Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-04-05
SILVER IN THE SENATE.

Long Discussion on the Free Coinage
Measure-Mr. Morgan's Brilliant
Argument-He Speaks for Three
Hours-0ther Speeches by Messrs.
Sherman, Teller, Allison and Others
No Action Taken.
WASHINGTON, April 4.-The debate on
silver in the senate to-day was begun by
Mr.. Morgan. In the course of it he re-
ferred to Mr.. Cleveland as having come to
the presidency with sort of Wall street
congestive chill upon him, as oommenc-
ing to prophecy and to prophecy evil
and as throwing the whole weight of his
administration against silver.
Turning to discussion of the present
low price of wheat Mr.. Mills broke in with
remark ascribing the low price to cause
different from that which Mr.. Morgan had
ascribed 1t to.
Gold, Mr.. Morgan asserted, was 40 per
cent. beyond its true price, and silver
should be ed to hold it down. AS gold
rose, he said, every commodity and every
industry in the United States was de-
pressed and would be, after while, de-
stroyed. He quoted from the Louisville
Courier-J ournal to show that 500, 900, 900
in gold was sent annually to England as
interest due to British stockholders in
American railroads, mines, etc. In con-
clusion Mr.. Morgan said that he would let
the act of 1890 stand, but he would make
it compulsory on the part of the secre-
tary of the treasury to coin the silver bull
lion purchased. If senators could only
forget Cleveland and Hill and Carlisle and
Cullom and Allison and other great
and good men who were as
pirine to presidency-and the honorable
senator from Ohio (Mr. Sherman, if he had
not discarded all such pretensions)-if
senators could discard their friendliness
for these aspirants and would come to-
gether and lock their hands on the silver
question and say that they would do all
that wisdom and devoted love OF the
country suggested there would be no more
trouble about the silver question. Then
the senator from Ohio would have the
led up to such high position. Mr.. Nor
gan spoke for three hours.
Mr.. Sherman said he did not intend to
enter on the discussion of the silver ques-
ton, but he wished to have the sense of
the senate whether senators were to have
a silver debate. He proposed to move to
lay the resolution on the table.
Mr.. Teller-The senator can hardly take
advantage of us in that way.
Mr.. Shermsn-I do not propose to take
any advantage.
Mr.. Allison asked the vice-president, as
point of order, whether the resolution
had not passed from the consideration of
the senate and had not gone to the calen-
dar at 2 o'clock-the senator from Ala
bama having been allowed, by courtesy, to
proceed with his remarks.
The vice president expressed the opinion
that under the rules the resolutions had
gone to the calendar.
Mr.. Sherman-Then they cannot be
taken up except on motion.
Mr. Harris remarked that, as a matter
of courtesy, any senator could call up the
resolutions from the calendar and address
the senate upon them.
Mr.. Sherman-Yes, as a matter of court
esy.
Mr.. Teller said the senator from Ohio
might as well meet the question now as at
any time, because the question would be
debated. If not debated on these resolu-
tions it would be debated on some other
resolution or on some bill, and the friends
of silver would take just as much time as
they wanted, unless the senate could be
driven into adopting cloture rule, which
he did not think would be done.
Mr.. Sherman denied emphatically that
he has endeavored to stife debate. But
the senate, he said, ought to be able to de-
termine whether it would discuss silver
gold or Indian affairs. Whenever the
senate chose to take up this debate he
would be ready for it.
Mr.. Stewart said the silver dollar now
contained only 81 or 6S per cent. of GOLD
value and it was proposed to reduce it
value still further by dishonoring it and sc
to rob those who held it. The secretary
of the treasury had proposed scheme
(Which appeared to have been endorsed by
the president) to reduce the price of silvel
and it had had its effect.
Mr.. Potter quoted from Secretary Eos
ter's speech at Delmonico's, commended i
in strong terms and then made speech
ON the general subject of silver.
The matter went over, Mr.. Morgan
resolutions being placed on the calendar
They will be taken up on Wednesday, wheI
Mr.. Wolcott will address the senate.
Mr. Dawes stated that he would ask &C
ton upon the Indian appropriation bill to
morrow and Mr.. Allison that after the In
dian appropriation bill was disposed of b
would bring up the District of Columbi
appropriation bill.
The senate went into executive session
ond aftarwards adjourned