The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-19
By Scoring Representative Harter for Sending
aCircular to Pensioners Asking Them to
Protest Against Silver Legislation.
Harrison's Election Predicted by the
Ohioan if the Bland Bill Is Passed.
Unless the Measure Is Promptly Laid Aside
Until After the Election He Believes the
Republicans Will Have Walk-0ver.
wARRING OVER SILVER.

soon be reached in the House on the silver
question. The proposition of Congressman
Harter and the nti-free-silver-cOinage
men to call a caucus of both the Demo
cratic members ands Senators to discuss
free silver is acceptable to a great majority
of them. But the free-slver men are Bit
terly opposed to the suggestion contained
in petition for caucus call that the en-
tire subject of free silver may be postponed
until the next session of Congress in order
that the troublesome issue may be kept out
of the next presidential cam paign. The free
silver men see in this effort of evasion q
Cleveland move, and Representative
Pierce. of Tennessee. member of the coin
age committee, declared to-day that the
silver question cannot be smothered to
promote the interests of Mr.. Cleveland"
and that principles can not be changed
and shaped to suit his idea"
There is still hope that the ways and
means committee will soon have enough
tariff bills before the House to thwart the
effort to bring up silver. and the members
of the appropriations committee are roundly
abused and reproaehed for their remissness
In not reporting the appropriation bills.
which can be used for the same purpose of
delaying silver legislation. but 1t Is evident
that Mr.. Bland and his colleagues will not
be delayed and they will force silver dis
cussion on every occasion.
HARTER'S G. A. r. CIRCULAR.
To-day. while SO irrelevant q subjec. as
the Indian appropriation bill was before
the House, Mr. Bland brought up his favor
ite topic. 1t was while the House was in
committee of the whole on the indian ap-
preparation bill. with Mr. Bynum in the
chair. Mr.. Bland sent to the Clerks desk
and had read circular written by Mr..
Hsrter, of Ohio to the various Grand
Army posts in denunciation of the free
silver bill. and advising members of the
posts TO urge their Congressmen to vote
against ii. as 1t would prove detrimental to
the interests of the pensioners. This cir
cular Mr.. Bland characterized as q bull
doing document. 1t was an effort to in
timidate members, and was part of the bull
dozIng tactics of the millionaire, the tactics
which had always been carried on in oppo-
sitiOn to the measures which would give
free silver to the country. He denounced
1t as unfair and unbecomlng tde cisnisJ OF
D member.
Mr.. Harter admitted the authorship of
the circular-letter. The gentleman from
Missouri Mr. Blandl had spoken of II as a
bulldozlng circular. To men who were
afraid TO have the expression of their opin-
-
seem to be bulldozing. but TO men who en-.
tertained opinions which they were willing
to maintain under all circumstances. he
could not see how the epithet was applica-
bic. The people of the country who were
not familiar with the legislation that was
proposed by Congress should receive in
formation. The gentleman from Missouri
had referred TO him as millionaire. He
was not q millionaire, nor was he the owner
of any national bank. He was moro of q
farmar than the Qanftaman from Mia-
souri,. He was as much opposed
to giving the silver bullion producers
the earnings OF the people as he was to
bring them to the manufactures. Ii the
free-c0iDage bill were passed 10 would elect
Benjamin Harrison for second term; and
this would be done by o Democratic House
under the leadership ef the gentleman from
Missouri. He would like to pay members
and see how they would like it, If any
thing should be made legal tender 1t
should be the corn of Kansas. and not the
silver of Colorado.
Mr.; Bland, in rising to respond; sent to
biography, as published In the Congression-
al Directory, in order to show that his busi-
ness life nad been spent as banker and
manufactures. 1t was not proper. contin-
ued Mr.. Bland. for member of the House
to prompt Grand Army men TO send tele-
grams to their Congressman in order to in
timidate them and induce them to vote
against the free-silver Dill.
LITTLE SIDE PLAY.
Mr.. Harter. who was again granted few
moments said that he believed in good
money for the farmer For his part he did
not care picayune for either gold or sill
ver-that was. he had no preference.
"ThIs," he said. us all the gold possess"
and with these words he drew from his
pocket large gold watch.
Mr.. Bland. who was seated behind him,
was not 10 be outdone and dangled by it's
chain his silver watch, Offering an ex-
change. But Mr. Harter preferred the
gold to the silver time-piece, and as the
gentlemen COMPARED watches. Mr.. Buchan-
an OF New Jersey interjecfed the query.
'When did you get them outin The House
thoroughly enjoyed the scene and mudh
laughter was INDUCED in.
The frees coinage Democrats In the
House have secured the signatures of q ma
jority of the Democrats to q petition to the
committee on rules to set apart day for
the consideration OF the Bland bill. The
petition will not be presented until after
the return from Boston OF Representative
Catchings, of Mississippi, member of the
committee on rules. IL being desired to
have majority of Democratic members of
the committee present when the petition IS
acted on. The free-coinage men contend
that with the free-coinage Republicans. the
sFarmers' Alliance men and O number of
acknowledged free-coinage Democrats who
did not sign the petition, there will be no
difficulty in passing the Bland bill. The
anti-free coinage Democrats are evidently
alarmed at the activity of their op ponents,
and they will endeavor to have n Demo
cratic caucus called for Thursday night of
next week. to consider the Bland bill and
the silver question generally, with view
to deciding on a policy that will be for the
best interests of the party.
ANTI-FREE COINAGE PETITION.
Following is the petition for caucus
that was to-day circulated in the House by
Mr.. Harter of Ohio. Mr.. Hoar of Massachu-
setts and other pronounced opponents of
free coinage.
To Hon. w. y. Holman. Chairman:
Dear Sir-we ask you to call meeting Of DEM
ocratic members OF this House for Thursday
evening. Feb. 25. at 7:3o o'clock. 10 consider two
resolutions which will be presented. They are
as follows:
Resolved. That we are in favor of the con-
ttnued use of both gold and silver as money; and
that we are unalterably opposed To any legisla-
ton which Will drive either metal out OF general
circulation.
Resolved. That, in justice to the Democratic
party, and with due consideration for the gener-
al business, Industrial aud financial interests of
the Nation, We deem II the duty Of the Demo
cratic members OF the Fffty-second Congress to
defer any definite action on tho eublect OF freo