The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-01
THE FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS
sENA TOR VOORHEES, SPEAKS IN FAVOR
OF FREE SILVER COINAGE.

Senator vauee's Chair Si~es Away and He
Tumbles to the Floor while senator
Punh was Criticisins HI. Report on the
Idaho Case-A Day Fixed for the Con.
siderntion OF the Free Coinage Bni-Cspt.
Pratt of the Carlisle Indians school se.
verely Ceusured In the House.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 29.-In the Senate to-day
Mr.. Voorhees, Dem. Ind.l ayailed himself OF
the opportunity afforded by presenting pc
titon sent to him ty twenty-seven members
OF the Stillwell Post, g. A. r.. Of Indiana. pro-
testing against the FREQ coinage Of silver to
deliver n prepared speech on the silver. ques-
ton. He said that this petition was the first
he had ever received on the subject He ac-
cordingly looked for some illegtimate and
unnatural element at work among the old
soldiers. and he had found it in the recent cir
cuar OF one Michael u. Harter seeking to
alarm the soldiers about their pensions. He
assured them that they were in no danger
from the silver dollar Even now. crippled
and manned. and in the hands Of its enemies
and falsely proclaimed to lie deprecated cur
rency its purchasing power was equal to the
best gold dollar ever coined into currency.
Free coinage simply meant good money and
more of II. The cry that tho coinage OF silver
and its use would drive gold out Of the coun-
try was false cry. The dismal prediction OF
gold expectation was repeated a thousand
times on the floor OF both Houses when silver
was restored to coinage in 1878; yet while
there were only S2a0.Oo0.ooO Of gold in the
country in 1873. the able Secretary OF the
Treasury. Mr.. Foster. had shown n his recent
report that there were now, 500 100000.
1t Is said. continued Mr. Voorhees,. that
there is trouble, IN the silver question ut this
time. II is said that it il. dividing and dis
tracing political parties Their. are divls.
=
to. pursue. This all may he true but the
friends Of silver did not make, tho trouble;
alone in its sphere of usefulness and honor.
We are simply defending one Of the in.ti II,
greed and avarice of the great nloLey chanEers
of the world. For nearly twenty years we have
listened t. dismal prophecies as to the in;
them has come true.
Mr. Voorhees, concluded by an appeal for
bold. constant. and aggressive action on the
The Senate then resumed consideration OF
c"ntnSins his remarks On his own owl Behalf
After Mr.. Claggett had occupied an hour: Mr..
Dubois; the sitting member. took !, The floor or
division of Idaho was the inspiring motive OF
both Mr.. Stewart and the contestant in the
election. which attacks he answered In detail:
Mr. ,ruGh Dem. A Ia. }. one of the meinbrrs of
hs %vtr ii Tho ts mi Mr.
election. During his arguments. when he was
cri.icising the report OF the minority of the
made by. Mr.. Vance. thu, chair in which the
Senator from North Carolina was sitting tilted
back. suddenly gave way. and let him fall to
the floor with loud crash. Mr.. Gray and
other senators seated near fastened over to
Mr. Vance's helm. and raised him from the
floor unhurt Turning Immediately to the
senator from Alabama. !!r. Vance; in his most
pardon for interrurtins his remarks" Mr.
Pugh. with equal courtesy. replied by eNpress:
ing his regret that his argument had turned
the senator over. After the amusement
created bv this incident had subsidized. Mr.
ruGh continued ms speech. and at its close
the Senate went into executive. session.
Mr.. Mitchell gave notic" that ton GROW he
would ask the Srnat. to sit out the Ida l,c ease
Among tn. bills presented was one offered by
Mr.. stanford Rep. Cal. t" Determine tn" valI.
of the legal tender dollar aud providing that
all dollars shall be received and paid ont in
charge of debts. both public and private. at
par. Inea sured bv that standard whether III"
stamp of the Govcrnment making the dollar
be on gold. silver. paper or any OF her material:
also that the legal tender value of each dollar
issued by the United States shall depend alone
on the stamp Of the Government, and that
there shall be an obligation on the part OF the
Government to exchange one dollar for an
other