Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-03-27


ocrats were too conspicuous not to be
be noted. / can cheerfully correct an
error; but will not waste time with a
man who is either dishone est or SO gross.
ly negligent in informing himself that
he makes me out false to my public ut
terances. false to the people / am trying
to represent, and more serious still false
to myself
For your information will give you
the story: The committee on coinage
had persstently refused to report the
senate silver bill. The silver men
were angry at the evident purpose of
this committee to smother the measure.
The meetings of the committee became
scenes of bitter elimination and recrm-
ination, one faction accusing the other
of attempting to prevent vote on the
bill; the other replying that the silver
men were seeking to railroad" the bill
through the House. The appeal to the
House came up under the following
circumstances: The Sundry Civil APP
preparation bill was under considera-
ton. 1t contained paragraf appropri-
ating $4,000 for covering the expense
of re-coining certain coins. Bland Of
fered an amendment to the paragraf so
that it provided for the free coinage of
silver. A point of order was made a.
gainst the amendment and the chair
(Mr. Payson was acting as the presiding
officer sustained the point of order
Mr.. Bland appealed from the decision
of the chair. 1t was in committee Of
the whole, therefore an aye and nay
vote was not taken; but "tellers' were
substituted. and those republicans
who passed between the tellers and
were counted against the point of order
were immediately telegrafed to the
country. prefer to let the Post, of
this city, give the particulars of the vote,
Mr. Bland MO- appealed from the
decision and after brief remarks BY him
and Mr.. Springer in opposition to the
ruling OF the chair the vote was taken
on the question:; Shall the decision of
the chair stand AS the judgment of the
committee?
There was Immediately great excite
ment in the hall and as Messrs. Cannon
and Bland took their place as tellers
nearly every member in the House rose
and anxiously watched the count. The
following democrats voted in the affirm
alive; Messrs. Andrew, Mutchler, Vaux,
Spinola. Dunphy, Wiley and Clancy.
The following republicans voted in the
negatives: Messrs. Carter, Townsend
lCol.), Lind, Bartipe. Turner (Kan.),
Kelley, Laws, Cornell, Hermann, Sweet,
and Clark, of Wyoming.
Now you have the whole story. NV
position in the matter was exactly OPP
posite to that upon which you based
your article. l never voted with the
democrats before, and perhaps it was
natural for you to suppose that l would
not do so. The point OF order was we'll
taken; and voted to over-rule tn.
chair simply because / regarded the
point of order with less reverence than
l did the great principle for which we
are contending, and upon this PROPOSE
ton alone I felt justified in voting a.
gainst the chair, and indirectly rebuking
the coinage committee for refusing to
report.
This matter also has it's comic side.
l carried the paper and obtained the
signatures for silver caucus at the
rooms OF Mr.. Townsend, of Colorado.
The Salt Lake Herald calls me "silver
fanatic" and am rapidly becoming
known to my few acquaintance here
as "silver crank" When these gen.
tlemen learned that l was being assail-
ed at home on the ground of my oppo-
sition to silver, they were relentless in
their fun at my expense, and the man
ner in which my work was appreciated.
Yes, you were right in saying that
you think "there is mistake some
where" The only wonder is that you
did not inquire more carefully into the
matter before making the attack, as You
knew me to be an ardent bi-metal,st. /
am the more surprised, also. as know
you to be a great reader of current
news, and the eleven republicans who
voted with Bland were teleerafed from
Dan to Beersheba, and roundly abused
by the eastern press. 1t is contest in
which the friends of silver who are
lighting abroad are. l think, entitled to
the support of the press at home, and
should not be Gubjected to attack upon
the unsigned say-so of God knows who!
In conclusion repeat: III live until
the next session, bill will be introdu-
ced, and If possible carried, FORGETTING
the charter of any national bank that
joins in the fight against silver. l thank
you for your frankness, as well 40 your
kindness, in sending me the unknown
source of all this talk. l think it was
inspired by a certain windy member of
congress who is opposed to silver; and
if my suspicious are verified, will be
factor in ending his brief but noisy
career. Yours truly, WILLIS SWEET.
Lewiston Clippings.