The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-24
WAGED ALL DAY.
The Friends and Foes OF Silver Are
Apparently As Determined
As Ever.
Clear Majority In Favor of the
Bland Bill Ia Now
Conceded.
Pierce Reviaws tho History Of silver Al
tho StAndard-Who STRUCK Down
tho White Metal?

Pierce Reviaws the History Of silver Az
tho standard-Who STRUCK Down
tho White Metal?
WAsHING1'oH, March 23.--rhe chances of
n compromise on the silver question in tho
house, by substituting Il bill providing for
an international monetary congress are
now admitted to be very slight aud 'advo-
Gates Of snch action concede clear major
Ity 90 the free coinage bill when a vote is
reached. The opponents Of the bill. Mt the
conclusion Of the debate, will move to re-
commit the bill to the coinage committee.
1t is believed the motion ia the strongest
move the bills opponents can make, as III
will receive the support of many members
who will otherwise feel compelled to sup-
port the measure. The galleries of the
house we're crowded day when debate
opened.
Chairman Bland gave notice that at two
O'clock tomorrow be will demand the pre-
vious question on the silver bill. Pierce
fIenn.) then spoke favoring the measure.
lie said: In the discussion Of the pending
measure. il | did not believe that the un-
limited coinage Of silver was for the beat
interests Of the people Of the whole country,
should not 50 warmly support the meas
ure. It is only by going back to the past
upon this question Of bi-metalism that W.
can properly understand the great question.
For the question of to-day iB whether We
shall have bi-metalism or mono-met etalism.
Going back to 1916, beginning with the ac-
ton Of the great nations of the world upon
MI 4iAn Ev,l hat
England was prosperous and happy until
she struck down silver; discarded it as one
Of her coin metals. The voice Of labor
then, as now. was unheeded. The result
was that the next three years witnessed a
period Of depression. distress and suffering
hitherto unknown in Great Britain. This
is matter Of history and cannot be con
troverted."
after the expansion Of currency resulting
from the discovery Of gold in California
and Australia in l849 and 1860. labor in
every commercial nation was affected by
this expansion, which advanced As per cent.
The spirit dominant to-day among hnan-
ciers and capitalists throughout the world
id that the scarcity Of money is the thing
| to be desired. ,s45# ss5s5
| lit has not been many decades since the
chevalier of France laughed at the
overproduction of gold but along in the
| sos it made it wise to adopt mono-metal-.
Germany in 1857 accepted the teachings of
the chevalier, demonetizing gold and estab-
lishinQ single silver standard. Why7
Simply because they thought they were
going to have too much money in two met
ais. The limitation of currency, not
scarcity of money, was what the tinanciers
and capitalists wanted.
Our opponents tell us that gold must
not be molested; that gold is the only
sacred metal; that gold is king. What was
it that gave gold tho position it occupies2
Legislation. And it is only by legislation
that the great wrong can be righted. APP
plause. Up to the time of the demone-
tization of silver in 1873 the silver dollar
never was worth less than 100 cents. When
demonetized it was at that time At a
they demonetize it then? The same spirit Of
avarice and greed that struck 1t down in
England dominated in this country, and
silver WAS murdered in the interest of the
great banking and financial interests Of the
country, and agriculture and the laboring
people from that time to this have baen
paving profits in their sweat and toll.
Applausel.
There are gentlemen Of New England"
said Pierce. who say if we pass free sill
yer bill New England will send an nn-
broken body of republican representatives
w bAlo uall AAo tAat tAcN WAL give US u
force BILL say to- you, gentlemen from
New England, that we democrats of the
south ana west measure our action by DEM
ocratio rule, and Thomas Jefferson having
SAID that the cardinal principle of dem
ocracy was submission to the will of tho
majority fairly expressed, We when the
majority speaks, bow to it and support the
nominee and platform that majority pre-
sents That is our kind of democracy
Applause. Pierce spoke of the clouds of
gloom that hovered over the south when
the force bill passed the lust house and
went to a republican senate; when the press
informed them that president Harrison
had pledged himself to use his official in
Huence to carry though that measure.
But" said Pierce, ''the clouds began to
break away, and through the rifts we saw
the grand, glorious, brave. patriotic repnb-
tween their party and the liberties of the
people. by their votes the fotce bill was
d-teated and say to you. gentlemen from
New England, that the same men stand
there to-day ~ hulwark between the re-
publican party and the interests of the
people. With this reliance we do not fear
u force bin. and demand that this house
give to the people full measure of redress
for the wrongs done in 1878" Loud ap-
pause on the democratic side.
Concluding, Pierce cited the speech of
Mills iii the last house III support of free
coinage. and insisted that the gentleman
from Texas, to mako his record consistent.
must support the bill.
MIR. Stone (Pa.) denounced the pending
bill as not Il bill for the free coinage of
gold and silver. but bill for the unlimited
issue of paper money. He had a suspicion
that the bill is an heirloom in the Rland
family, liaughterl. IN reading the his.
tory of his country, he discovered that
Richard Bland was IL leading member of
house of burgesses, in Virginia, in 1Sts.
Like his distinguished namesake. he seemed
to labor under the idea that the economic
and financial system of the day needed
tinkerinp with. Laughterl In those
days the currency of the Virginia was to-
bacco, hogsheads of $50 pounds Lnnghter|.
The Inconvenience of carrying around tho
legal tender of the day nat
nrally aroused deslie to devise II
more convenient system of currency.
This desire took shape in the 'Bland bill
of lais." Ilanghter. This bill WAS al
most n counterpart OF the bill of to-day.
II provided for the establishment of gov
ernment warehouses and the appointment
of government Inspectors in charge. The
Bland bill of to-day provides for tho use OF
mints already erected. The bill OF 1913
provided for the deposit Of any amount of
tobacco by any person and the issue of "tor
bacco notes" therefor to be accepted as To-
gal tender, receivable for debts and duea
OF the government. The bill OF to-day