Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-26
SILVER And GOLD.
Battle of the Precious Metals in
the House.
THE NATTER SOUARELY IN DEBATE.
Conger Talks BraveIy For Gold and Bland
For Silver-AlIeged Pools to Secure
Silver Legislation-The Pen
sIoners' Pay.

yesterday Mr.. Mckinley of Ohio from
the Committee on Rules reported the
following resolut'o on:
Resolved, That Immediately after the pas
sage of this resolution the House proceed to
consider House bill 5,3sI (the Silver bill)
with Senate amendments, and at two O'Clock
Wednesday, June % (to-hay), the pre-
vious question be considered. as ordered.
Mr.. Mckinley demanded the previous
question on the adoption of the resolu-
ton when it was ordered and twenty
minutes debate was allowed on either
side.
Mr.. Milliken, of Maine, asked whether
an amendment was in order, and was in
formed that it was not
Mr.. Mcmillan. of Tennessee, criticised
the action of the Committee on Rules.
He cited the action of the committee
when the Silver bill was first consid
cred in cutting off the right of amend
ment and debate and said that this was
another proposition of the same kind
an ironciad rule-to bind the House
and prevent it from expressing its
views. The House should have a set
of rules under which business could be
rule to-day, another tomorrow and an
other next day.
Mr. Bland, of Missouri, wanted tC
concur in the Senate amendments He
was ready to vote to-day or tomorrow
If he had an opportunity to vote on that
proposition.
Mr. Blount, of Georgia, also depre-
Gated the practice of controlling legisla.
ton exercised by the Committee on
Rules. He said that before the Speak
er was Speaker he had always been in
favor of full and fair debate, but now
he found it easier to do business with
out it. He feared that under this rule
the Coinage Committee would come in
with cut and dried programme which
would prevent the House from voting
on free coinage.
Mr.. Mckinley said the purpose of the
resolution was to secure definite and
speedy action on the subject of silver,
and he was surprised at the opposition
from the other side. They had charged
that the Republicans would smother
the Silver bill and prevent legis-
lation. To-day he had given
direct refutation of that statement The
Republicans had brought the bill back
almost at once. They invited the House
to concur or non-concur in the Senate
amendments. The order gave an oppor-
tunity to free coinage men to vote for
their proposition. 1t was results the
Republicans was after and politics the
Democratic side was after. The House
had passed the period of silveXS'anipu-
lation. 1t was face to face with IkaGtic-
al question whether the co6htry was TO
have free and unlimited c)inage "a the.
worlds silver product, or whether Con-
gress would legislate to absorb every
ounce of silver produced in the United
States and make it part of the monetary
system.
Mr. Springer, of Illinois, said the Re-
publicans had their ears to the ground
and had just had an awakening, and at
last-somewhat tardily, it was true-the
Republican lea ierS had been obliged to
come over to the Democratic position.
On motion of Mr. Mckinley, the
special rule was adopted without di
vision.
Mr.. Conger, chairman of the Coinage
Committee, presented the report of that
committee. 1t simply recommended
that the House non-cOncur in each and
all Of the Senate amendments to the
Silver bill and request conference.
Mr.. Bland, of Missouri, moved that
the House concur in the Senate amend
ments.
do
bate began, Mr.. Conger taking the ini-
tiative. He defended the action of his
committee, saying it had reported
wise and conservative measure. His
Judgment had not been influenced by
the action of the Senate. That body
had not debated or considered the bill
it had passed and sent back to the
House. If the bullion redemption feat
ure were stricken out then the Govern
ment was placed in the position of buy
ing gold and silver bullion and paying
for it in silver cOin-for that was the
only money provided for the purpose.
Now free coinage meant that a man
might take 500 worth of silver to the
United States mint and take away $50.
1t meant profit of S13, ,0OO,0 900 year to
the bullion owners of this country. 1t
meant that this country should say to
the world: "Bring us your silver
and we will give you 30 per cent
more for it-more than you can get
anywhere else" The committee would
not impose such tax upon the people
and the bill reported by his committee
meant that this Government should buy
silver for just what it was worth. Under
the terms of the House bill silver and
gold would be equally within reach of
all, while, if the Senate bill was passed,
the country would be driven to silver
basis. This Congress had appropriated
$50, 600, 600 for pensions. Every one of
those dollars were worth 100 cents, but
on silver basis they would depreciate
and the gallant pens;oner would suffer a
loss. He hoped that under the terms of
the House bill silver would appreciate;
under the terms of the Senate bill he
believed that it would not He wished
his colleagues could understand the
pressure that had been brought to bear
by men interested in the silver specula-
ton to secure silver legislation. In
every paper which had advocated free
coinage the footprints of the silver
bullion owner or his agent could be
found.
Mr.. Williams, OF Illinois, broke in: II
wish to deny that so far as my own dis
trict is concerned NY people are in |
favor of silver
Sir Conger rejoined: Il think if
lisinterested party would go out there
they will find the truth of tie state
nept have made. Not only have these
paid lobbyists been plying their voca-