The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-14

better than any Of the propositions which
have been before the Senate
MIR. Reagan addressed the Senate in ad-
vocacy of unlimited coinage of silver and
compared the pretensions of its enemies,
who now claimed to be in its favor, to the
lrlshman who was hunting for work, but
was praying to God that he would not
find it.
DANIEL FOR UNLIMITED COINAGE.
MIR. Daniel next took the floor. He stated
that in his judgment absolute free and un-
limited coinage of silver was the only solu-
tlon OF the question. If that was not to be
the final solution it would seem TO be an
essential. an Indispensable step toward its
solution. 1t could not be anticipated, he
said, that anything less than free coinage of
silver would bring silver to par. 1t was
principle In mechanics that the strength of
a chain was to be found in its weakest link
and SO the price of a commodity was
fixed by the price of the portion Of
1t which could be bought
cheapest. Therefore, so long as there was a
portion OF the silver product of the country
that could not, by any method, turn itself
into money, that portion of it would re-
main mere commodity with no autonomic
right to become money and would continue
TO occupy the level of a commodity of
price.
Mr.. Daniel went on to speak of the de-
mQpetization act of 1873 and withdrew his
former characterization of it as having been
"smuggled." Mr.. Sherman had found fault
with that word, but in the course of his re-
marks he spoke of the financial manage
ment OF the government affairs for the last
quarter of century as "wretched."
CAUGHT UP BY BLAIR.
This was caught up by Mr.. Blair, who
asked Mr.. Daniel, satlrically, whether he
regarded the financial management of the
Republican party, by which the war had
been suppressed, as anything else than a
splendid achievement of financial egineer-
ing.
90" said Mr.. Daniel, $50 far as am
concerned the war is over, and l do not
admire the logic of gentlemen who are SO
disconnected with modern times that they
must always go back to the war to get Vp
an illustration"
After some further interchange Of cut
ting remarks on this point, Mr. Daniel once
more reverted to the act of 1878, demone-
tizing silver, and said that while he did not
say that any senator was actuated in that
legislation by any criminal or improper
motive. he would say that the conduct of
the committee which had charge of
the bill indicated one of two
thlngs-either density of ignorance
which 1t would be extremely remarkable to
find on the part of those who were attempt
ing to steer the ship of state, or otherwise
most reprehensible negligence Of their ap-
propriate committee duties.
AN Ex-MEMBER's EXPLANATION.
Mr.. Daniel read extracts from a letter
written to him after his last speech on the
question by ex-Representative Critcher
OF Virginia, to the effect that
he was a member of the committee
on coinage, weights and measures in 1878,
and he mad never been consulted on the
subject of the decentralization of silver,
knew nothing about it, had received only
one notice to attend meeting of the COM
mittee during the session, and that no one
was more surprised than he when he learned
of that legislation a raenth after.
A colloquy between Messrs. Daniel and
Edmunds, in which Mr.. Allison also took
part, was carried on at some length in
reference to the legislation as to green
backs, the payment of United States bonds
In gold and the effect Of an imitation of the
currency and of contraction of the cur
rency. Mr. Edmunds' contention was
that such Initiation Of the currency
as would result from the pending
measure would be for the benefit of the rich
and not the poor, and Mr.. Allison's remark
was reminder of the fact that in Decem-
ber, 1865, Immediately after the war, a
resolution was offered in the House of Rep
resentatives by Mr.. Allen of Massachusetts,
in favor of retiring greenbacks and
OF coming to specie resumption
Immediately, and that every democratic
member voted for it, including some who
were now senators.
Mr.. Daniel. after expressing satirically
his satisfaction at hearing something from
Mr.. Allison on the silver question, said that
the question was greater than democracy
and greater than republicanism, or rather
it was greater than republicanism and al
most as great as democracy. Laughter.
Without concluding his speech Mr.. Daniel
session; and after brief executive session
the Senate, at $40 o'clock, adjourned till
tomorrow.