The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-07
SILVER DODGERS SCORED
SENATOR WoLCOTT DELIVERS A
FIERY SPEECH,


cleration That tho Free Coinage Bill
Could Have Been Put Through In
December.
WASHINGTON, April 6.-Iu the Senate to-
day after the transaction Of the ordinary
routine morning business the resolution
heretofore offered by Mr.. Hale, calling on
the Secretary of State for copies of all the
agreements made with other countries re-
latinR TO interchange of trade was taken up
and agreed to with an amendment offered
by Mr.. Morgan calling for information as to
what steps have been taken to inaugurate
reciprocal trade with Mexico, and, IL not
successful, the causes of the failure.
AT 1890 O'Clock Mr.. Morgan called up his
silver resolutions and yielded the floor to
Mr.. Wolcott, who proceeded to address the
Senate. They might as we'll, he said, face
the truth on the silver question. The bill
had been put to sleep in the House of Reps
retenta;ives and would not be resuscitated.
Nobody had expected the measure to be
come a law during this admin istration, be-
cause the present chief executive last sum-
mer foreshadowed his veto, and those In his
council had openly proclaimed it since. The
friends Of silver, however had hoped that
. would at least score some advantage this
session.
If the votes of the two houses had been
polled in December there would have been
a clear majority of so for free silver ooin-
age in the other body and a majority of II
in this, but to-day If a vote were had on a
motion to take the silver bill from the GAL
endar, 1t would not be carried. SO the
friends OF silver were left fighting the air
on series Of general resolutions. 1t was a
proper time, therefore, for the friends of
free coinage. having practically suffered
defeat, to gather up their wounded and
dead determine where deserters were hid
den fortify their intrenchment for the next
encounter and stop, IL possible, the destruct-
i've rear firing, which had not only damaged
but surprised them. The first great force
opposed TO the passage of the
silver bill In this congress las it
had been for three years. was the present
administration, No stone had been left
unturned, no effort unemployed to oom-
pass the defeat of the measure. The
national convention was soon coming on,
and decisive action on the silver question
was supposed to be rather embarrassing and
thing that 1t would be better to avoid.
The necessity of a vote had to be prevented
il possible, and so the miserable work had
begun. Offices had been paroeled out,
the party lash had been cracked and waver-
ing members had been gained. The work
had apparently been effectively done and yet
bu6I0 Was always bO~IuOIIOW. NODOuJ WAS
deceived, but it would have been graceful
| act in the outgoing President to have per-
mitted the two houses of congress to vote
according to their own inclination on a
measure of national importance.
DEMooRAOY's POSITION.
The spectacle, humiliating as 1t was,
showed that it was but an amazing change
| Of front by a great section OF the Demo-
cratic party. During the last session that
.F,.1I, ;s,.
tlon, hard money. A clean majority OF Its
members had taken the stump before the
election and pledged themselves that they
would vote for free and unlimited coinage
of silver The sudden change would be
ridiculous,if its effects were not tragic One
prophet of the democracy announced that
tariff reform was the slogan. Another in
sisted that being a democrat was the test
and watc word. The south and west wanted
free coinage. but these leaders (alluding TO
Messrs. Cleveland aud Hill thought that
they must carry New York aud a couple of
little states adjoining. These states were
lenders, not borrowers, and wanted rather
less than more money. The friends of
tariff reform had, in the north at
least, the courage of their convictions
and demanded the putting aside Of the sill
yer question. The adherents of the other
Moses who wanted to lead his party out Of
bondage wanted to crafty the popular de-
mand, but were fearful Of their eastern fol-
lowers, and 30 they let 81 dare not" wait
upon II would" aud the silver bill was
shuffied aside
AN ORGANIZED HYPOCRISY.
But each political party had become in
reference to the silver question what Disraeli
had once charged TO his party as being, 'an
organized hypocrisy" But unless all the
signs failed, each side would be- anxious
before long to unload the responsibility on
the other, and the people would then have
their innings. Out of the wreck of the
hopes they had cherished, one fact stood.
The vast mass of the people of the country
we're unrepresented by either political party
concerning question which they c0nSld-
cred paramount to every other. Not only
was that true now but it seemed equally
certain that the same condition of
forces would OF course continue TO
exist 1t was apparent that the
party in power would with negative
unanimity) rsnominate "the present mag
netic executive" Qnto this expression MIR.
WOlcott threw a most contemptuous en-
phasis, which attracted much attention.l
Not because, he added, he was the choice
of any considerable body Of his party, but
because, since the letter of retirement Of the
great secretary who held his party bound by
ties of deepest affection aud regard, no man
of greater stature than the present incum-
bent had been found willing to stand. Be-
cause OF the blow that had struck silver
aside, it seemed equally manifest that the
Democratic party would present its apostle
OF tariff reform, whose vision had no other
issue, and who desired again 10 be conse-
Grated to public office.
These unoomplimentary illusions to Pres
ident Harrison and ex President Cleveland
and highly fattering reference to Secretary
Blaine had all the success on some OF his
audience that Mr.. Wolcott could have de-
sired. Smiles Of approval, pleasure and
assent fitted over the countenances Of sem
ators, but no other sign was given, and he
went on with his speech.
THE TALK ABOUT REACTION.
There was going about the capitol, he
said, mysterious talk about a reaction
against silver. He confessed himself at a
loss TO understand just where the detection
or change had arisen. 1t must be, he
thought if anywhere), in the south and
west, as the republicans from those sections
in both Houses were persons whose votes
and utterances had changed. The
constituencies, however, had not
changed their minds. It was
their representatives who had changed
theirs. They misto-k silence for acquies-
cence. The contest was not alone between
the south and west on one side and the east
on the other. 1t was one upon which hon.
est men differed. He confessed that he
could not share in the general denunciation
of Wall street. Its operators were the