The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-06-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
PrOm our Regular Correspondent,

washington, ~. y. June y, 1890.
On rising to address the Senate on
the silver question, Mr.. Sherman said
that he had not intended to discuss the
subject until some practical measure
had been brought forward; because the
bill reported from the Finance com
mittee was only an uneasy ghost, wan.
der 1gwithout father, without compass,
without guide, with no one to call for
vote upon it, and no one to demand
a solution of the difficult problem. But
as he was compelled to absent himself
upon more important business, he
availed himself Of the present oppor-
tunity to say something which he had
written. He harangued against the
free coinage idea, aud quoted certain
figures from a government report, the
accuracy of which was Instantly chsll-
eDged by Senator Teller Mr.. Sher-
man insisted that the figures were from
a government report and therefore must
be correct, and wanted to know what
newspaper scrap would be brought in
to controvert what he had read. San.
ator Teller still politely insisted that
the truth hal not been told, and want
ed to correct the statement before it
was made public. Mr.. Sherman how
ever would not yield the floor.
On Thursday Mr.. Mckinley report
ed a resolution that the House immed-
lately CONSIDER his silver bill until Sat
urday at 3 z. NJ, when the previous
question should be considered as order.
ed, forty minutes were given for de-
bate.
Mr.. Blount said that he had no
objection to the time allowed for de-
bate, but that the chairman of the CON-
mittee of coinage, weights and meas.
ures would be allowed to offe- all the
amendments that were admissible
under the rules of the House, and that
when these were offered there would
be given no opportunity to the minority
to offer any amendment, or to ask the
House to vote on the free coinage of
silver. At the republican caucus the
other night there had been much dis
cussion and it was necessary to whip
in the friends of free silver by this re-
solution. 1t was wicked, shameful and
an outrage on the minority. There
were macy republicans who would vote
for free silver but for fear of the Presi-
dent, who was in accord with the Sec
retary of the Treasury, and both In
accord with Wall street. 1t was a
fumiliating sight to an American citi-
zen when in the presence of the Presi-
dent the republicans were driven to
tramplIng down the rules of the House
If the majority and the President yield
ed to the money power the masses
hereafter would dictate an enforced
legislation.
Mr.. Bland said that there was no
doubt but that large m ajority of the
House favored the unlimited coinage
OF silver, and in order to prevent that
fact from appering on the record it was
necessary to gag all the democrats and
many of the republicans. NJ. Williams
said that the resolution was intended
to prevent the majority from legisla-
ton, but the slick drivers of the repub-
lican flock easily rounded most of it
up, and gained their point as usual,
l20 yeas, III nays. The passage of
this resol Ition has thoroughly discour-
aged the free silver men, and they
mean to strive no more for their meas
ure this session but accept the House
bill which will pass, aud endeavor in
vain, to have it amended in respect to
the bullion clause
This bill, which goes into effect 80
days after Its passage, directs the pas
sage of S4,500,000 worth of silver
every month. to be paid for by silver
bullion treasury notes, redeemable in
coin, and made legal tender for all
debts, public or private, except where
otherwise stipulated in contract The
Secretary of the Treasury may redeem
them in silver bullion at the market
price, and may coin such bullion as is
needed to redeem silver notes, but the
$2,OOO,OOO coinage act is repealed. If
silver goes up to par coinage shall be
free. Finally $6O.000,00O held in the
Treasury as a redemption fund, for the
notes of retired national banks, is to
be turned into the general fund.
The business men are now having a
hearing before the Finance committee
of the Senate, in protest against the
injustice Of the Mckinley bill. M. A.
II. Saxton, of New York, represented
the jobbing hardware trade OF the
United States and an investm snt of
S6O,0O0,O00. He fully and strongly
exposed the misstatemsnts of the cut.
lery manufacturers by which they had
induced the committee on ways and
means to reduce the cutlery rates He
showed by their own statistics that
their produces have increased so per
cent in the last six years, instead of
largely falling off as was claimed, and
that importations had decreased 7 per
cent. That instead of this profit being
$815,OOO in 1887, as stated by them,
1t was 81, 100000. The Malt dealers
are next in order.