The Butler weekly times., 1890-07-09

l
You think you can fool him, and I
guess you can. You generally do.
But if you really wanted to help him
as you pretend to, why do not you
pass simple bill for the free and
unlimited coinage of silver! That
is what the farmer wants, that is
what he demands. That is a SIM
pie proposition which he under
stands. Instead of that you bring
in here this abominable monstrosity
and call it a silver bill. You not
only refuse to pass a free coinage
bill, but YOU refuse to let us have
even vote on the proposition of
free coinage. You have brought in
and forced through a special rule
for the consideration of this bill.
Under this rule the previous ques-
ton is to be considered as ordered
at 3 o'clock to day, at which hour
the debate is to close.
Only three amendments can be
offered under this rule. The Speak
or has already recognized three Re-
publican members to offer those
amendments. They are pending
now. 1t was all cooked aud primed
beforehand. Here my colleague,
Mr.. Bland, stood demanding and
pleading to be permitted to offer an
amendment providing for the free
coinage of silver. Here the rest of
us stood at his back joining in that
demand. The Speaker deliberately
turned his back upon this side of
the House, and recognized the three
entlemen on his own side who had
been selected and designated to Of
fer all amendments permitted by
the rule Thus We are arbitrarily
and insolently refused the hare
right to submit and have voted upon
the proposition to enact a law for
the free and unlimited coinage of
silver.
Why is this? How does this hap
pen? With a possible half-dozen
exceptions this side of the House is
ready and anxious, every man OF us,
: to vote for bill establishing the
; free coinage of silver; and there are
5 number of gentlemen on that side
: from the Western State who favor
2 the same thing. A majority of this
| House is distinctly in favor of free
f coinage, though not majority Of
: the Republican Representatives. A
, majority of the Republican Repre-
: sentatives are against it. Hence
e that select company of statesmen
S who parade as your leaders on that
= side put their cunning heads togeth-
: er to devise some plan to prevent a
" vote on the proposition of free coin
: age. They know such bill would
pass if we could get to vote. So
n they got you all into caucus. The
t The free-silver Republicans, sent
i here by their constituents largely
= upon that issue, were whipped into
n line.
We all heard the amusing and
I somewhat humiliating colloquy
e which took place here on the floor
l. during the debate On yesterday, be
It tween the gentleman from Massa
t chusetts, Mr.. Walker, and the gen
t tleman from Illinois, Mr.. Payson,
both of whom are prominent Repub
t lican members of this House. The
= gentleman from Massachusetts wal
= endeavoring to convince himself o.
y somebody else that silver as money
n is bad thing. He had asserted
a that there is gold coin enough il
70 this country and in the world t.
q answer the monetary needs of man
j. kind in carrying on the business ane
o commerce of the world. He hai
q accompanied that statement by th'
q remarkable declaration that to in
e. crease our circulating medium woule
is be to add to the burden of miser,
our people bear.
l. Thereupon the gentleman from
:. Illinois rose to his feet and asked
l. he might interrupt the gentleman