The morning call., 1890-05-13
THE FIGHT BEGUN.
Silver Occupies the Attention
Of the Senate.
Jones Of Nevada Fires the First Gun in
Defense Of the White Metal.
A Brilliant Speech That Was Closely Lis.
tened TO-MOrroW Defeats a Tariff
Amendment
Special by the California Associated Press

WASHINGTON, May 12.-In the Senate
this morning the House amendments to
Stewards bill were agreed to with an
amendment and conference sked for.
Vest and Coke objected and the bill went
over until tomorrow.
Stanford, from the Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds, reported favorobly
the bill providing for a public building at
Ogden, Utah.
Plumb introduced bill providing for the
full coinage of standard silver dollars. Fol-
lowing is the text of the bill:
SECTION 1. That from and after the date OF
the rassage OF this act The unit OF value IN tile
united States shall be the dollar, and the same
may y be @ coined in 4125 grains Of standard silver
sllall be equally legal tender for all sums what
ever.
Sec 2. Any owner Of silver bullion may de-
posit the same at any mint of the United States
TO be formed into standard silver dollars or bars
lor his benefit and without charge; but 1t shall
De lawful 10 refuse any deposit OF less than S100
or any bullion so base as TO be unsuitable for the
operations OF the Mint.
Sec 3. In any deposit Of silver In which gold
aud silver are combined no allowance shall be
maue 10 Inc deposition for the gold, unless the
TWO metals are In such proportion that they can
be separated advantageously but gold bullion
contained In silver deposits and separate there
from snail be paid for In gold or silver coin as
from Time to lime may be appointed by the DIrec-
TOR OF the Mint.
Sec 4. That 80 much OF the act OF February
70, 1873, as directs or authorizes the Secretary
OF The Treasury TO purchase silver bullion for
coming into standard dollars, and all other acts
ana paris OF actS Inconsistent with the provisions
of this act are hereby repealed.
A foot-note attached TO the bill says:
This will not interfere with the present priyl-
lege OF obtaining silver certificates for silver
q In ha lTaa lhAft tltA
convenient floating Of silver will be continued as
now II the bill becomes a law.
at o'clock the Silver Bill came up as
unfinished business.
Jones of Nevada took the floor and made
long address on the bill. He was given
undivided attention, as it is recognized that
he Is the best-posted man on the silver
question in the Senate.
Jones cited from number OF tables,
showing the relative, difference in the value
OF the silver dollar IN 1873 and 1888, from
which IL was proven most conclusively that
the price Of silver. instead of decreasing in
value since 1873, had actually increased;
also that in 1878, 412h grains of silver
bought l.Si bushels of corn, while the same
amount now will buy 1.97 bushels, and that
Notwithstanding. the fact that this silver
was In bullion form, or uncOined. "This
Is also true OF wheat, cotton, mess pork
and, in fact, these comparisons might be
applied to all commodities in use at the
present day. 1t Is not of so much impor-
tance to know how much gold can be bought
with so much silver. but how much of the
neceSsaries OF life, such as food and cloth
ing, can be obtained. That is what the
working people Of this country want TO
know.
Jones said there was no value in money
itself. no matter of what it is made. whether
gold, silver or paper. 1t was only of value
owing to the fact that the human appreci-
alton or estimation had recognized in it
qualities of such nature as to render it of
value II adopted or set up as the standard
dollar OF the country. The best money a
country can adopt is that of the least
changing value, and that money is silver.
The demand for money is unending ami ufi-
ceasing. 1t Is the object of every man, wo-
man and child in the country. No one but
beggar asks for goods first before he has
money to pay for them. There is no limit
to the demand for it.
" A substitute can be provided for every
thing else under the sun, but for money
there Is no substitute. 1t is that factor
without which nothing of importance can
be done. 1t is absolutely essential to carry
on the purposes of this great Government
as we'll as of every enterprise which has
been started Therefore is it not of tran
Scendent Importance that in the selection of
some substance to represent the money of
the country, 1t should be of such charac-
ter as TO be the least liable TO change in
value? And where can any substance be
Iouiiu SO lully answering all requirements
needed In this connection as does silver ?"
Jones included in his speech quite large
number of tables, showing the wonderful
wealth OF this country in silver as we'll as
the few fluctuations in value it had been
subject to in comparison with gold.
He was listened to with marked attention
by majority of the Senators on both sides
OF the chamber, and when, at o'clock,
he yielded the floor, after having spoken
uninterruptedly for three hours, with the :
understanding that he be allowed to finish
tomorrow, he was the recipient of the
heartlest congratulations from Democrats
liant effort.
Senator Gray then endeayored to secure
consideration for his bill providing for the
transfer of the revenue cutter service to
the Navy Department; but as soon as he
had made the motion Senator ingalls, rose
and moved that the Senate proceed to the
consideration of executive business, which
was agreed to. and at 4 so o'clock the
Senate adjourned.