The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-09
THE DEFEAT OF FREE COINAGE.

Inc republican, parry tlilouSh ioS AoP
resentatives in congress, at the behest
of Wall street and the dictation OF its
agent, Speaker Reed, has voted down
proposition for the free coinage of silver
fairly offered by the democratic MINOR
ity. A handful of republicans from the
silver states voted with the democrats
at the last hour but were powerless to
stem the opposition, and few, it any, of
such republicans are entitled to any
credit for their votes. The cause of free
coinage was made we'll nigh hopeless
when Thomas B. Reed was placed in
the speakers chair. The western con-
Rressmen, led by Thomas II. Carter, who
worked and voted for Reed in spite of
the request and the warning OF the ma
tional silver convention, must accept
their share of the responsibility for de-
feat. Reed packed the committee that
had the preparation of the silver bill in
charge and the friends of free coinage
had no show from the outset. The
Washington correspondent Of the Den
VOL IGcpliDllCdu NlIUOo Ouau WHO AACO
coinage men were in majority in the
house, but that under the gag-rule ap-
piled by Reed debate was SO limited that
they had no chance. When the motion
was made to cut off discussion, "the re-
publican leaders gathered around the
free coinage republicans in different
parts of the hall, and besought them
not to desert the party at this
crisis. They said that if the special Or
der should be defeated it would re-
suit in the failure of congress to enact
any silver legislation at this session.
The responsibility, they said, would be
upon the shoulders of the free coinage
men. They appealed to the silver men
to throw aside their interests for the
good Of the party. They also used
threats. In some instances they de-
clared that the boilers need not expect
to, get any more favors from Speaker
Reed, and that the failure of any mem
bore Is vote with their party would b.
remembered, and that they would no
8OU IIOIS VI tllcll ioCul Dlll5 pdSSCl
this session. These arguments had much
weight with the members. 1t required
. good deal of nerve to withstand such
language. By these and similar argu
ments Mr.. Perkins, of Kansas, wat
whipped into line, and Mr.. Carter, oil
Montana, did not vote at all. There
were many others there who weakened
ut the last moment, but twelve repre-
sentatives, including Mr.. Townsend, o
Colorado, stood fast. They were Ander
son, Funston and Kelly, of Kansas; Con
mel, of Nebraska; Featherstone, of Ar
kansas; Bartine, of Nevada; Hermann
Of Oregon; Dehaven, Morrow and Van
deyer, Of California; and Laidlaw. O
New York. The vote was very close
1T stood 1l9 in the affirmative, and III
in the negative, difference of only on
vote,"
Had Mr.. Carter stood by his guns a
this time the vote would have been
tie, and the friends of silver might hav
held the field, but with Reed in tn
1hoAs uusCl upulouS duO duudClOus
clothed with autocratic powers, the
would have been beaten in the end, i
any event.
Mr.. Carter's final vote against the bill
as passed, was to his credit, and was
accordance with the demands of his COZ
stituents. It came too late. It ha
been rendered nugatory by his own foil
in the beginning,