, 1890-06-08
SILVER DOLLARS.
The House Of Representatives
Passes its Silver Bill. .
On Final Passage the Vote
Was 1876 to 119.
Great Labor Demonstration in
London.

WAsHINaToN, June Before be-
ginning the debate on the silver bill, at
the request of PaYson of Illinois, Conger
Of Iowa. in charge Of the bill, modified
his substitute so as to provide that treas
ury notes issued in pursuance of the bill
shall be legal tender in payment of all
debts, public and private, and striking
out the following words except where
otherwise expressly stipulated in a con-
tract" Payson said hat he realized that
the substitute would in substance pass
thus body and it would be done in
obedience to public sentiment. which he
believed TO be universal, in favor OF a
larger use of silver as a none metal and
of a further increase of the currency OF
the country. If the government
used silver at all it should
be used AS a money metal and
not as a commodity. He was opposed to
the substitute because Of that He ex-
pected to give it his support in this con-
tingency. He hoped an opportunity
would be given to strike out the bullion
redemption feature. This bill was bound
to be considered at the other end of the
CdplboA huo IL NOuli bO shlthuCo AhClCs
Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of
every thousand of his constituents were
opposed to the bill, and he said in the
presence of the house and country that
999 caucuses would never compel him to
misrepreSeot the people he represented.
Applause Payson then proceeded to
criticize the silver policy OF the Hayes,
Arthur. Cleveland and Harrison anminis-
trations. He referred to the denunciation
of the Cleveland administration by the
Republican party, and said he endorsed
that denunciation all over Illin lis. Moth
ing, he said, afforded him more pleasure
than the denunciation of Cleveland's ad-
ministration for its treatment of silver.
He came down to the Republican admin
istratIon and it was no better. Ap-
plause. Silver bad had no friend
IN the treasury department since
this agitation began, and when he was
asked to vote tor the proposition confd
ing to the secretary of the treasury's dis
erection the use of silver as a money metal
if this were the end OF it he would vote
against it. You never had discretion
confided to a secretary OF this country
where it was possible to evade it that it
had not been evaded, If the discretion
vested in the secretary of the treasury
had been fairly used for the past six
months, let alone seven or eight years, no
such legislation as this would be under
discussion today. lApplause. The
treasury officials were friends OF gold
alone. Instead of being a bill for the
coinage of silver it was a measure which
practically prohibited the coinage of the
standard silver dollar. Applause.
Payson was followed by Mitchell of
- II-. II &c.,. =
opposition to the bill.
Mckinley said the bill would utilize
every dollar of tie silver products of the
United States. 1t provided also that tie
instant silver was on a parity with gold,
that very instant there would be free and
unlimited coinage of silver. Congress
must see that the money provided for
the people must be absolutely safe from
financial wrecks and from commercial
commissions, and be absolutely safe and
secure 10 the hands of the holders. This
bill gave the country money that was
good for the people. and would be good
for all time Vote down the measure and
the gentlemen knew there would be no
legislation on the subject. The Demo
Gratis knew they would not get free coin
age. When they were in the majority
they knew they could not get it, and to
defeat this bill was to defeat all silver leg
i%slation.
The hour OF three o'clock having ar
rived. the question of reconsideration was
ordered. Amendments to the original
bill were offered by raylcr of Illinois and
ODonnell of Michigan and adopted.
McComas' amendment TO the substitute
was also adopted. 1t provides that when
free coinage is attained the monthly bull
lion purchases shall cease. The substi
ute as amended was agreed to and the
question occurred upon agreement to the
bill as amended by the substitute.
Bland of Missouri moved to recommit
the bill with Instructions tn the commit
tee to report a free coinage bill not later
than Tuesday next.
Dingley of Maine made a point of order
against the latter portion of the instruc
ton, which was sustained, and Bland
modified the motion so as to omit the
provision for a report by u specified date,
Defeated-yeas ll6, nays l40. On
the motion to recommit fifteen Republi-
caus voted yea with the Democrats
and thirteen Democrats voted with the
Republicans
The bill then passed--yeas 1875, nays
ll9.