The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-03-01
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. u.

WAbHINGIONs r6D. ~
Immediately upon assembling the House
under the previous order went into commit
tee of the whole (Mr. Crisp of Georgia in
the chair for general debate on the state OF
the Union
Mr. Gambler of Georgia submitted an ar
gunent against suspension OF silver coinage,
and contended that there was no sound basis
for the prediction made by the gold bugs"
that continued coinage OF silver would
have the effect of driving gold ont of the
country.
Mr.. Lanham Of Texas spoke in support Of
bill previously introduced by him to dlsap-
prove an act of the Legislature OF New
Mexico to prevent the introduction OF dis
eased cattle into the Territory, arguing that
it was unconstitutional in that it interfered
with Interstate commerce.
Mr. Weaver of Nebraska discussed the sill
yer question and predicted that the effort of
the money oligarchy, assisted by the eXecu-
tive officers of the nation, to double the
peoples burdens and cripple the business OF
the country by the suspension OF silver com
age would prove unsuccessful now that the
attention Of the people was attracted TO the
question. He favored unlimited coinage,
and asserted that if the whole yield OF the
mines was coined annually it would be
twenty years before the per capita clrcnla-
ton of the United States would be equal TO
that of France and this calculation, he
said, had been made without taking into ac-
count any increase in the population OF the
-J
Mr.. Clements of Georgia thought that the
test of the value of silver was not the g0ld
standard as established in countries where
the value of gold had been enhanced by, the
demonetzation Of silver, but by It's purchaS-
ing capacity. Silver was now worth as mucl
as it ever had been, and there was no ground
for the assertion that the standard dollar
was dishonest dollar.
Mr.. Jones of Texas advocated the free
coinage of silver, and also opposed the sus-
pension of the Bland act.
Mr.. Perkins of Kansas opposed the sus--
pension of silver coinage and DENOUNCED
the demonetiZation of silver in 1878. Refer
ring to the present administration, the fol-
lowing scathing denunciation fell from MS
lips
AS to the administration he wished to turn
Pan Electric light upon it. 1t had broken ltS pro-
had profesSed desire to have an honest pupllc
service and had appointed convicted felohs 10
places of trust.
Mr. Buchanan of New Jersey rose to
point of order and remarked satlrlcally that
it was only in order for the other side to
criticise the administration.
Resuming Mr.. Perkins said:
"If the House wished the names OF some of
these men, there were Democrats on the fioof
who could give them. There were vacancies in
sons b ad been appointed and rejected. 1t pro
fessed a wish to enforce the law and yet it could
DC seen Violating ble ana organizing 10
enforce its own ideas. 1t professed desire to
promote the interests of labor, yet it authorized
the employment of convict labor on national
works and broke down our largest industrial in
stitutions. 1t refused to carry out the laws of
Congress for the protection of American ship
nino'. ii had taken the mails from the most I'M
pOrfant line Of American vessels, and had de-
Inanded Of American shipbuilders tests never
heard of in naval warfare; it refused to take the
Dolphin until she had encountered blizzards and
storms so severe that naval officers could not not
stand up to manage the ship. National banks,
Standard oil and telephones would lie found repre-
sented in the Cabinet 1t had professed a desire
to lessen the burdens on the growth and develop
ment of the sections, but it had no word fer
internal Improvement or for improvement OF the
greater ways Of the c9untryeheaR, transports
strangled Workingmen discharged and doubt
cast on the ability Of American engineers, and
eulogles heaped upon John BulFs engineers.
Its English, you know" applause on the
Republican side)
The committee then rose, and the House
at 4.45 o'clock adjourned.