The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-05-08
HOUSE.
Washington, D, c., May

washington, II, u, May ..
Mr., Davidson Dem, Fla,,) called attention tC
the speech of Mr.. Russell, printed in the Record
| (though not deivered), and pronounced some Of
its statements wholly and absolutely untrue, He
added that the hippant manner in which mem
bers charged fraud on others was altogether un
becoming the station they occupied.
Mr., Reed Dem, Me- responded sarcasticaly
THAT is So"
Mr.. Stephens Dem, Ga.) from the Committee
on Coinage, Weights and Measures reported 9
bill to enable importers to use the metric system
of weights and measures. Reported to Commit
tee on Ways and Means.
Mr., Springer tDem., Ill., Chairman OF the Com
mittee on Elections, reported back the bill relat
ing to contested election cases with few unim
portant amendments. He stated the only object
Of the bill was to permit the clerk of the commit
tee on elections, when Congress did not meet un.
til December, to prepare iu vacation, records and
briefs in contested election eases, and have them
ready to be presented to the committee when or.
ganized
Mr., Harris (Rep, Mass,,) opposed the bill, be.
cause 1t gives ministerial officer during the va.
cation of the House power to break open the great
seal of State.
The bill goes over to another morning hour.
DEBATE ON THE SILVER QUESTION.
At the expiration Of the morning hour, Consld.
Grafton was resumed of the bill reported from the
Coinage Committee amending the statutes relat.
ing to coinage and coin and bullion certificates.
Mr.. Warner Dem, o. submitted an amend.
ment, providing that gold and silver bullion
which shall become the property of the govern
ment by the return Of certificates 10 the Treasury
In the payment Of dues thereto shall be coined
and paid out the same as other money. He made
an argument In support Of his substitute, and
quoted in favor Of his argument from the writ.
ings Of hamilton, Jefferson and Webster He
spoke Of the demonstration Of silver as "felo.
nious aCt' ca the part OF the moneyed classes,
and argued that Congress had no right to pass
that legislation. he asserted not only was Presi
dent Grant not aware at the time OF his signing
the bill which demonetized silver Of the effect Of
that act, but that two years subsequently either
the President nor his Cab net were aware of it,
This was proved by the special message of the
18Th of January, 1875, In which the President
spoke of the time II would take to coin the silver
necessary for theTesumption Of specie payments
At the time of the decentralization of silver, that
act he said affected the country very little, but
when specie payment was resumed, then its effect
was felt, for the metallic valuaton of the curren.
cy was reduced from 81 900 900 TO $500 OO0 600
Mr. Fort (Rep, nl.) reminded Mr. Warner th hat
the ground had cen all Travelled over and silver
had been remOnetzed two years ago,
Mr., Warner replied that tie Bland bill. while
remonehzug silver, did not re-establish the bi
metallic standard, aud 1t was for that he was con-
| tending. The legal tender paper currency was as
much money as II 1t were gold or silver coin. He
asserted that in e. gland gold had appreciated in
It's purchasing power between ID and 20 per cent
within the last fifteen months and the question
was whether the standard which was thus con.
stantly Changii & should be adhered to. If the
value OF money was being constantly changed, 1t
was easy to see all relations of values We're over.
turned and indultry was necessarily paraly yzed.-
He regarded the success of the fOurper cent loan
as the saddest commentary that could be made
on the condition of the country 1t proved only
one thing, and that was it proved absolutely that
there was no profit in the United States on pro.
ductive capital or industry, and that the Ameri-
can people, with its educated brain, its skilled
hand aud ils industrial equipment was earning
no profit II he had his own way, the light of au.
other day should not fade from he sky till every
one of these financial measures wicked and
wrong throughout was torn from the statute
book Applause, The effect of the provision
of the bill allowing unlimited coinage of silver
was to decrease the value of gold. That was
sort of compensation which belonged to the bi.
metallic system and tended to retain the equiva.
lency of the two metals, In COpClusiOn, he urged
a return to the standard of the fathers and the
giving to the people currency that had the ele.
ment Of unchaDgeability to the fullest extent pos
slble. That could only be by allowing unlimited
coinage of both metals. [ApplauseL
Mr.. Clafin (Rep Maks,) obtained the floor and
the House adjourned,