Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-14
FREE SILVER DEAD
For This Session of Congress,
at Least.
STEWARDS BILL MEETS A DEFEAT,

STEWARDS BILL MEETS A DEFEAT,
The House Refuses to Consider 1t BY a
Vote of 154 to 136-Party Lines Badly
Broken on the Vote - Ninety-Four
Democrats and Sixty Republicans Join
In the Opposition-The Yea Vote Con-
tains III Democrats and Nine Repub-
lieans, with All the Alliance Men-In-
cidents of the Fight.
WASHINGTON, July l4-Free coinage,
so far as this session of congress is con-
cerned, would seem TO be pretty dead
AT any rate the house yesterday refused
to consider the Stewart bill by vote of
l54 to 1876 The proceedings were lively
from the start. The galleries were full
and there was a very large attendance of
members. The fight began promptly as the
clock struck II and in moment it was
raging hot and fast Catchings rose at
the first stroke, the speaker recognized
him and he sent to the desk rule pro-
viding for the immediate consideration of
the silver bill. The clerk read it, but be-
fore Catchings could say a word after
AAN'Aho bAiS tlNlOplIpl Vi inc rule hee(l
sprang up and moved to lay the motion on
the table. Catchings objected to being
taken off the floor by any one, and the
speaker upheld him.
Gave Catchings an Hour to Talk
Thereupon Reed made speech in
opposition to the speakers ruling. He
claimed that the motion to cut off debate
was in order, and the members left their
seats and filled the aisles near Reed the
better to hear him. But the speaker once
more decided in Catchings' favor, and
gave him the floor for an hours time,
with privilege to parcel it out Catchings
gave Bland fifteen minutes and that gentle
man began by Offering an amendment pre-
serving the legal tender of the 800, 900, 900
silver certificates issued under the act of
1890. Then he sent to the clerk an amend
ment providing for closure attachment
To the rule offered by Catchings
Forman's View of the Matter.
After several speeches for and against
BANDS proposed closure Fornan of Hi
nois made a speech in which he declared
that no matter what might be the general
view on free silver the national Democratic
convention has pronounced against it, and
bAtA1 Nfto AA1t--l4i-- LflI u 10Y IL IItEtN man
to do but to vote against free silver. He
won applause by his remarks, and gave
way TO Patterson Tennessee, hopleaded
for fair, square vote on the question of
free silver.
Care Reed Chance to Speak.
Catchiugs thought this a good. time to
be generous and he offered fifteen minutes
to Reed. who caused "a laugh bypiaiutiyely
ASKING that Catchiue~ might withhold MS
offer until some one had spoken in favor
OF free silver. But Catchings declined,
whereupon the eX-s peaker made one Of mis-
characteristic speeches. Il do very sin
cerely congratulate the Democratic party, -
he began, upon its attitude of repentance.
All Of the time the gentlemen were pro-
claiming how sorry they were for the
views they entertained l was reminded of
a picture of the Democratic minority de-
claring that the one thing the Democratic
party yearnCd for was free silver.
They Were All 'Yearning."
"That was when | sat in the chair now
occupied by the gentleman who himself
yearned with the rest, and when the dis
tinguished gentleman who, because of
his manly virtues has been made leader
of the Democratic side (Springer), was also
yearning for free silver. But all now is
changed, and l am glad to hear the trem-
bling voices of the sinners returning
home" For moment it actually seemed
to him, the Democratic party had struck
level which might be called level of
principle. daughter and applause, dur
ing which Reed stood immovable. his
eyes transfxed on the galleries. Reed
continuing said that there were different
classes of men who were in favor of free
coinage There were men in the west who
were honestly controlled by their inter
ests, and who did not see the damage.they
would do to the business of the country,
or even to themselves.
Another Glass of Silver Men.
With such men he had reasonable
degree of sympathy for they were the
pioneers of civilization, broadening the
paths of this great county, and everything
that he could do for them consistent with
the safety of the country, he would dc.
But they had no right to ask him and
those that believed as he did to give them
temporary benefit at the risk of the
destruction of the business interests of
this country. There was another ciase
with whom he had no sympathy, and that
was the class who desired to debase the
currency for the purpose of paying their
debts in cheaper coinage than that in
which they contracted them. These men
were willing to sacrifice their country for
their own temporary benefit.
A Whack ut the Senate.
There was another class which was
sometimes represented on this floor, who,
without conviction on the subject or be-
lief in the principles advocated, Joined in
the popular clamor in order TO get for
themselves offices and enable their party
to assume that public trust they were so
anxious to obtain. The Republican party
was not established for the purpose of
procuring offices Ulcers on the Democratic
side]; it stood for principles and today it
was enabling, by its action, Democratic
house to do a better service for ourselves
than Republican senate could do for us.
[Applause.l What tie Republican party
must do, is what is best for the country
and that it is willing to do. [Continued
applause