The Forrest City times., 1892-03-25
SILVER FIGHT BEGUN.
BLAND FIRES THE FIRST GUN
 IN THE BATTLE.
The Passage of the Bill Predicted-A Cabinet Meeting Held to Discuss Lord saIisbury's Answer-senate Proceed ings-Geperal Mention.

 free silver fight is now on. Upon it's outcome the solidity of the Democratic party depends Win that solidity re- main unimpaired, or will the organiza- ton crack and crumble into incohesive particles? The question is on the mind of every Democrat upon the floor of the House to-day, as we'll as on the minds of many thousands throughout the country.
 In the opinion of an authority, before the fight began the free silver bill will pass by small majority. should his prediction prove correct the Democratic nomination for the Presi- dency will, as Dave Hill is reported to have told a personal friend, not be worth the having. Nevertheless the fight is going on and both sides are battling with desperation that bodes ill for any compromise.
 Mir. Bland opened the debate and told how surely this country was go- ing to certain destruction in its present course and said the adoption of his free silver scheme was the only thing that would save it. He denounced the bank CTS in great style and waxed quite warm in doing so Then he painted in his most fervid way a picture of the elysium which free silver would make of this country. The picture he made was bit blurred by his unhappy enunciation. He contin- ued until his hour was up and then, thanks to the graciousness of the House he was granted enough additional time to finish whatever he might want to say.
 The prospect of free silver driving gold out of the country has no terrors for Mr Bland. "If gold goes out of the country and silver comes in," he said. what of it? We shall still have just as much money in the country" Where upon he mopped his moist brow. When he had recovered his breath he took up book and read a long essay to sub 1 stantiate his assertion, and so on he continued to the far off land. i At the conclusion of Mir. Bland's speech Mir. Taylor of Illinois, of the Republican side, objected to MT. Will jams, the Democratic opponent of free coinage, opening the discussion in op- position to the bill. The speaker held that the views of the minority and the substitute of the minority having been presented by Mir Williams, all pre- cedents gave the gentleman the pivilege of opening the discussion in opposition to the bill In concluding his speech Mir. Williams presented the substitute bill of the minority providing for an In international monetary conference.
 Representative Harter of Ohio, Dem ocrat, spoke in opposition to the bill and insisted that the Bland bill, in stead of increasing the volume of money in circulation, would, in its results actually decrease it.
 Mir. Rayner of Maryland, also a Democrat, said that the mine-owner, who was given 5000, coo year more profit than he is now making, could wei afford to inundate Congress with whole libraries of literature and em- ploy host of lobbyists to advance and promote this scheme.
 l Abner Taylor of Illinois then took the floor, but yielded to Mir. Tracy of | New York, who announced to the House amid loud applause the election ! of Roger O. Mills to the United States senate MT Taylor said that the bill was designed to make 70 cents worth of silve. equal to dollar. This would enable the wealthy class to pay its i laborers 70 cents worth of silver for a dollars worth of toil. If this meas ure WITS ever enacted into law it would have a greater effect upon the finances of the country than any bill i that had ever been previously passed by Congress. Mir. Taylor then offered an amendment that all pensions shall be paid in gold. In addressing himself l to the bill, he said that he represented i the only party that was opposed to this measure-the Republican party.
 Mir Hopkins of Illinois said that if the characterization act had been q mis- take that was no reason why this Congress should to-day remonetize i silver. The conditions of this country were adjusted to gold standard, and he knew of no greater calamity which could befall the country than that this bill in its present form should be en- acted into law.
 Mir. Compton of Maryland offered an amendment to the bill to restrict free coinage of silver to that produced by mines of the United States-the Amer ican coinage proposition.
 MT. Epes of Virginia, MT. Crawford of North Carolina and Mir Stevens of Massachusetts supported the bill. The Senate.
 WASHINGTON. March 24.-The Vlce. President presided in the Senate yesterday. Bills.were introduced as fol lows:
 By Senator Cameron-To establish the system of line promotion in the navy.
 By Senator Cullom-To authorize the