Silver Dick

Richard P. Bland, was a Democratic congressman and former Presidential Candidate in the 1896 Presidential Primary. He lost the primary to William Jennings Bryan who in turn lost the election to William McKinley.

The reason we are discussing this obscure person in American history is the fact that he currently holds a place of interest for me in two current categories. The first category being Presidential elections because, let's face it folks....they are THE current topic of conversation. The second category where Richard P. Bland holds my interest is in the category of numismatics and American currency.

He gained the nickname "Silver Dick" (which personally I think the latter part of that nickname should be applied to a lot more of our elected officials) for his support of the silver miners in the mid 19th century.  Bland co-authored a bill (which was vetoed by President Hayes and then overrode by congress) forcing the US government to purchase 12 million ounces of US silver from domestic miners per year. This silver was then coined into Morgan dollars which became known as Bland dollars. These coins mostly circulated in the West and South but the majority found their way into the treasury vaults to sit until The Great Redemption of 1962-63.

The government was in financial crisis in the mid to late part of the 1800's and there was much debate over how to solve the problem. Bland believed strongly in a bimetallic (the use of silver and gold as a monetary standard) currency. He campaigned for this belief for over 25 years. He strongly supported the common man and having tried his own hand at mining was a strong advocate for miners.

Bland was the front runner in the Presidential election until Bryan gave his famous "Golden Cross" speech. After the speech, Bryan became the democratic front-runner but the American people feared Bryan and his ideals might have induced another financial panic so they elected McKinley. Bland continued to serve his country in the capacity of Congressman until he passed away in 1899 at the age of sixty three.

September 11, 2001

Without turning this into a political discussion......9/11 was a day that will be forever etched into the "history" of America. Since we are a site that focuses on the" historical" please share your memories of that day.

Let's Play a Game......

Let's see what all of you armchair appraisers out there know about art, antiques and collectibles. We are going to play a game. I'll post a picture of an item and you post your best guess as to what it is. I'll post the answer after a bit. Good Luck!

Can you guess what these are?

Correct Answer: They are knitting needle covers. Used to cover the points in a decorative manner. Love those Victorians and their decorative flair.

In the Name of Art....???

Oftentimes art and antiques go hand in hand so I'm always intrigued when someone sends me an interesting story. I just have to say IMHO this guy is an idiot. Wouldn't it have been easier to mount a digital camera to a hat and wear that 24/7 instead of having one installed in your head? What do you all think?

Here's the link : http://www.comcast.net/video/artist-s-body-rejects-camera-implant-in-head/1789957520/Comcast/1790634454/

The History of Labor Day

The following information is a re-print of the Department of Labor .Gov's explanation of Labor Day. I thought about writing an article but decided to celebrate with a day off for myself. LOL
Here you go from dol.gov
The History of Labor Day

Check out our Labor Day 2012 page, complete with videos, photo, resources, and more.

Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means

Labor Day, the first Monda

y in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Founder of Labor Day

More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

The First Labor Day

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

Labor Day Legislation

Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. During the year four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

A Nationwide Holiday

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.