, 1892-03-22
BATTLE OF GIANTS.
The Silver Debate Opens in the
House Today.

Chairman bland, tine Author of the
Bill starts the BAN to Rolling
and is Followed By Williams, of
Massachusetts.
| WASHINGTON, March 22.-The silver de-
bate opened in the house, and from indi-
cations, it will be battle of the giants.
Chairman Bland, Of the committee on
coinage, weights and measures, and author
Of the bill, opened the discussion oil behalf
of free coinage. Williams, of Massachu-
setts, anti -free-coinage democrat, made tie
opening speech for the opposition. The
air has been full Of rumors of tilibustering
designs on the part of the anti-free-coinage
people to approve the vote, but if such de-
signs exist, they evidently are not to be
carried into execution until after three
days debate. The galleries were crowded,
when, at 1920, the bill was called up under
the resolution committee rules. Tracy, of
New York, raised to point of order
against the bill being considered in the
house, holding that as a preparation of the
coin notes by the treasury, for exchange Of
bullion, involved an expenditure by the
treasury, the bill should be considered in
committee of the whole. The speaker
held that the bill did not make specific APP
propriations, and should not be considered
in committee of the whole. 1t was agreed
that evening sessions would be held today
and tomorrow.
@This bill" said Bland, in opening
the discussion, proposes to go back
hundred years in the matter Of coinage.
1t is just a hundred years ago that the
wise founders Of this government adopted
the double standard. They provided for
the coinage of gold and silver without
limit at the mints of the United States;
that silver should be coined the same as
gold, and should have the advantage and
same recognition Silver dollars should
consist OF 371 410 grains silver, precisely the
same as the dollar of silver called for in
this bill This bill provides that gold and
silver shall be coined at ratio fixed by
act 37-called the ratio of 16 to /. This
bill provides that gold and silver shall be
equal at the mints." (Applause.)
Continuing, Bland stated that while the
bill placed gold and silver on an equality,
in tine matter of the issue of coin notes not
in their deposit at mints, it also maintained
an equality by providing when coin notes
should be presented for redemption the
government should be free to redeem them
in either gold or silver, as it might prefer.
In the course of his argument, Bland
stated that he would propose latter
dnenQmeuI 10 GndG pOlGlOn OF 'Une DILL pro-
yiding that coin notes shall be issued as
rapidly as bullion is deposited. He would
move at proper time to amend by provid-
ing notes that shall be issued rapidly as
the mints found it practicable to coin bull
ion. I'm arguing for o greater volume of
money Bland said he would admit that the
refined system Of credits which has grown
up in the country does, to a certain extent,
economic the use of money, but in the
end the day of payment Of these obliga-
tions always comes and then they must
have money.
At the conclusion Of BANDS speech,
Taylor, Of Illinois, republican, claimed the
right to open the debate in opposition, as
representing the only party as opposed to
free coinage Williams, however, was ac-
corded the privilege by the speaker be-
cause he had presented views of the mi
nority