The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-14
THE SILVER BILL.

Jones, of Nevada, Closes and Jones, of Ar.
kansas, Begins.
WASHINGTON, May 13.-Among petitions
presented and referred was one by Quay
from the business men of Philadelphia, re-
monstrating against the increase of duty
on dress goods made wholly or partly from
wool.
The committee on pensions reported back
the house substitute for the senate depend
ent pension bill. 1t was moved that it be
nom -concurred in. Agreed to.
The senate then resumed consideration
of the silver bill. Jones, of Nevada, con-
tinued his speech begun yesterday. Jones
concluded at a quarter past three, having
spoken five and q half hours. He had the
same close attention of both parties that he
had yesterday. The attendance on the dem
ocratic side at times was larger than on the
republican.
senate in criticism of the bill. He said the
bill as it stood should never become a law,
but should be amended by making it pro-
vide at least for the unlimited coinage of
silver whenever the price reached point at
which the government ceased to be pur-
chaser. This was an absolute necessity,
unless the purpose was to destroy silver as
money. Those who would vote for the bill
as it stood certainly intended the demoneti-
zation of silver and might as we'll avow
it. While striking fatal blow at the in
terest of great body of people they only
intended to benefit the sellers of silver bull
lion by increasing its value. The deliberate
purpose to discredit silver treasury notes
by refusing to make them legal
tender suggested further the real pur-
pose had in view by the republican party.
He was in favor of the issue of certificates
for coin and bullion and of comforting upon
them the qualities of legal tender as broad
lv and completely as it was conferred upon
the coins which they represented. There
was no reason why those certificates should
be in any sense inferior to any other form
of paper money. They were the very best
form of paper money becauce they were
rendered doubly secure by the pledged faith
coin devoted to their redemption.
Teller said the senator from Arkansas
seemed to be laboring under the impression
that the pending bill was the result of re-
publican caucus. The senator was very
much mistaken. There was no caucus bill
of any kind before the senate.
Jones replied that he had no doubt that
the statement of the senator from Colorado
was literally true. At the same time, IT
newspaper reports and the common under
standing around the capitol we're entitled to
any consideration land he was satisfied
tney Were). every fepuUiACdA bcAdpoA GA
cept the senator from Colorado had agreed,
either in conference or caucus, to vote for it,
Senators Ingalls,, Allison and others
'That is not true"
Jones-"Then hope we will find large
number of senators on that side voting
against it,
Allison-''rhe bill now on the calendar.
SO far from being the result of republican
caucus, is the result of the deliberations of
the finance committee of both political par
ties. No suggestion of caucus was made on
either side of the chamber as far as know,
until some time after this bill WAS reported,
and thoroughly concur in what was said by
| the senator from Colorado, that there was
no agreement or understanding on this side
of the chamber 70 vote for the bill"
Jones-''Aembers of the republican party
have said TO me in private conversation
that this bill had been approved by every
| senator from Colorado"
Harris, member of the finance committee
said the bill had been reported by q major
ity vote OF that committee. He had M
knowledge or suspicion Of a caucus having
had ANYTHING to do with it. The minority
of that committee had, when the bill wai
under consideration. favored, and still f.