Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-03-24
AT THE EVENING SESSION.
A Meagre Attendance of Members But a
Lively Time.

Meagre Attendance of Members But a
Lively Time.
When the house was called to order at
7:30 p m. there was only a corporars
guard of members present, but the gal.
leries were well filled Coombs of New
York opened the debate and spoke in OPP
position to the bill He opposed any
measure which would control our own
commerce without respect to the COM
merce of any other country. The bill
proposed to cut the United States loose
from the unit of value and to start out
upon an independent course. We could
not cOerce the world to adopt our stand
ard. Bacon of New York opposed the sec
tion which authorized the president of the
United States to change by proclamation
the ratio.
Like the Reciprocity Clause.
In commenting on this he reverted to
the reciprocity clause of the Mckinley bill,
which he said was sham and fraud and
had been denounced by Democrats in
their conventions and in their campaigns.
He argued that the same sections of the
constitution which provided that congress
should have power to lay and collect
taxes also provided that congress had the
power to coin money and regulate the
value thereof In his opinion this section
Of the bill was subject to the same denun
citation as the reciprocity amendment.
Livingstone Goes for the Gold Bugs.
Livingstone Farmers Aliiance) of Geor
gia said that everything thus far spoken
on this bill was prophecy. Branching from
the question, he said that class legislation
had brought all the trouble on the coun-
try. We should return to constitutional
and Jcffersonian Democracy for relief The
country would then be more prosperous
and peaceful. Silver had not Deprecated
but gold had appreciated. The country was
controlled now by the gold bugs of this
country and Europe. Hill and Cleveland
simply meant silver and anti-silver
Harter Wants Inform alton of Hill.
Harter then jumped to his feet and said:
"Do you mean to say that Hill is favor OF
free silver!n
Liyingstone-WellJ | will ask you this
question: Will you vote for him if he is.
Harter [emphaticallyl-No, sir loud
appl ause.l
Livingstone-Now gentlemen there is
demonstration of what contend. All the
Democracy there is in that crowd means
Cleveland against the world or Repub-
lican or Mugwump. You can take them
in your hand and squeeze them, for you
can squeeze one ounce or Democracy out
of the whole crowd. loud applause and
laughtcr.1
a Colorado Silver Mans Views.
Townsend of Colorado said every dollar
should be as good as any other dollar.
He favored bi-metallic currency and the
payment of foreign balances and exchange
with silver bullion as we'll as gold bullion.
There was $3.50, co., 900 of gold locked up in
the banks and treasury. OF this subject
to check was over 81, 100000 The rest was
all credit and fictitious money. Gold had
appreciated from 40 to 80 per cent. since
the decentralization of silver.
Hayes of Iowa opposed the bill and said
that the purpose of the party in forcing
the measure at this time was suicidal in
the extreme and the most obnoxious Incl
dent in connection with this question was
the attempt of the Republicans to put the
Democrats in a dilemma.
Close of the Evening Debate.
The last speech of the evening session
was in opposition to the bill by Bunting
(Dem.) of New York. Other speeches
against the bill We're made by Chaplin of
New York, Walker of Massachusetts,,
Page Dem.) of Maryland and Geisen-
hainer (DemD of New Jersey. Abbott of
Texas smoke in its favor