Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-12
Mr.. Chandler Speaks Against the
Proposed Innovation.
SILVER PURCHASES and COINAGE
Mr.. Stewart on His Resolution Of
fered Yesterday.
MATTERS IN THE HOUSE
Mr.. COoper's Personal EXplana
ton Interrupted.
THE SENATE

After the routine morning business the reso
luton offered yesterday by Mr.Stewart in rels
ton to the purchase Of silver and the coinage
of standard silver dollars having been taker
up and amended Con motion of Mr.. Sherman
by inserting the words land q detailed state
ment Of the amount purchased each day" Nj
Ste wart proceeded to address the Senate on the
subject
He was not sure, he said. that he fully under
stood the last monthly statement OF the Treas
ury Department as to the financial condition
OF the treasury. Having cited the figures al
set forth in the April statement show
ing the aggregate amount Of silver silver
certificates. treasury notes. &c. in circulation
as 81 ,O2l ,207, 00O) he remarked that the entire
amount OF gold in the treasury Tin excess Of
the outstanding gold certihcates) was less than
an eighth of the silver and paper for which q
redemption demand might be made on it.
GOLD IN THE TREASURY.
Mr.. Morgan inquired what was the amount
Of golu in the treasury.
Mr.. Stewart gave the amount as S135. 615, 600
and said that if the gold standard was to be
maintained the silver act of 1890 would have to
be repealed and the Secretary of the Treasury
would have to be authorized to sell bonds in
order to accumulate gold enough to redeem
the silver coin and paper money now out.
standing.
But no public man. he said, would dare to
make such a monstrous proposition. II, how
ever. silver was to be maintained as money the
silver in the silver dollar would have to
be made equally valuable as the gold
only be done through the coinage of silver on
the same terms and conditions as applied
to the coinage Of gold. He spoke OF
the unfavorable disposition OF the
President and the administration to-
ward silver and mentioned, as a matter OF
llx~a Of l.,
government were given time to deliver the
sllver-to I'LL their orders after they had &C.
cupled the market and kept others out-thus
depressing prices. Whether this was true or
not would be shown, he said, when the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury sent his answer to the
pending resolution.
In conclusion he declared that the people of
the United States would not stop agitation on
the subject until silver was restored to the
place which it occupied previous to the unfor-
tunate legislation OF 1875.
The resolution went over till tomorrow, Mr..
Morgan expressing his intention to speak upon
it for a brief period.
TO ELECT SENATORS BY THE PEOPLE.
The joint resolution heretofore introduced
by Mr.. Palmer, proposing constitutional
amendment for the election OF United
up, and Mr. Chandler addressed the
Senate in opposition TO it. The time might
come he said. when he would be convinced
that such proposition might be submitted,
but he wasn't convinced of it az the presen.
time. He would, therefore, state some of his
objections to it.
The first objection was that the change
would be sure to result in the adoption>of a
federal election law. That might not be SO
great an objection to himself to Senators on
the other side of the chamber-those Senators
who had hitherto opposed the adoption of a
federal election law. He regarded the
extension of the system of popular elections to
the choice of United States Senators sure to
result in the taking possession OF the election
machinery by federal officials appointed by the
national government
WHAT IT WOULD LEAD TO.
The proposed amendment of the Constitu-
ton would not stop with committing to popu-
lar election the choice of United States Sena-
tors. Indeed, it was almost absolutely certain
that if adopted it would be followed by pro-
visions for the choice of President and Vice
President by the people. He regarded that re-
suit as inevitable. The two movements (for
the popular election of Senators and
of President and Vice President)
were going on pari paseu. If Sena-
tors we're to be elected by the people
then the Senate would be brought face to face
with the proposition that the Presiden. and
Vice President shall be elected by the people,
for if anything had become absoiete
in connection with the existing Constitution it
was the theory OF the founders OF the govern
ment that the President and Vice President
should be chosen by electors chosen
in the several states. Whenever the
President and Vice President were chosen by
the people it would be entirely possible for one
state New York, for Instanee) to swell its vote
by fraudulent methods or by other
methods not absolutely fraudulent 80 as to
overcome the votes Of other states.
FEDERAL INJECTION LAW.
Mr.. Mitchell asked Mr.. Chandler to state
what would be the objection to federal cleo
ton law. Mr.. Chandler said he would come to
that. His second objection to the proposed
amendment that it was the
beginning Of an innovation. 1t would be the
first fundamental change of the federal Con-
concerning the national frame of
government. 1t might seem little sing ular to
hear that statepent-that this would be the
first change in 100 years of the frame work Of
the federal government.
THE HOUSE