The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-13
Jones, Of Nevada, Opens the Debate
With an Exhaustive and
Able Address.
He Ascribes the Long Commercial
Depression to the Outlaw
ing Of Silver.
The House Begins Consideration OF the
Tariff Bill Section by Section
Amendments offered,

WASHINGTON, May 12.-The senate pro-
cceded to the consideration of the bill
authorizing the issue of treasury notes on
deposits of silver bullion.
Z" Jones, of Nevada, addressed the senate in
it's favor. What was it that produced q
general decline of prices in any country?
It was shortage in the volume of money
relatively to population and business. The
world never had proper system of money.
He went on to speak of the natural ratio
between gold and silver existing for $500
or 3, 600 years-a ratio of 15111 to land said it
was only since the Legislative prescription
of silver in Germany and the United States
and its banishment from the mints
of Europe that any material change
of ratio took place, and the present diver
gence in relative value of the two metals
was directly due to the legal outlawrv of
silver, and not to any natural causes. It
had always been the object of the creditors
class to enhance the value of money by re-
duoing the volume, SO that when the gold
mines of California and Australia were
producing their largest yield it was pro-
posed to demonetize gold. The motive of
demonstration in the case of silver, as we'll
as of gold, was to aggrandize the creditor
class of the world and confiscate the farms,
VAO PAONUAOdA 4OWuIu0 w AdIOy tOll0T6s 110
spoke of the decentralization of silver by
Germany after the war with France as hav-
ing inflicted greater evils on her people
than her armies inflicted on France.
If surprise were felt at the selfishness of
privileged classes in Europe in the demon
etization of silver, what was to be said in
defense of the United States demonetizing
silver? No such stupendous act of folly
and ignorance had ever been perpetrated by
the representatives of a free people. It had
proved prolific of enforced idleness, poverty
and misery. No better remedy could be
applied than the absolute reversal of that
legislation and putting back the monetary
1873.
In regard to the bill pending before the
senate, Jones said he had reported it from
the committee on finance, but it did not
fully reflect his views regarding the relation
which silver should bear to the monetary
declared himself at all times and in all
places a firm and unwavering advocate of
the free and unlimited coinage of silver. In
view, however, of the great diversity of
views prevailing on the subject, and the
possibility that BY reason Of such divers
nate without affording the country any re-
lief from baleful and benumbing effects of
the demonstration of silver, he
had joined with the other members
of the committee in reporting the bill.
The scene in the senate :chamber during
the delivery of the speech was fair indicat-
ion of the great interest felt in the subject.
The senators from the mining states, Stan
ford, Hearst, Stewart, Teller and others, sat
close to Jones and gave him the most earn
est attention. But an almost equal degree
of interest was shown by all senators pres
ent, everyone of whom, on both sides of the
chamber, wheeled his chair around SO as to
fare the Sna1kpr ChorQ w NO
tion indulged in, no newspaper reading, no
letter-wrlting, but during the three hours
that the speech occupied every senator
seemed to be paying the closest attention to
it. The number of persons in the galleries,
however, was not large.