National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-04

alton Of fractional parts Of gallon Of dis
titled spirits.
Mr.. Mills, OF Texas, offered an amend
ment providing that all taxes imposed by
this act shall be paid In standard silver coin,
and, using this amendment as a text, he
addressed the committee upon the entire
silver question. lie began by refuting the
assertion made by the advocates Of a single
gold standard, that continual coinage Of
silver would drive gold from the country.
There was no evidence, and there could be
none, that gold would leave the country;
and the history of the last seven years de.
monstrated the truth Of this proposition.
Nor was the assertion that the country
would be inundated with silver borne out
by the facts. II was impossible that it
could be flooded with silver from any
country on the globe, because the United
States was exporting silver, and IL
was cheaper here than anywhere else
in the world. The standard silver dollar
was contemptuously termed the "S3.ceut
dollar" the "cartwheel dollar" and the
'clippcd dollarn Yet 1t was invested with
the monetary functions of the gold dollar.
If the Secretary of the Treasury were to
advertise to sell all the standard dollars at
9S cents on the dollar, there would be
panic on the part of the bankers I'm New
York to get down here to purchase them.
Gentlemen on the other side said that the
difference between gold and silver was due
to the depreciation Of silver. lie main
tanned that 1t was due to an appreciation
| Of gold. IL was q strange sort Of philosophy
to say that in order to bring up the value
| of silver its coinage must be stopped.
| 1t was like saying to man, one Of whose
| eyes was diseased, that he should not
have IL restored but that he should
jab It out and await the happening
of miracle to put It in again. The
way to bring the value of gold
and silver together was to restore the
market to silver. Give it free coinage,
throw open all the minis In the world, and
before long silver would be at premium.
lie referred TO the probability of the COM
| pletc reconciliation of silver by Germany.
There was q rumbllng and a rustling in
Germany to-day that meant that the gov
eminent would have to bow to the will of
the people. 1t was only question of time
when the people were going to be stronger
than al these aristocratic governments,
who were placing their heels on theirnecks.
| There was a depth of suffering which, when
| reached, would arm the dOwn-trodden
power, and they would rise in their might
and shake the fabric Of government from
"turret to foundation stone," and make IL
| come back to the doctrine of our fathers,
"of the people, for the people, and by the
| people," [Applause.1 If silver was stricken
down, then the value Of all the products of
labor would decrease Just one-half Wher-
ever prices were falling, money would go
out Of circulation. There was no such
curse in existence rs contraction of
volume Of circulation. When this
contraction was brought about then would
come sorrow to the bosoms of the people,
tears TO their cheeks, and hunger, want, and
starvation. That was what the advocates
of scarce money were asking Congress to do
and to do in the interest of the laborlne
men. In conclusion, Mr.. Mills said ave
read Of Nero, who, to eXtirpate the light Of
Christianity, hanged his unhappy subjects
on the lampposts of the imperial city, and
lighted the streets from their burning
bodes.n We read of the obliteration OIL
Poland the partition Of her territory, and
the Punishment and confinement of hei
wretched people in the caves of Siberia by
the sceptered robbers of Austria, Russia
and Prussia. We read Of Philip of Spain
who entered the Netherlands to torture ant
sack and butcher its loyal people
devoted to his kingdom and crown, because
they chose to kneel at the shrines whicl
their consciences dictated to them wa
right. We read of England, with her king
and parliament and people, for 500 year
prosecuting, expressing, and robbing poo
Ireland but In all these cases there is som,
extenuation to be allowed on account o
fierce passions that follow war, on accoun
of alienation and antipathies which eXis
between foreign races, on account of the
contentious of opposing religions. But thl
scourge that is sought to be visited on thi
people of the United States comes from TIN
bosom Of men in whose veins runs the sam,
current of life. 1t comes not from tn
camp Of the conqueror; it comes no
from the hand of the foreigner
it comes not from the altar o
the idolator; 1t comes from til
cold marble and phlegmatic avarlce-
the eastern avarice--which seeks to impal
the whole country on the bed Of sulrerin
in order to crafty its lust for gold. In thi
hour, fraught with peril to the Who'll
country, appeal to the unpurchased rep
resentatives of the American people. lie
us stand up and call the battle on, ant
never leave the field until the people,
money shall be restored to its full value.
Mr.. Butterworth, of Ohio, briefly dis
cussed the provisions Of the pending bill
and opposed 1t rs being disadvantageous Il
the distilling interests Of Ohio.
Without action the committee rose, an,
the House, at 5:l5, adjourned.