Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-09
Equalization of the Two Metals Dis
cussed in the Senate.
THE SUNDRY CIVIL BILL.
It is Reported in the Senate and
Goes Over Till Tomorrow.
BUT LITTLE DOING IN THE HOUSE.
SENATE.


The presiding officer (Mr. Ingalls, announced
Wyoming as a state. The bill now goes to the
President for his signature.
On motion of Mr.. Blair the Senate proceeded
TO executive business.
The doors were reopened at o'clock and
on motion Of Mr.. Teller Senate bill to au-
thorize the Secretary Of the Interior
to convey to the Rio Grande junction
Railway Company certain lands in the state of
COLORADO (26 acres) in lieu for certain other
lands In said state conveyed by the said COM
pany to the United States was taken from the
The sundry civil appropriation bill was re-
ported and MIR. Allison stated that he would
ask for Its consideration tomorrow.
THE SILVER BILL DEBATE RRsUMED.
The consideration of the conference report
on the silver bill was resumed and Mr.
Cockrel continued his argument against the
report
He criticised the last clause of the second
section OF the conference bill and said that the
language therein used indicated q preference
for single gold standard The Secretary Of
the Treasury would 80 interpret it until parity
between the metals was established gold would
be given the preference, and the legal tender
notes would be redeemed in gold. That was
the most dangerous power ever vested by law
In Secretary Of the Treasury.
THE sECRETARY's DISCRETION.
Mr.. Teller-Does not the Senator recognize
the fact that under that section the Secretary
OF the Treasury can pay for the treasury notes
in silver il he chooses?
Mr.. Cockrell-Unquestiona
MIR. Teller-Then 1t is simply question Of
how the Secretary will exercise that discre-
Jion?
M Co~brou No ,u..4;., .L....h..
Mr.. Teller.-Does not the Senate suppose that
the Secretary will pay in the coin which the
holder Of the Treasury notes may desire, if he
can?
Mr.. Cockrell.-Certsinly.
Mr.. Teller.-Is not that proper?
Mr.. Cockrell. Il think not-not at all,
Mr.. Teller-That is the way that France has
maintained her parity between metals. when
the holder OF paper money wants coin for it he
can have either gold or silver he desiree.
When he goes with gold he can have silver for
1t. and when he goes with silver he can have
gold for it That is what the Secretary Of
she Treasury will do under this bill He will
give to the holder OF treasury notes gold Gas
long I" he has got iD or SILVER, Just az the
holder desires.
ten from the United States. l know what the
sqie Is In France. 1t 10 not applicable here
Mr.. Jones (Ark with the consent of Mr..
Cockrell-read an extract from an article in
yesterdays New York Ecening Post "a paper
opposed, he said, to silver legislation
in an its forms) to the effect that the
conference report contained some features not
embraced in either the House bill or the Sen
ate bill and tending to make il better meas
ure than either; also stating that the purpose OF
THE SILVER MEN HAD BEEN '.FoILED."
Mr.. Cockrell-PreciseIy what I have said.
That article is from very able representative
OF the gold interest; and it is a warning to the
Senator from Nevada (Mr. Jones) that he has
abandoned the cause of the equaliz alton of
silver with gold. This conference report Ii in
tended as bold declaration that the country is
still on the single gold standard and that in the
redemption OF these notes gold must be used
The Secretary Of the Treasury can drive the
country to part with every dollar Of gold and
can lock up in the vaults Of the Treasury every
silver dollar. That is the most dangerous power
ever given to Secretary of the Treasury since
the foundation OF the government.
MIR. Platt-Does the Senator mean to say that
he would not give to the Secretary OF the
Treasury q discretion as to which coin he would
pay in?
Mr.. Cockrell-I certainly would give him
that discretion. I would say "redeemable in
cOin.'
Mr.. Platt-That is all that there ID to this.
Mr.. Cockreli-That is true; but there ia WITH
II declaration which is the fatal thing aud
that is that the gold standard still exists aud
must be maintained.
Mr.. Jones (Nev.)-Are you advocating q
change in the form of the bill or change in
the Office Of the Secretary of the Treasury?
Do you desire change in that department.?
Mr.. Cockrell-Not at ali My contention is
not that. My contention is against the
language Of the conference bill and against the
dangerous power which it vests In any Secre-
tary OF the Treasury.
Mr.. Cockreil went on with his argument,
and, taking up the third section of the con.
ference bill, he entered his 'most earnest and
solemn protest against il" as meaning prac-
tical cessation OF silver coinage after July,
1891.
Mr.. Jones (Nev.) .)-That is all we want.