one metal alongside of the other. It was always either gold or silver, never both. Now, if the United States could not lift a silver dollar that was worth only 2 cents less than the gold dollar, can she now lift a 50 cent dollar to the height of 100 cents? And, if she can, why should we want to do it? Suppose you have got a house. Is it worth any more, is it any different house, whether it is worth 2,000 silver half dollars or 1,000 gold whole dollars?

   If you want to count your house at more dollars, why not cut the gold dollar in two and measure it by gold?

   Are there any more potatoes in 4,000 pecks than there are in 1,000 bushels? If I remember my arithmetic right, and perhaps I don't, your house is the same, your farm is the same, it produces the same result.

   Oh, but you say, our prices have gone down, and they have gone down on account of the appreciation of gold, and therefore we want to change it into silver so that it will go up again. Whether gold has appreciated or not I do not suppose that any man knows, but whatever its appreciation has been it has been a long time in doing it, and its effect upon prices, in my judgment, has been nothing.—Thomas B. Reed.

A Returned Hunter.

   Mr. H. T. Wright, the first returning veteran of the party of mighty Cortland hunters who have been ravaging the wilds of Hamilton county—the party including besides himself Messrs. W. G. Mead, E. C. Rindge, Geo. F. Cooper, Eugene Graham, H. Malmberg, Jesse Bosworth, Edwin Robbins and Horace Robbins came home last night bringing with him some of the spoils of the chase. He left at the STANDARD office this morning— and for which we return our thanks—a generous parcel of the aforesaid spoils, which we at first presumed, from the reputation of the hunters, must be bear's meat, or wildcat steak at the least, but which proved on examination to be a choice cut of venison taken from a deer which Mr. Wright reports was shot by the party near Lake Ferris last Tuesday.

   The unreturned hunters will remain about a week longer. Meanwhile all game in the vicinity is taking out accident policies or getting its life insured.

George J. Lansing.

   Mr. George J. Lansing died this morning at his home, 139 Port Watson-st. of a disease contracted during the war and one that has followed him steadily ever since. He enlisted Oct. 15, 1861, as a private in the One Hundred Nineteenth Regiment, N. Y. Vols., and served continuously to the end of the war when he returned with the rank of lieutenant. His long term of service and his promotions form the best evidence that he was faithful to his soldierly duties.

   Mr. Lansing has for a number of years conducted a grocery at 114 Port Watson-st. He was a man not quick to form friendships, but was exceedingly loyal to his friends. In business he considered that honesty is not only the best policy, but that it is the only policy. No more worthy or fitting tribute can be paid to his memory than to be inscribed over his resting place the words, "Here lies an honest man."

   Mr. Lansing's age was 59 years, 8 months and 5 days. He leaves a wife, two sisters and an aged mother to mourn his loss. The funeral will be Sunday at 2 o'clock.

Railroad Street, Cortland, N. Y.

PAVING IN PROGRESS.

Excavation Was Begun on Railroad-st. This Morning.

   For the majority of residents of Cortland paving is an interesting matter. The excavation began on Railroad-st. this morning. The old roadbed, which is composed mainly of small cobblestones, is torn up by a small sharp plow made for the purpose and drawn by four horses.

   An idea of the work is gained when it is remembered that it takes two men to hold the plow, two men ride the plow-beam and one rides the whiffletrees. At present only a dozen men are employed, but soon as the curbing arrives more help will be put on. The street is being torn up nearly the length of the Grand Central block. Large crowds of men line each walk watching the work. After the excavation and grading of the street a six-inch concrete base will be laid and then brick will be put on. Engineer Landreth said this morning that after the concrete is down probably from 300 to 400 yards of pavement could be laid in a day.

BREVITIES.

   —The Cortlands were defeated at Oxford yesterday by the score of 12 to 2.

  —New advertisements to-day are—C. F. Brown, amateur photography, page 8; Stowall, 10 cent day, page 6.

   —Mr. W. J. Greenman of Cortland has just received a patent on an adjustable window screen which holds itself in position in any part of a window small or large.

   —Florence, the ten months' old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kimple of 10 Orchard-st., died at 11 o'clock this morning. The funeral arrangements are not yet made.

  

HOMER.

Gleanings of News From Our Twin Village.

   HOMER, Aug. 20.—J. H. Starin is in Syracuse to-day.

   Mr. Elmer S. Mills left town for his home in Ansonia, Ct., this morning.

   The Homer baseball team played at Tully this afternoon.

   Hon. W. W. Hicks will have some facts of vital importance to voters to announce to-morrow evening. Keator opera house will be packed, if all are there who are interested in the subject to be discussed.

   Rev. and Mrs. J. E. Vassar, who have been visiting relatives in town, returned to their home in Richmondville this morning.

   The funeral of Mrs. Geo. H. Paddock was held at her late home on Fulton-st. this morning at 9 o'clock, after which the remains were taken to the depot and sent to Wolcott, N. Y., for interment.

   The flower show will be lighted by electricity on Thursday and Friday evenings of next week.

   The meeting of the Republican voters of this community will be held according to appointment this evening in the Sherman block to continue perfecting the organization of a Republican Campaign club which was begun at a meeting held on Tuesday evening. All voters interested in the success of the party in this locality during the present campaign are urged to attend.

   The pleasant home of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. E. Bates on Elm-ave. was filled with guests last evening, assembled to witness the marriage of their daughter Coral Elizabeth, to Mr. Osman L. Haven of Ansonia, Ct. The parlors of the residence were very tastefully decorated in wild clematis and smilax which was gracefully festooned against the walls and twined about the chandeliers. The bay-window in the front parlor was converted into a bower of clematis before which the ceremony took place. Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Bates received the guests who soon composed a very happy assemblage, in which the pretty costumes of the large proportion of young people was a very pleasant feature. At 8:30 o'clock Mr. H. L. Bentley of Cortland commenced playing the wedding march by Wagner and the bridal party entered the parlor from the hall. Mr. Carl Bates, the brother of the bride, walked ahead followed by the two remaining ushers, Mr. W. E. Bates of Trumansburg and Mr. Frank Blashfield of this village. Mr. Elmer S. Mills of Ansonia, Ct., the best man, and Miss Hattie E. Haven of Pittsfield, Mass., as sister of the groom, who was maid of honor, entered next. They were followed by the bride and groom. Rev. J. E. Robertson of Cortland was awaiting the party at the appointed place, where in a very impressive manner the ceremony was performed, The bride was handsomely gowned in white silk with pearl trimming and carried a bouquet of bride roses. The maid of honor wore a gown of pale yellow muslin desoi trimmed with satin of the same color. The gentlemen were in evening dress. After the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Haven received the congratulations of their relatives and friends present and while doing so received a telegram from the groom's parents who were unable to be present, expressing their congratulations. The guests were served with delicious refreshments shortly afterward and a very delightful evening was spent. When the bride came downstairs to leave she was attired in a very becoming gown of fawn colored covert cloth with a light straw hat trimmed with ribbon and aigrettes of the same shade. The groom wore a cutaway suit of black. They left the house amid showers of rice and drove to the depot in time for the 11:12 P. M. train. The guests adjourned en masse to the depot and when the bridal couple arrived as the train pulled in they were obliged to run the gauntlet again, and receive the best wishes of their many friends which were very heartily expressed. Mr. and Mrs. Haven went to Binghamton last evening and to-day will start for the Thousand Islands. They will return here in about a week and then go to Ansonia, Ct., where the groom has a furnished house awaiting their occupancy. The bride is one of Homer's most popular and attractive young ladies whose absence from local society will be greatly missed by her many friends. Mr. Haven is the foreman of the Evening Sentinel, the leading daily paper of Ansonia, Ct., where he is well-known and very highly respected.