The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-17
Passage of Free Coinage Bill.

1t had been evident from the time the Senate
linance bill providing for the purchase OF
II. 900. 900 ounces of silver to be coined, the
purchase of 3, 600, 600 ounces monthly IN addl-
iiou. and the issuing Of S2OO.OOO,OOO IN two
per cent. bonds, was taken up, that free com
age would pass the Senate. In the beginning
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, offered an amend
ment for free coinage and upon this the
debate proceeded for week. On Wednesday
when the vote was taken the Stewart amend
ment was adopted by AZ to 30. Then other
amendments were proposed and passed, until
scarcely nothing of the original bill was lett
After all the amendments had been passed,
Senator Vest, Of Missouri, astonished the
Senate by bringing forward as a substitute
for the bill Il purely free coinage bill, which
provides that the unit of value in the United
States shall be the dollar to be coined OF Az
grains Of standard silver or % so grains OF
standard gold. Mr.. Vest stated that his sub
stitute was similar to the free coinage bill that
PASSED the Senate last session. Mr.. Aldrich
moved to amend by adding thereto the national
banking feature of the original bill, which
was lost by vote Of 80 to "a. Mr., Vest
substitute was then passed by vote of 30 TO
-. as follows, the Republicans being in itailc
in the yeas and the Democrats in italic IN the
nays:
Yeus-Messrs. AHen, Barbour, Bate, Berry,
Blackburn. Butler, Cameron, Cockrell, Coke,
Daniel. Eustis, Faulkner, Gibson, German,
Hampton, IagaIiS, Jones of Arkansas, Jones
of Nevada. Kenna, NcCoRReli, Henderson,
.LitcheH, Morgan, Paddock, Pasco, P1rer,
Pugh. Reagan, Sanders, Shoup, Stanford,
.>ie,rari, Teller, Turpie, Vance, Vest. Voor-
bees, Walthall, U'olcoH-$9.
Nays-Messrs. Adrich Allison, Carey,
Casey. Cullom. Davis, Dixon, Dolph, Ed
munds, Evarts, Frye, Hale, Hawley, Higgins,
Iiscock, Hoar, Mcmillan, Plat, Quay, Saw
yer, Sherman, Spooner, Stockbridge, Warren,
Washburn. Wilson of Iowa. Wilson Of Mary
idRd-2I.
There seems to be no more definite iniorma-
ton as to the result of free coinage, should
the measure become law, after the week OF
debate than there was in the beginning.
The gold standard men predict dire calamity
if free coinage should prevail, and the silver
men are as equally certain that ruin has fol-
lowed the demonstration of silver and assert
still greater disaster will follow unless silver
is restored to the place it held as a medium
of exchange from the foundation Of the gov
eminent up to 1873.
Free coinage will be adopted The West
and South have combined for it, and they are
strong enough to carry it. If a measure is
not passed this session one will be at the
next. There is one point that is indisputable
that is, as long as the government will pay
S1.29 per ounce for silver, it will be equal IN
purchasing power with gold. If the govern
ment should do this, there would be large
increase of the volume of currency. II the
increase amounts to initiation, initiation Il
likely to begel speculation and reckless bust
ness habits, and reaction and serious depres
sion may follow.
The ADVOCATE is not in full sympathy will
the silver bill. We believe in gold and silver
the money of the constitution, as the medium
of exchange, and are doubtful whether thu
bill that has just passed the Senate is con
servative enough. proper and eonserva
tive bill, we believe, would meet the wants o
the people and the demand for more money
and would meet with very general support
but there are too many extremists. Senator
who favor moderate coinage bill are forces
10 vote for an extreme one, or go the othe
Way