As originally proposed in the House of Representatives, the Ulysses S. Grant Birth Centenary Memorial coin program was to include only a Gold Dollar. The Senate amended the proposal, however, to include a Gold Dollar and Silver Half Dollar. (You can read more about it here:
1922 Grant Memorial - House Vs. Senate.)
Before the Senate stepped in, however, the House considered its gold-coin-only bill, with one particular Representative rising and pressing hard to ensure the Federal Government would not incur production costs associated with the coins. (The US commemorative coin program was still finding its way in 1922, and its default practices were not necessarily well-established and/or universally understood.)
After the bill, introduced by Charles Cyrus Kearns (R-OH), was read by the House Clerk, and the amendments recommended by the House Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures were agreed to, the floor was opened to discussion. Richard Wayne Parker (R-NJ) rose to ask questions in order to ensure the coin was to be produced without cost to the Federal Government.
The players in the House discussion:
- Charles Cyrus Kearns (R-OH), the sponsor of the Grant coin bill in the House.
- Richard Wayne Parker (R-NJ), served in 12 non-consecutive Congresses between 1895 and 1923 - had been in Congress for most of the US commemorative coin era (to that point).
- Thomas Lindsay Blanton (D-TX), served in ten consecutive Congresses between 1917 and 1937.
- Otis Theodore Wingo (D-AR), served nine consecutive Congresses between 1913 and 1931.
The discussion:
"Mr. PARKER. Mr. Speaker, I desire to ask the gentleman in charge of the bill what the words "'at par and without cost" mean. Does It mean they will be shipped without cost or the dollars shall not be paid for?
"Mr. KEARNS. What is the question the gentleman desires to ask?
"Mr. PARKER. Is it they are to be delivered at par without cost?
"Mr. KEARNS. Without cost to the United States Government.
"Mr. PARKER of New Jersey. Without cost for the delivery. Are they to get par for the gold dollars?
"Mr. KIEARNS. The United States Government is.
"Mr. PARKER. It is to be paid 100. It says here, "is to be delivered at par," which Is a very vague statement, it seems to me.
"Of course, they are at par, but if they are to be delivered for $100,000, there -ought to be a provision to the effect that they should be paid for.
"Mr. BLANTON. It means that the United States shall not charge a premium, but will let this organization charge it.
"Mr. PARKER. I so understand, but it ought to be so stated.
"Mr. WINGO. I understand that the Government will simply coin these 1 dollars out of gold that it has on hand?
"Mr. KEARNS. Yes, and charge them 100 cents on the dollar. The bill states that the association shall pay for the dollars and all the expense connected with the coins.
"Mr. WINGO. In other words, the idea is that in addition to each dollar issued they shall also pay the expense, to be ascertained, of the dies and minting? That Is what is intended?
"Mr. KEARNS. Yes, sir, that is what is intended, and that is what the bill says.
"Mr. WINGO. The Government will not pay out anything at all?
"Mr. KEARNS. No.
"The SPEAKER. The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the.bill.
"The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read the third time, and passed."It's difficult to say whether Representative Parker was truly unclear about the cost provisions of the coin, or if he just wanted have a moment in the spotlight to show he was a champion for fiscal responsibility. Regardless, it appears Representative Kearns demonstrated patience and kept his composure in responding to Parker's questions of semantics.
The bill was sent to the Senate, where it was amended via substitution, to include provisions for 10,000 Gold Dollars and 250,000 Silver Half Dollars. The Senate-passed version was sent back to the House which concurred in the amendment. After being passed by the House, the coin bill was sent to US President Warren G. Harding who signed it into law on February 2,1922.
1922 Ulysses S. Grant Birth Centenary Memorial Half Dollar
For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including more on the US Grant Birth Centenary coins, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 12/15/2024 3:59 pm
