The daily critic., 1890-06-06
SlLVERT SOUNDS HEARD At THE
HOUSE ON THE HILL
WHY MINNESOTA FARMERS ARE POOR
Mr., Flower Wants Government OFF,
GERS Elected by the People,
SPEAKS IN HIS SHIRT SLEEVES
district Measures in Committee The
Compulsory Inspection Bill
Reported Adversely.

The House met at II o'clock this
morning, and debate began at once on
the Silver bill.
Nj Lind Of Minnesota said he
represented an agricultural dis
uict, the farmers Of which were
poor, but not wholly prosperous.
The depressed condition was due to the
low prices of agricultural products,
which he believes were affected by the
amount Of money in circulation. The
Increase Of circulation advanced prices,
the shrinkage of circulation diminished
them. The great mass Of the people
demanded that silver should be restored
to its forme position. The
PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE QUESTION
and could think and reason as well as
members Of Congress He said the
Treasury bill was the most objection.
able, for, under a friendly Sec
retarv, Il might be made useful
in increasing the volume of currency:
but under an unfriendly Secretary it
might be dangerous. The least OBJ
iectionable proposition was the Repub.
lican caucus bill.
Mr.. Flower Of New York spoke en-.
tirely in behalf Of a constitutional
amendment for the election by the
people Of officials who are now ap.
pointed.
Mr.. Lacey of Iowa said there was an
absolute shortage Of funds, The pend.
ing bill, which was
PRACTICALLY a FREE COINAGE BILL,
proposed TO increase the circulation to
offset the contraction. II was a free
coinage measure, because Il provided
that when silver was at par the
mints should be open to free coinage.
The country needed an explanation OF
the currency in safe way, which this
bill provided.
Mr.. Walker Of Massachusetts denied
that there was business depression be.
cause Of low prices. There was not
solitary fact that justified the statements
made in favor Of free coinage. There
was never day since the sun shone
on the earth when q farmer could pay
his debts with as few days work as he
could today. Prices had been going
down for one hundred years. The
demonetiZatlon Of silver had not had
the slightest appreciable effect on the
DEPRECIATION or PRICES.
Mon ey had no place In economies; Il
was an incident In economies. You
might destroy all the gold and silver In
the world tonight, and wake up in the
morning and the world would not be
hurt one iota II was an absolute dis
grace 10 the House TO hear the rot that
was talked here. and he had
talked some OF Il himself He
asserted that there was not another
business In the country that
could have had as much over -prOduc-
tion as the farming industry and get
anything for its goods. He would vote
for this bill because he knew that the
members of the House for the past
twenty years, for the purpose Of re elec.
tion, had urged and encouraged the
people in their folly until they came 10
such a state OF mind that
SOMETHING MUST BE DONE
or they would break members up. II
was pure politics; that was all there
was about IT, The question was not
one between gold and silver, but was a
question as 10 whether the poor should
be robbed and their substance given to
the rich. Any man OF party that put
the country on a silver basis would be
sunk I'm eternal infamY