The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-13
The Washington Senator Makes
a Forcible Speech.
A CONCESSION BY STEWART,
Effort Will Be Made to Call Up the
Elections Bill Thursday.
Quay Suggests a Less Radical Measure
House Discusses the Phantom silver
Pool and Sectional Animosity-The
Pure Food Bill.

WASHINGTON CITY, Jan. 12.-lSpecial. l.
Senator Allen made the first speech today
on the financial BILL He took occasion to
declare himself emphatically for the free
coinage of silver. His remarks occupied
about half an hour. and most OF the
Republican senators listened closely, as he
had not committed himself on the pending
measure up to today. The senator said at
the outset that silver and gold, of all
substances, had been created as money in
all the marts of the world, and the ex-
PLANTATION of this lay in the fact that the
creation of money was beyond the power
of man and of government. Every grain
and nugget of these precious metals mas
the royal and ineffaceable stamp of labor
upon it.
''It is not its value as gold and silver that
sends 1t current the world, but because 1t is
coined" said Senator Allen systematically
"The inheritance OF property, of debt, and OF
credit has been based upon the quantitive
system of money afforded by the worlds pro-
duct OF these two metals. 1t is impossible at
this late day to call a halt. Silver has never
been by national or legitimate means de-
monetized. and not single reason can be
advanced for striking down silver that would
not be equally applicable to gold. The moral
influences in this struggle are with those who
seek the restoration of silver, and the common
people are with silver in the struggle
With drafts and checks and paper promises
the great volume of business of the commercial
&C ters and clearing houses of the world may be
conducted so that actual money, beyond a small
per cent, is not known in these gigantic trans
actions. But not to such an extent with the
toiling masses, for in the performance of their
daily tasks, and in the infinite aggregations of
the humble transactions that after all constitute
a large per cent. of the worlds business, there
must be the annual delivery of money, and in
their affairs neither gold nor drafts are largely
involved. firmly believe the time is fully ripe,
and the industrial business world is anxiously
looking to some strong, dominant nation like
the United states, to lead off boldly and deter
minedly in this movement, and the result is ac-
complished; that instead of opposition, in the
very nature of things friendly allies must rally
to our support
'sIt is beftting, too that the greatest silver
producing nation of the world should be the
first to assert itself in its behalf. The late nan-
cial stringency and resulting business depres-
sion, from which we are happily emerging, af-
ford proof of the public faith in silver money.
The fact of the controlling percentages of Gus
toms duties throughout this period being paid
the government in gold, when silver was alike
receivable, shows that the public had no dis
trust OF silver money. The constant and indis-
pensable home use of gold and silver by the
European nations cannot be overlooked. The
commercial world today realizes that gold is
utterly inadequate to meet its monetary wants. -
The senator believed he was in har-
mony with his state when he declared in
favor of free coinage In closing he made
use of another epigrammatic comparison
He spoke of stoppage in business in
Eastern Washington because there were
\ I, %l1<
This was the situation in the financial
world. There was not a medium with
which to handle the financial business.
The white cars had been sidetracked and
the yellow cars alone served as trans
portation facilities.
During the debate on the financial bill
today Mr.. Stewart sent to the clerks desk,
to have printed, a proposition respecting
his free coinage amendment, which he said
might be offered if anyone desired to do
so. This proposition, if accepted, would
take the place of his free coinage amend
ment down to certain point. 1t is the
same amendment in substance, but has at
tached proviso that all silver bullion not
the product of mines, mills or smelters of
the United States, and all silver coin and
bullion the product of other than the
United States, shall, in the discretion OF
the secretary of the treasury, be subject to
a mint charge, to be fixed from time to
time by him, said charge not to exceed the
difference between the market value OF
said silver bullion in London at the time
it is deposited and the coinage value
thereof. The secretary may make such
regulations as are necessary to determine
whether such bullion is a product of the
United States.
This proposition will be held in reserve
until some agreement is reached respecting
its final disposition. 1t was drawn after
consultation among several senator's, upon
the theory that it would receive the sup
port of some Republicans in the Senate
and House who are favorably disposed to-
ward the effort to enlarge the use of silver,
but fear disaster as result of unrestricted
coinage Senator Stewart, however, is not
committed to it in any way, having simply
offered it in order TO get it in print for bet
ter examination.
Senator Plumb said to Post reporter to-
night that if the president vetoed the free
coinage bill the silver senators would en-
deavor to find ont what legislation he
would favor. 'We look to the president, "
he said, mot to be an obstructionist in the
~ H.