The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-07
In the House.

In the House.
The silver debate was resumed in the
House this morning, Mr.. Lind of Mime
soto being the first speaker. Commenting
on the three measures before the House, he
SAID the treasury bill was the most OBJ
Jectionable. Under friendly secretary it
might be made useful in increasing
the volume of the currency, but under
an unfriendly secretary it might
be dangerous. Personally he believed
that the free coinage bill presented not only
the best but the quickest way to settle the
whole question, but he believed that it was
best to yield something even to prejudice
Even BY so doing, legislation almost equally
eff1cacious and less Objectionable to s1me
CLASSES could be secured Such a measure
was the republican caucus bill.
FLOWERS DIVERGENCE.
Mr.. Flower of New York confined his
remarks not to the silver question, but to
the constitutional amendment relating,
within the prescribed localities, to the
choice of such administrative officials
whose functions of Office lie entirely within
the prescribed area, and whose choice is of
consequence only to the people whom they
Immediately serve.
Mr.. Lacey Of Iowa advocated the caucus
silver bill. 1t was a free coinage measure
because it provided that when silver was at
par the mints should be open to free coin
age. The country'needed au expansion of
the currency in a safe way, and this bill
provided for 10.
TIMES NOT HARD.
Mr.. Walker of Massachusetts, referred 10
the argument that there was a business
depression because of low prices. There
was not word of truth in it. There was
not solitary fact that justified the state
ments made in favor of free coinage not
Que. 1t was said that the farmers were
oppressed; and there were men on the floor
who talked of "corn burning when the
fact was that there never was a
day since the sun shone on the earth
when the farmer could pay off the
debt on his farm with as few days work as
he could to-day. He asserted that demonetiz-
ing silver was not the cause of the decrease
Of prices. These prices had been going
down for 100 years. The demonstration OF
silver had not had the slightest appreciable
effect on the depreciation of prices. More
money meant more misery. daughter
WE ALL LOVE MISERY.
Mr.. Perkins-We all love misery.
Laughter
Mr.. Walker said that the money could
only be used in limited amounts. A sutfi-
cheney was enough. Money was like rail-
road. You could not use railroad beyond
the needs of the freight desired to be tran
sported upon it. When you had done that
you had used the railroad to
the fullest extent, and it was no
longer necessary. And 80 it was with
money. Money had no place in economies
1t was an incident to economics 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. 1t
was an absolute disgrace TO the House to
hear the rot that was talked here, and he
had talked some of it himself.
PURELY POLITICAL.
He was going to vote for the pending bill
because he knew that the members of the
House from 1868 up to the present, for the
purpose of getting back here, had urged
and encouraged the people in their folly until
they had come to such a state of mind th at
something must be done or they
would break the members up.
[Laughterl Ii was pure politics,
and that was all about it. In the course Of
an argument to show that there was suffi-
cient gold in the world to supply the money
demand, he was frequently interrupted by
Mr.. Payson of Illinois, Heard of Missouri
and Others. The energy Of his replies,
day, was too much for Mr.. Walker, and,
much to the merriment of the house, he
doffed his coat, and proceeded with his
speech in his shirt sleeves.
BLIGHTING CURSE.
Mr.. Blount contended that silver demon
etization had cast blighting curse over
everybody except the capitalist This
curse was somewhat removed by the act Of
1878, and the business of the country began
to grow more prosperous. The present
contraction of the currency was due to the
demonstration act of 1878. To increase
the volume of the circulation was the
only :. way to relieve not only
agricultural interests, but every other
interest in the country. He criticised the
treasury bill, declaring that it was intended
to stop further coinage of the silver dollar
1t relegated sill yer to the same plane as any
other commodity. 1t was q Wall street
measure-a scheme of the old enemy of the
masses of the people. He also criticised the
caucus bill and advocated the free coinage
measure.
APPLYING THE GAG LAW.
Mr.. Bland inquired whether it was in
order for him to offer an amendment.
The speaker replied that it was not.
Mr.. Bland said that he could only protest
against the denial of the right of
a member of the minority to offer an
amendent He, as a member, the commit
tee on coinage, weights and measures, had
asked whether he would be allowed to offer
free coinage substitute. The chair
man had replied that it would be
so arranged. He did not want
to charge any gentleman with acting in
bad faith; but he did charge that there had
been neglect in carrying out the promises
of the committee. The gag law had been
placed upon the minority. Why had this
been donea 1t was for the purpose of passing
the bill through the House, the effect of
which was to demonetize silver. That was
the object of 1t.
ADVOCATED BY KERR
MIR. Kerr of Iowa advocated the pending
bill as a long step in the right direction.
MIR. Townsend of Colorado made an un-
limited coinage speech.
Mr.. Skinner of North Dakota denounced
as q crime the demonetization OF silver in
1878, but said that it would not compare
with the enormous sin which this congress
would be guilty of if it deprived silver of its
money function.
Mr.. Dorsey of Nebraska thought the bull
ion redemption feature should be stricken
out, and he appealed to his side Of the house
to allow a vote on that proposition.
Mr.. McRae of Arkansas also spoke in
favor of absolute free coinage.
The House at o'clock took a recess until
s o'clock, the evening session to be for gen
eral debate on the silver bill
MR.. BARNES OF GEORGIA.
Mr.. Perkins of Kansas acted as speaker
pro tenn. at the evening session. Mr.. Barnes
of Georgia expressed his regret that the
c,-iea for relief which came up from all over