Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-20
TELLER ON SILVER.
The Colorado Senator's Speech for
Free Coinage
The ELECTlCN TWO YEARS AGO.
It Turned on the Question
Of the Currency.
n. Y. ELECTION CONTEST.
1t is Further Discussed in the
House Today.
The ELECTION TWO YEARS AGO.
n. Y. ELECTION CONTEST.
SENATE.

After the usual morning business Mr.. Sher-
n notified the Senate that further exsmina-
tion OF the Chinese immigration question had
convinced tho committee on foreign relations
that the existing Chinese exclusion legislation
would not expire till 1894. and that there was
therefore no pressure for immediate action on
the question. He would. however, cali it up at
the convenience Of Senators who desired to
speak upon the subject
MR. TELLER on SILVER
Thereupon the silver resolution offered by
Mr.. Morgan was taken up and Mr.. Teller pro-
ceeded TO address the Senate upon it, He
began by saying that Senators had felt the
great power. the tremendous inisence of
political and party relations. They were told
now that question which affected the welfare
and prosperity OF the whole country was not OF
so much importance and consideration was
the question of having certain man OF one
political party or OF the other elected as chief
executive for the next four years. That infiu-
ence had been felt in the Senate and 1t had
been felt III other places.
THE ELECTION OF 1880
There was no one who didn't know that Ia
the election of 1890 the voice Of the American
people had been heard with peculiar strength
clearness and emphasis on the question Of the
use OF SILVER AS money in this country. The
largely from republican districts. and that rem
dItIou had been based mainly ON that question.
He knew II WAS the fashion to say Especially
on the republican side of the chsmberD
that il The result of certain tariff
legislation. but he asserted that the revolt
was not against tariff Legislation, but against
currency legislation. The great metropolitan
journals OF the republican party had made the
assurance that the President would veto a tree
silver bill the principal claim for the renomi-
nation Of the present incumbent. They had
represented that the President stood like a
wall against the wishes OF the House and Sem
ate on the silver question. and that. while the
people might get Wild, and while the Senate
supposed to be the most conservative body in
the worrd) might lose its judgment, the Presi-
dent, with greater patriotism. with greater in
teliiSence. with greater devotion to the inter-
ests of the country. stood as the safe guard for
Wall street and its money bags.
EFFECT OF ENEcUTIyE INFLUENCE.
No man could deny that executive influence
had been during the last year the potent in
huence which governed republican Represent
atlyes in the House. he had been for IS
years LumI.iatei observer of the power
OF federal patronage. The silver bill lacked
a majority in the House today because
the democratic party afraid that
if the democrats in the House should put
themselves squarcly on the question Of free
coinage the state. Of New York would cast Its
votes for the republican party lie knew
whereof he spoke when he said that the banks
OF New York city had organized themselves for
the purpose OF defeating silver legislation.
He venturcd to say that there not a na-
tional bank in the United States that had not
been appealed to by rnat organization TO con-
tribute funds and influence 10 the defeat of
silver legislation. When the silver bill was be-
fore the House kilograms from bankers,
brokers' chambers of commerce and boards
of trade had been piled upon members,
who were told that il that legislation took
place there would be dire disaster. And vet
every one of these petitioners knew (Mr.
Teller sald) that there was no probability OF
the bill becoming law. They knew that they
had III the executive now, they had in the
last administration, friend who would brave
public sentiment and the wishes and wants of
the people IN order to please them.
THE FIGHT NOT CONFINED TO AMERICA
Why, then, he asked, had they been SO solic-
itous, why SO anxious, that the House should
not pass the silver bill? 1t was because the
fgh! was not confined to America. 1t was not
q contest i'll which the American people were
alone engaged. 1t was wide as the world The
United States was today the greatest nation OF
the world. Russia was greater III population,
but in wealth the United States WAS greater
than Russia. In strength the United States
had no equal The influence of the United
States on the conduct of Europe touching
silver more potent than even thar
of Great Britain. 1t WAS to prevent the eN-
preston by the representatives OF the Ameri-
can people of friendlIness to silver. 1t was
that which had brought about that great ef-
fort That was why the banks had organized
That was why consolidated capital had made
itself hesrd here with a lobby that had no
parallel In number and strength since he had
been in public life.
Mr.. Teller went on to discuss the question OF
the low price of wheat and to attribute it to
the characterization Of silver.
HIS ARGUMENT QUESTIONED.
On this point Mr.. Washburn questioned the
logic and correctness Of his argument. Mr..
Teller however, asserted that in all commodi-
ties there had been a falling off in prices since
the demonstration act of 1873 There was
nothing, he said, in the range of human
production that had not deprecated
IN eighteen years. There was not farm in
the older section Of the country--except where
influenced by the neighborhood OF towns-that
was not worth as much today as it was eighteen
years ago.
After preliminary business the House re-
sumed the consideration OF the Noyes-Rockwell
contested election case.
Mr.. Wheeler Of Alabama, speaking in his
usual crisp, nervous manner, from the center
contestee and criticized the report Of the ma
jority Of the committee on elections. In his
opinion no case had ever been presented for
the action Of the House where 80 little ground
existed upon which to base the findings of the
majority.
MR. COBB TALKS.
Mr.. Cobb Gala }. who, with Mr.. Gillespie
(Pa }, signed the minority report in favor Of the
sitting member, then took the hoor.
He is tall, thin and graceful, and
is concededly one of the best lawyers
in the House. But his voice is lacking in
volume, and can with difficulty be heard above
the customary din which pervades the cham
Der. His argument in support Off ockwell
was listened to with good deal Of ttention BY
the democratic members, but there we're few
republicans who neglected their correspond
ence in order to follow his deductions from the |
evidence in the case.
Mr.. Cobb reviewed the legal aspects Of the |
case, and - the legal aspects of an election
case are invariably tiresome the interest slack
ened and before the speaker had consumed an
hour his audience had appreciably diminished. |
An APPEAL TO TIE CHAIR. |
The confusion in the hall finally became 90 |