Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-03
AN AMENDED SILVER BILL.

AN AMENDED SILVER BILL.
THE WORK OF Mr.. ST. JOHNS INTRO
DUcED BY MR.. PLUMB.
Senator Morrill, Objects to Cheap Money
for the eWorkingmau-The Canteen Ques-
rIou Coming in for Its Share From the
Temperance Members.
WASHINGTON, June 2-The silver bill intro
duced by Senator Plumb to-day and an
nounced by him to be the work of Mr.. St.
Johns. of New York. is the same as the bill in
troduced by the Senator last week, with the
addition of the following section:
Section 6. That whenever the Presi-
dent of the United States shall be
authoritatively advised that the mints
OF France, Belgium and Italy are open
for the coinage of full tender of silver money.
as free from all limitations, charges and re-
strictions as for their gold and the valuation
Tor gold and silver which is now known as the
Latin Union coinage ratio, it shall be the duty
Oh the President to issue his proclamation
forthwith embodying the following provisions,
which shall have all the force and effect OF a
law of the United States, namely:
Flrst-Directing the Secretary of the Treas
ury to forbid at once all further issuing OF Sill
Ver certincates and to require that any OF tne
same In the treasury OF the Un1t6Q SLaLeS sudii
pc cancelled and destroyed.
Second-To devise new dollar coin OF tne
United States which shall contain 400 grains OF
standard silver, and be full tender Tor all
public debt and for all private debts unless
otherwise specified in any contract, and TO
cause the same to be coined to the utmost ca
pacity of the mints of the United States limited
only by his legal discretion as to the coinage OF
gold, until 300, 10000 of the said new standard
dollars shall be coined, and not fewer than
2OO. 900 900 of the same monthly thereafter.
IN frA -nr and ffarR n n IN n
the said proclamation, to purchase in demand of
the holders of the same, all outstanding silver
dollars of the present standard weight and all
outstanding silver certificates of the United
States at a premium of cents on the dollar,
with the issue of the hereinbefore provided
notes of the United States in payment of the
same.
On and after the debate of the said proclama-
tion TO tx the utmost limit Of priceifor the pur-
chase of silver under the provisions of this act
at Sl Tor $50 grains of fine silver.
Morrill, Doesn't Like 1t.
MI R. MORRILL,, speaking on the bill, said the
wage earners of the United States were
to be counted by millions and were the most
numerous creditor class of The country and he
believed the largest In amount. 1t was that
class that 1t was now proposed to pay off in
cheaper or in deprecated standard money and
to require to pay higher prices for anything
they had to buy. Could there be ANYTHING, he
asked, more likely, in all parts of the country
at an early DAY to provoke strikes for higher
wages? The silver miners of Nevada and
Colorado wanted everything about gold struck
out and simply to say, I'VE want 40
per cent more profit" Silver would tolerate
no rival near the throne. He believed that by
wise aud moderate legislation a sufficient
amount of silver might be utilized and yet a
Dl-metallic standard be maintained. He did
not want to have the United States divorced
from the commercial world. But that was not
the policy Of those who had led off in the de-
bate. Their transparent design was (only
thinly attempted to be concealedl to go by
single bound to silver standard. II the coun-
try was to have but single standard he pre-
ferred that that standard should be gold rather
than silver. He would, however. like to have
both maintained and with the expectation that,
with very liberal increase of silver and with
good management on the part of the Treasury
Department, the parity OF value would be pre-,
served-silver advancing q good deal and gold
receding somewhat in value.
Mr.. Morrill, went on to argue against the
proposition to issue legal tender Treasury
notes in exchange for silver as an unconstl-
tutional measure.
Debate on the Conference Report.
THE conference report on the Military
Academy appropriation bill was presented
and agreed to. The conference report on the
army appropriation bill was again taken up
and the question in regard to the provision as
to canteens was discussed, the conference re-
port being to the effect that no intoxicating
drinks should be supplied in canteens or In
traders stores in States or Territories where
prohibition legislation exists.
Mr.. Allison, who presented the report, spoke
In defense OF 1t.
Mr. George asked Mr.. Allison why the rule
should be restricted to enlisted men and should |
not apply also to officers. |
Mr.. Allison replied that the Senator must |
answer that question for himself |
Mr. Hale predicted that If this canteen sys-
s,xN- afFAn se 1lN
noxious that 1t wonld last but a little while.
Mr.. Plumb suggested that that the move |
ment against the canteen system was in the |
interest of the post traders. The whole mat |
ter he said was a fight between the post trader |
and the canteen. If he had his way about the |
amendment reported by the committee he |
would not stop with the man who had Sl3 a
month, but would make it apply to every man |
IN the army from the General down.
Mr.. Hale replied to Mr.. Plumb and said that |
the movement against the canteen was an |
with the post trader who was going to lose his |
profits. !
Friendly Suggestion.
MR. PLUMB suggested to Mr.. Hale that he |
A'A should sit down and write out such a |
as he wonld like to see applied to |
himself as well as to others.
Mr.. Hale replied that the question was one |
not to be settled by personal allusion. 1t was a |
States Government should now for the first |
time embark in the selling of liquor to its |
soldiers. 1t was not question to be settled by |
a taunt OF a sneer or personal alluslon. !
Mr.. George remarked that If the proposition |
could not be made to apply to officers as we'll as
to men, he would vote to strike the whole thing |
out.
Mr.. Allison defended with a show of much |
the action of the Conference Com
mittee.
The conference report was agreed to-yeas, |
35; nays, 8-the nays being Senators Blair Col
4uitt. Dixon, George, Hale, Sanders, Teller and |
furpie.
MIR. Harris Closes on the Silver Bill.
THE silver bill was again taken up. and Mr.. |
Harris addressed the Senate. He said that
he should vote for the free coinage of silver,
and if he failed in securing that he should sup
port the nearest approximate to 1t that he
might be abla to secure. If he was forced to
decide between the bill as reported by the |
Finance Committee and the legislation of 1878,
for coinage OF at least 100000 silver dollars
month, he should vote for the committees bill,
believing that many of the criticisms made |
upon it were neither just nor true. He hoped
that he would secure free coinage. Failing in
that he preferred to take the bill authorizing
,he purchase of four and one-half million dol
ars worth of silver bullion month rather than
lake the present law with its monthly two mil
ions of coined silver
Mr.. Harris went on to speak of the two prop
ositions to furnish relief to the farmers by
a warehouse system for the de-
oosit of certain crops, and the issuing of Treas
1ry notes for 80 per cent of their market value.
Ind by lending money to farmers on their real
,state at the rate of 2 per cent year in crest
Even If such measures were constitutional las
le was convinced they were not), he believed
hat they would not benefit the farmer but
would prove a serious injury and loss to him.
At the close of Mr.. Harris speech the silver
,ill went over till tomorrow, and after brief
executive session the Senate adjourned.