The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-10
OUR OFFICERS BEFORE 49,
GRESS.

n: l. Y met at the Office of Presi.
dent L. L. Polk, 344 D. St., Wasbin"
ing, on the morning of February 5tS
1891. on
President Polk called the first 90.
sion to order and a committee ON siIIor
legislation was appointed. At tho
evening session this committee mad
the following report:
UNLIMITED COINAGE
RESOLVED, That we regard it a..
high duty enjoined upon Congress Nv
the Constitution to provide for the M
limited coinage of both the precion.
metals, gold and silver, to the end that
the people of the several States NAV
be provided with a circulating medium
We express u surprise, regret and
indignation that this duty has been N
long delayed and neglected, contrary
as we believe, not only to the duty va
have mentioned, but to the best inter-,
est of the masses of our people. who
are suffering the pangs of poverty and
stsgnation of business caused bv a
want of sufficient circulating mediums
We believe and charge that such de.
lay and neglect has been occasional
by an undue influence in u govern.
mental policies by those whose inter.
est it is to contract the currency and
subserve monopolies and money lend.
ers. We therefore urge upon Con.
gress the demand heretofore made bv
the National Farmers' Alliance and
Industrial Union of Congress for the
free and unlimited coinage of silver
upon the same terms and conditions
that gold is nov coined.
We express our earnest condemns.
ton of the exercise of the arbitrary
power which prevented a fair consid.
GRAFTON of a free coinage bill at the last
session of Congress, and in this con.
n~ection we give expression to the hope
that the free coinage bill which
passed the Senate during the present
session and is now being considered in
the committee on coinage, weights
and measures of the House shall not
be suppressed, but shall be speedily
reported back to the House, and en-.
acted into a law. With proper respect
and Difference to our Representatives
on the committee in the House, we
say that our efforts to unduly delay
q report on that bill so as to prevent
action thereon by the House in the
few remaining days of this Congress
will merit and will receive still further
condemnation by the farmers and
laborers of this country. We have
waited many years for the simple
justice of having both the previous
metals restored to free coinage, and
hereby declare our determination to
press the fight on this line until this
relief is accorded to the laboring aud
producing masses of our nation, and
hold responsible the men, irrespective
of party, who obstruct in any way the
legislative enactment of this just meas
ure so strongly demanded by the labor.
ing classes of all parties.
The council adjourned to the CAPT.
tol, where the delegates in a body ap.
peared before the committee on coin.
age, weights and measures. They
were received by Chairman Wickham,
to whom President Polk introduced
each member of the Council. The
Chairman stated that the Council was
was present in the interest of the bill
for the free coinage of silver, and that
it would like to be heard briefly on
that subject. He introduced Presi.
dent Polk, who said
K Mr.. CHAIRMAN, AND GENTLEMEE OF
THE Committee "Our body, com.
posed of the Presidents of the various
State organizations of the N. F. A, &
I. u, and whose Jurisdiction extends
to thirty-fve States of the Union, &C,
cept with due appreciation the cour.
tesy so kindly extended by your com.
mittee to speak briefly as to the free
coinage bill now in your hands. We
are not here to discuss that measure
norris it tour purpose to retard or delay
action, but rather to urge action on
this great and important measure IN
which our constituents are 80 pro
foundry concerned. We are not here
to ask you to consider this bill as Dem
ocrats or Republicans but in then name
of those we represent; to ask that you
consider it and vote on it as represen.
tatives of the great American people.
We trust you may find it consistent
with your sense of duty as a commit,
tee, to report the bill to the House a.
the earliest practical moment andtnus
let it be voted to stand Or fall on It's
merits.