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Sherman Silver Purchase Act

(Encyclopedia)Sherman Silver Purchase Act, 1890, passed by the U.S. Congress to supplant the Bland-Allison Act of 1878. It not only required the U.S. government to purchase nearly twice as much silver as before, bu...

Consumers' League, National

(Encyclopedia)Consumers' League, National, organization designed to promote better conditions among workers by encouraging the purchase of articles made and sold under improved working conditions. The movement star...

Bland-Allison Act

(Encyclopedia)Bland-Allison Act, 1878, passed by the U.S. Congress to provide for freer coinage of silver. The original bill offered by Representative Richard P. Bland incorporated the demands of the Western radica...

Davis, Jefferson

(Encyclopedia)Davis, Jefferson, 1808–89, American statesman, President of the Southern Confederacy, b. Fairview, near Elkton, Ky. His birthday was June 3. Davis took little part in the secession movement until ...

leveraged buyout

(Encyclopedia)leveraged buyout, the takeover of a company, financed by borrowed funds. Often, the target company's assets are used as security for the loans acquired to finance the purchase. The acquiring company o...

sinking fund

(Encyclopedia)sinking fund, sum set apart periodically from the income of a government or a business and allowed to accumulate in order ultimately to pay off a debt. A preferred investment for a sinking fund is the...

Estrades, Godefroy, comte d'

(Encyclopedia)Estrades, Godefroy, comte d' gōdfrwäˈ kôNt dĕsträdˈ [key], 1607–86, French diplomat, marshal of France. An accomplished soldier, he negotiated (1662) the purchase of Dunkirk from the English....

Cardwell, Edward Cardwell, Viscount

(Encyclopedia)Cardwell, Edward Cardwell, Viscount, 1813–86, British statesman. He entered Parliament (1842) as a supporter of Sir Robert Peel, under whom he was secretary to the treasury (1845–46). He was presi...

Irish Land Question

(Encyclopedia)Irish Land Question, name given in the 19th cent. to the problem of land ownership and agrarian distress in Ireland under British rule. The long-term result of conquest, confiscation, and colonization...
 

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