The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-04-27

WASHINGTON, April 2O.-In the sem
ate today Mr. Teller spoke on Mr..
Morgan's silver resolution. He said
the revolt against the republican party in
1890 was not against its tariff legislation,
but against its currency legislation. He
said that the national banks were organ
lied against silver legislation. He added
that a republican administration had been
elected on platform that mad been care
fully and deliberately prepared, and de-
clared that the republican party was in
favor of the use of both gold and silver
money, but when they came here in De-
eember last they we're met with propo-
sition for the puchase of silver bullion-a
proposition for making the United States
treasury the conduit through which silver
could pass into India, and that was
all there was of it, They had been told
by the friends of the administration
every y here that if they did not accept
they would get nothing. We preferred"
said Mr.. Teller, ito have nothing. We
made the fight for free coinage here In
this body and we won. We lost 1t In the
other body; although | never have
doubted NOR do 1 believe that any one
has doubted) that there was a clear ma
iority in that house in favor OF free COLL
age and that it was only refrained from
expressing its wish by undue an improper
executive interference. We made fight
for the best thing we could get We got
but little of what we wanted, and yet We
got something that is better than nothing
And we got that because the executive
knew, and because the opponents of free
coinage in this chamber knew, that if we
did not get that we should present to the
executive free coinage bill which he
would be compelled to either sign or to
veto.
That brings me to another question.
| Nv attention has been called recently to
some public utterances In reference to
which | desire to make a statement
/ There came from the house of representa-
tives of the last congress what has been
| commonly dubbed the force bill. 1t was
an election law | was member OF the
majority of the committee to which it was
| referred. Without my vote thai bill
| could not have got to the senate. l con-
scented that il might be reported. but l re-
, served 10 mvself the right to move any
/ amendment TO it. and 10 propose any mod
1 ification of it. declaring that as it then
| stood it would not receive my vote. Nearly
two years have since elapsed. l have
read that bill with care and attention
more than twenty times. ] have read
| in the light of calm consideration. Audit
repeat now that if it were presented to me
now, with the alternative of party support
or party dismissal. l should not vote for
the bill. more infamous bill,
| in my judgment, never passed
the threshold of the doors
- ~ Al 81,
interest of good government. it was insti-
gated, in my judgment, by men whose in
terest 1t was 10 prevent free expression
| of the will OF the voters at the polls. L
have no time now to speak in detail.
| was at that time laboring under dlsRbil-
/ ity of voice, which prevented my speak
| ing But | want to say here now that my
attitude on that bill had no relation, no
/ connection, direct remotely, or otherwise
| with the question of silver. There is not
a member who stood with me on the sill
yer question who will not bear me out
| when | say that the statement that we
contracted with senators on the other side
| of the chamber for their support to the
/ free coinage bill on the ground that we
would vote against the force BILL is abso-
lutely untrue aud without the slightest
! foundation. If that story had not been
/
what now add; | only re-
peat what the late distinguish ed
senator from Kansas (Mr. Piumb)
did say in this senate, that the opponents
OF silver in this chamber entered into
negotiations some OF them at least with
| senators on the other side of the chamber
and proposed to them that if they would
side-track free coinage the others would
side-track the election bill. The late
lamented senator from Kansas made that
statement.
Mr.. Teller asserted that if there was an
attempt made at the Minneapolis conYen-
ton to place the republican party in an
tagonism TO silver the four silver produc-
| ing states would not hereafter be able to
act in cooperation with the eastern repub-
! Leans in the senate or any other body.
! He was he said, in favor of an interna-
tional conference but be would never
| have one until an executive was elected
who really favored it.