A Brief History of Panics and Their Periodical Occurrence in the United StatesJuglar, Clément
History
A Brief History of Panics and Their Periodical Occurrence in the United States
Juglar, Clément
Depressions
In April, 1894, Secretary of the Treasury Jno. G. Carlisle forbade the
further issuance of gold certificates for gold deposited in the Treasury
under Act of July 12, 1882, whenever the gold in the Treasury "reserved
for the redemption of United States notes falls below $100,000,000."
This further alarmed the business world, which was not reassured when on
the 20th Carlisle announced that the Treasury would pay gold for all
Treasury notes so long as he had "gold lawfully available for that
purpose." President Cleveland, that stalwart man, uttered this high and
firm pronouncement on April 24th: "The President and his Cabinet are
absolutely harmonious in the determination to exercise every power
conferred upon them to maintain the public credit, to keep the public
faith, and to preserve the parity between gold and silver and between
all financial obligations of the Government." Very good, thought
business, but how and when will you act accordingly?
Lack of business confidence increased greatly. Money rates advanced.
Security values fell; imports greatly exceeded exports. Silver
certificates were at 83. Something was about to snap in the general
business machine. National Cordage broke from 57 to 15-1/2 on May 1st,
receivers were appointed, and the panic of 1894 had declared itself and
grew worse on the 4th and 5th. Call money rose to 40%. June witnessed
great distress in business circles. On the 27th the Government of India
stopped the coinage of silver for individuals and decreed the exchange
value of the rupee at 16 pence. This lowered the exchange value of our
silver bullion certificates to 62. President Cleveland helped matters
somewhat by announcing that Congress would be convened early in
September. In early July the panic increased somewhat despite the
President's call for Congress to assemble on August 7th. Time loans were
hardly obtainable. Conditions in August grew worse. Business was almost
at a standstill, and failures were very frequent. From August 7th until
the affirmative action on the 28th by the House of Representatives as to
the repeal of the Silver Act, there was great concern.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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