New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-18
DEBATING FREE COINAGE.
GENERAL WARNER, or ONO, AND CONGRESS-
MAN-ELECT WARNER, OF NEW YORK,
EXCHANGE VIEWS.

MAN ELECT WARNER, OF NEW YORK,
EXCHANGE VIEWS.
Washington. Feb. Il (special.-lt will crafty the
country possible to learn that statesman Bland WHO
seeded from the Committee Coinage last week. mas
bcen reconstructed. and that he attended today
sitting of the committee and seemed To feel an inter
ext I'm the proceedings Probably it was as well that
he did So for some Of the questions which lie asked
I'm the afternoon indicated that Mr. Bland has few
things vet to learn. and ii is certain that he 0btaleu
some information which may be useful to mn hc
seemed TO be in a less contentious mood than uSua
and il is whispered that he is now ready to accep'
a compromise" which Is to be offered by Mr.. Bartnc
il is said after the hearings closed ana the com
,nitc hccins 70 consider what action il shall recon-
mend TO the House.
The committee was in session about five hours oil
which time four-hiths were consumed bS cA'"h-
gresham Warner Of Ohio, and CongrN'haheieo'
Warner OF Ncw-York both Of whom claim I" be S'ih'h
Democrats. The former is thoroughly convinced 'iia'
free and unlimited silver coinage would be panacca
for all the financial ills with which this country is. may
be or might be afflicted the latter is equally positive
that free coinage act would add mmeasurahly to ara
intensely aggravate existing and possible hH'h'la
evils. lie might perhaps consent 20 such degree q"
agcravation' as would flow from law proVldlhS LOT
free coinage Of domestic silver
The debate was n Lively and interesting one Tor boli
disputants were earnest and each had prepared him
self for the occasion General Warner Is an orator VINO
never lacks for words, and he i, a. fiery ana ap
parently sincere enthusiast in the frec-'ilVei
crusade as Peter the IeFmi; In the crusade lot
the recovery Of the Holy >cpulchrc Long years Oh
study and practice have made it easy for him to pour
ont volumes Of choice and select statistic, and facts
i'm support Of his theories without hesitation or aP
parent effort. For nearly two hour to-day his high
pitcbcd voice made the vauted ceiling rc-ound Whie
his tall body and fro and hi, long arms hcp'
time The silver mine and bullion owners could not
have found'a holder or loudcr more dogmac chain
pion even if they could have empoyeda more ehec"'o
,
Mr. warner the Congrc ,,man-elect from the KIN
New York District who il 10 succeed John ouihn'
proved to be as ready and powerful In debate a. ms
namc>ale from Ohio lie had listened atfcntvcy %
the lattcr's speech, Of which he had also made Sno
notes, and his argument was plainly reply 10 It.
Mr. Warmers armory well stor'd with mcts' m"'N
Of which seemed to be new oven to Gencrai warner
and he marshallcd them with SIKH ana erect i'
wa, willing to be Interrupted by questions, ana many
,vore asked especially by Me-srs Bartine and Bland
Mr. Warmers reptile, were ready and 10 the point ana
vet they did not appear to be wholly satisfactory
the frcc-coinagc member, Of the COMMITTEE OF
General Warner. who most attentive listener "'
who with difficulty rcprcS-d hi, de,Ec ~ re@'h''' '
Jebote Mr. Warner placed several matters IN an ell
trcv new light which evidently Impressed some ol tne
members Of the committee. Among other nnhes 10
boUod that the threat Of free coinage has aIf"'d'
vrtually sent gold 81 premium In certain tiai-i't"us
a nrcu,ium in one case equal TO the Interest on one
fifth Of $500 900 worth OF bonds upon which me oN
de- red 10 obtain loan from trust compares III '
York city. The principal and Interest OF the Sohu'
aro p,vabIe I'm coin-but whether gold or silver coin
j.. not spccifed-and although the bonds are sll
edged no trust company could be found when "oulo
loan upon them more than h of their fac value
Tho last hour 81 the session was o'cupl'N OS
Boston lawyer named Nickcrson. who presided az
free coinage mas meeting composed OF seVrrui
hundred persons in Boston last week Inc m~'uHs'
IL Is said was held under the Inspiration ana auspices
Of General Warmers silver committee N1. NeheF'
con annar,ntly Is a new hand at the free silver
bellows and Ids speech was crude, rambling ana
tnoonsequental one.
General Warner denied that gold was the least
variable Of all measures Of value. There h"d ooeh
no change in the methods Of producing wheat ooNcn'
Corn tobacco or meat Tie change was NJ TIE SDld.
Tie annual average production ~ ghd hao idIIeIl
from .IGG.OOO,OOO IN 1r7J to @lo5oOOooo Mt yeaF.
He denounced what De cdli'I t"ilhu'll'" H'''N
People asked, he ,ad. why money had fuilen NON "
high a, 1-O per cent 10 per cent. lie aiSwFeN
that when the collapse came there was not c9idl,e
money enough to 20 around and there Wa desperate
scramble for IT, The collapse OF credit damned ny
business; prices were falling, and n nob"d} "aut'i
10 borrow. credit fell 10 per cent. Hc then rdl
culcd the statement that silver from Europe and india
would Hood this country II a ire coinage Va" "c!N
passed The foreign ratio Wa from 3 to per cent
higher than Ouro so ha' silver cpuld no, cong h"Ir
il time for the United state 10 MAKE d &c
ton OF independence and ~iJ to Europe III what the
balances Of trade " our favor Should 10 pad To- US
world 90 maintain the parity between the two metals
John De Witt Warner. In reply I" General Warmers
statements, asserted that The decline In me prce 81
farm product was due 10 improvements III pmduc
ton and IN tran rortaon the world over. The de
crease was not a large as he would have expected.
Mr. Warner A-crtod thai under free coinage silver
would here from France not from individuals.
but from The Government OF France. which had large
stock on hand. The French Government cOuld get
gold from the United states IN exchange for silver
ard with that gold 10 could buy back silver, Il j
were wanted and coin it and stli hav" large balance
Of profit. Free conagc would pat rs IN The position
uf Hutchinson, In CHICAGO conering wheat. The
United states would be- compelled to take all the
silver the world offered just Hutchinson had TO take
wheat from everywhere IN order Ia keep M the price
He denied thai Ncw-Yor had separate Interests from
the south aud the West. The Interests Of all were
alike. NcwNork depending upon good times In other
parts Of the country.
The executive committee Of the Republican County
Committee held meeting last evening Mt the Hotel
Cumberland, at which cxIustlcc Jacob VI. Patterson
pfc.idad William H. Bcllamy and J. Thomas steariis
were secretaries and all the Assembly districts of tho
city were represented except the NIlIth The follow
ing resolutions expressing TIE strong opposition Of the
committee to the passage Of the Free silver Coinage
bill were unanimously adopted
Whereas. There IS Low p'ndinc in the House o. Repre-
eentayes bin for the free unlimited coinage OF silver
and designed introduce into circulation Though private
enterprises and personal benefit of The Lrion own
ers alone silver money ntrn,icay worth much less than
100 the dollar and to compel the receipt OF such
1rrclatcd money for all d,bt- public and private and
Whorcas convinced that the introduction Of such
unlimited legal tender silver would destroy The
credit 81 the Nstiona Government wGl Of the bust
ness enterprise, Of fcwzcn,. which largely depend
for their stcaliast maintenance OF the public
faith represented in a stable standard currency therefore
Resolved That the Iass9ee o. law permitting the IN
limited free coinage OF silver. qualified legal tender
would be public calamity. and dangerous experiment
fatal b. the o. the people Of the enhic Union
Resolved That condemn the bill nov pending beior'
the House Of Representatives and ptiticn FOR IT. defeat
Resolved That copy Of these resolutions Dr. ior"ardi
% the speaker OF the House % Representatives, and 70 tie