Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-03-26

Is called free coinage bill 1t Is not
such in any proper sense whatever,
and It is, pure and simple, q bill to COM
pei the people Of the United States to
buy the entire product of a most pros
porous and fourishing interest, small
In the number of its members but
very rich in dollars and cents, ut
price which gives them on the cost OF
production (if stated in the language
of ordinary protection) a protective
tariff or bounty of over 14S per cent
Not content with this enormous bur-
den which the bill places on the over
6S, 0OO, 900 Of our people in no way in
terested as owners of silver mines, 1t
proposes to make us the virtual pur-
chasers of all the silver produced in
the world and Mt 81. 90 per ounce, while
much Of It costs not over 81 cents per
ounce and q great deal Of it after de-
Quoting the profits on the lead prod
ucts, not over to 20 cents an ounce.
II submit that an equally mad propo-
sition never secured the assent OF any
Legislative body in the world and II 1t
passes this house, now that its provis-
ions are laid bare, il will be record
which will come back to plague and
shame its members down to the hour
when they 60 into their coffinR If we
are to have coinage and free coinage
we must follow law and precedent
We must aim to do as this country has
always done before and as every other
nation has done and that Is to make
the coinage ratio in close accord with
the market ratios.
1--WE would, but for this Bland dis
cussion, be getting in fr ON Europe
SIS, 900, 900 to $40. 600. 900 gold month.
Instead of this, alarmed and excited,
Europe is sending back our stocks and
securities by the ream. Her purchases
OF quarter OF century past are COM
ing back by every steamer. and instead
of gold reaching our shores it pours
out and away through every channel.
Continue this wild craze for free silver
and fair crops in Europe next year will
bankrupt the United States. Neglect
our present great opportunity and who
can tell when it will come again. Let
us counsel and compel wise and prudent
action now. to-day, instantly, and those
who come after us will praise our wis
dom and bless our memories. Neglect
this opportunity and the names OF those
whose votes fasten ruin on our land
will rot / beg to be forgiven If have
said a word that hurts the feelings Of
any member of this house. 1t has not
been nv intention or wish to utter q
SYLLABLE which would fall harshly on
any ear, but have been so wholly abb
sorbed in the fearful consequences to
my country which must follow this
class OF legislation that l may have
forgotten men while denouncing the
measure"
Mr.. Rayner, also a democrat, said
that the mine owners who were given
SIS, 600, 900 a year more profit than they
were now making could well afford to
inundate congress with whole libraries
of literature and employ host OF lob
byists to advance and promote this
scheme. Who would get this money
when the mints were opened and 20
cents could be coined into govern
ment dollar? Would the people receive
any of It? Not the clipping OF an eagle.
Every dollar Of profit, instead Of going
to the government and through the
government to the people as it did now,
would 90 deep down into the pockets
of the Nevada and Colorado million
AREA Applause.
Mr.. Abner Taylor, OF Illinois, offered
an amendment that all pensions shall
be paid in gold. In addressing HIM
self to the bill he said that he repre-
sented the only party that was opposed
to this measure-the republican party.
He admired the democratic party for
the facility with which it could get on
both sides of q question.
Mr. Hopkins, of Illinois, said that II
the demonetiz alton act had been
mistake that was no reason why this
congress should remonetize silver.
The conditions of this country were
adjusted to q gold standard and he
knew of no greater calamity which
could befall the country than this bill
in its present form should it be enact
ed into law.
Mr.. Compton, of Maryland, offered
an amendment to the bill to restrict
free coinage of silver to that produced
bv mines Of the United States-the
American coinage proposition.
Messrs Epes (VA) and Crawford
IN. CT supported the bill and Mr..
Stevens (MasA). democrat opposed
IL At the evening session Mr. Stevens
was not present to finish his speech
when the house reassembled and Mr..