The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-08
A SILVER BILL PASSED.
TIE HOUSE FINALLY ENDS NONE
TARY DEBATE.

WASHINGTON, June I'm the House this
morning, before the beginning of the de-
hate on the silver bill, at the request of Mr..
Payson of Illinois Mr.. Conger of Iowa,
who was in charge of the bill, modified his
substitute SO as to provide that the treasury
notes issued in pursuance of the bill shall be
legal tender in payment of all debts, public
and private, striking out the following
words: Except where otherwise expressly
stipulated in a contract"
MIR. Payson said that he realized that the
substitute would in substance pass the body,
and it would be done in obedience to public
sentiment, which he believed to be uni
versal in favor Of larger use of silver as a
money metal and of further increase of
the currency of the country. Referring to
the financial plank of the republican plat
FORM and speaking of the treasury bill, he
said that he had not expected when he
listened to the reading of that plank that
in two years thereafter he would be called
upon to vote in republican House upon a
measure which not only practically and
absolutely demonetized silver as a money
metal, but established gold standard upon
the statute books
WIPED OUT THE OLD Law.
1t wiped from the statute books the only
law the country had for the coinage of
standard silver dollars. He believed in the
doctrine announced by the republican ma
tional convention, and he stood for it. He
opposed the treasury bill, because it pro-
posed to treat silver simply and purely as
merchantable commodity, and to fix until
congress should change it, an open declara-
ton on the statuets that gold, and gold
alone, should be the standard of value, de-
clared so by the supreme law of the land.
He had always believed in the doctrine of
law that every piece of paper which should
be issued by the general government having
monetary function at all should be legal
tender for all debts, private as well as pub
lie. This was not provided for in the
treasury bill. The feature of the bill relat-
ing to redemption Yves an argument that
was conclusive, but this bill and its substi-
tute were treating silver bullion as a COM
modify and nothing else. On this principle
the same thing could be done with as great
propriety with copper, with tin and with
nickel, as was proposed to be done with
silver.
SHOULD BE A MONEY METAL.
II the government used silver at all, it
should be used as metal and not as a COM
modify. He was opposed to the substitute
because of that, but he expected to give 1t
his support in this contingency. He hoped
that opportunity would be given 70 strike
out the bullion redemption feature, but
even II it weres not possible to get it out of
the bill he would give the bill his support,
reluctantly, he confessed, because he did not
but.beieve In voting for something proposed,
because he believed in the necessity of some
legislation on this subject. He was confidently
advised that il this bill should pass in its
present form the matter to which he had
alluded would be corrected elsewhere. II
he did not have that expectation and belief
Nv, 1Alo lus khA 80 H.. a. 4
were finality) this substitute would never
receive his vote This bill was bound to be
considered at the other end of the capitol
1t would be amended there, and the House
would have opportunity to vote on the
amendment
Mr.. Bynum of Indiana-Suppose it is not
amended?
from another place, have no more doubt
OF that than that am standing here.
Mr.. Williams of Illinois-Suppose they
should be controlled as you are?
Mr.. Payson-But they cannot be. There
Is no previous question and no special order
there. [Laughter.1
THE PRESENT LAW.
Mr.. Williams of Illinois inquired whether
the present law, if fairly executed, was not
better than the pending bill.
Mr.. Payson replied that if the discretion
l.
oeen fairly used for the past six months, let
alone for seven or eight years, no such leg
iSlation as this would be under discussion
to-day. [Applause.1 The treasury officials
were friends of gold, and gold alone. No
miser even went clut"hing for gold with
greater avarice and greed than every Sec
retary of the Treasury. AS an instance of
the hostility of the present secretary to sill
yer Mr.. Payson stated that he had not
received silver certificate for his pay.
REED SHOWS UP HIS ROLL.
Mr.. Conger of Iowa illustrated the fact
that he had done so by producing several
certificates Mechanically the speaker went
down in his pocket, and as he drew out q
number of crisp notes he was greeted with
roar of laughter from the the press gallery
toirectly behind and above hin) which was
echoed on the floor.
MIR. Payson, again reverting to the bill,
SAID that instead of being bill for the
coinage of silver, it was measure which
practically prohibited the coinage of
standard silver dollar. CApplause.]
MT. Mutchler of Pennsylvania was op-
posed to both propositions pending before
the House.
Mr.. Hatch of Missouri reit Grated and in-
10rsed qd everything the gentleman from
Iliihols had said relative to the hostile atti-
silver.
r, The debate was continued by Messrs.
Tracey of New York, Bartine of Nevada,
cannon, Anderson, Perkins and Funston of
Kansas
FUNsToN's IDEA.
Mr., Funston said that If the gentlemen on
siis SIDE of the House who were apologiz.ng
tor their vote would vote according to their
convictions the House would pass the fres
coinage bill in one hour. [Applause The
Iepuohcans had talked over this silver busi-
ness, and what had they done? 'srhe
mountain labored and brought forth
mouse"
OoNNELL TIRED OF BossrsM
-, Mr. Connell of Nebraska said that he had
ttLlways been republican. His loyalty TO
Sne party had never been questioned. He
Sooou ready to serve it in the future as he
tL Eau served 1t in the past but when he knew
sae, sne needs OF the people he governed his
bho.ion accordingly, even though he would
Is lave 70 record his vote with the minority
~ ~ ene speaker and the so-called leaders of
Le party expected the rank and file to do
r;NaI .neir bidding without regard to what was
dsnC or fair they would wake up some
toy ay 70 md themselves mistaken. He pro-
.esceo against the rule which prevented
a9cVlon on the bill for free coinage of silver.
~ 81 caucus amendments had been offered by
sne gentleman from Ohio QMr. Mckinley.
onu would have been adopted but for the
propests OF the speaker.