St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-24
SILVER IN THE SADDLE
The Hour for a Vote on Free
Coinage Cannot Be Long
Delayed.
Opponents Of the Bland Bill
Losing Courage as the
Time Lessons.
Attempts at Filibustering Are
Likely to Be Suddenly
Blocked.
Pierce, Stone and McKeighan
the Principal Speakers
Yesterday.

debate in the house of representatives
today showed an intensity of public III
terest in that great question which now
faces the Fitty-secOnd congress for solu-
ton, and threatens to become political
issue in the presidential campaign OF
the autumn. The speeches were all OF
a strongly positive character, being the
arguments of men who have stern con-
vlctions upon the side which they re-
spectiYely represent, and they are I'M
compromising in their declarations OF
the policy which should be pursued.
Gradually the conviction is forcing
itself upon the members that it is to be
adrawn battle; that the issue is one
which cannot be averted and that the
day is near at hand when the house OF
representatives must declare on yea
and nav vote its position OH the great
question of free coinage. The gen
tlemen who pinned their hopes on the
chances of a compromise at the last
hour by the substitution of bill pro-
viding for an international monetary
congress are losing courage today, and
even the indomitable Mr.. Tracey, of
New York, comedies that the free coin
age bill will have clear majority if
final vote is ever reached upon Its pas
sage. Just what he and his anti-free
coinage associates will do to avert this
final vote he has not yet announced, but
Chairman Bland and his friends fully
expect filibustering tactics tomorrow
On the part of their opponents, and al
ready rumors are rife that the commit
tee on rules will, IN this event, be re-
Quested promptly TO report rule
Naming a Day and -Four
for taking a final vote. Mr.. Tracey an
nounceS that the first motion to be made
by the opponents of the bill at the con-
cluSiOn of the debate, and before any
disposition 10 tilibuster is manifested.
will be in the form of Il resolution re-
committing the bill to the coinage com
mittee, with Instructions to report
substitute bill providing for an interna-
tiOnal congress for the adjustment of
the silver problem. If it is defeated,
all the resources of parliamentary rules
will then be evoked to tire oIt the
friends of the bill and prevent a final
vote upon its passage.
The galleries were crowded when the
speaker raped the house to order at
noon today, and the floor and Hobbies of
the house, too, were we'll crowded with
eX-members and senators, attracted by
The great interest of the occasion.
On sofa in the rear of the hall was
seated Hon. A. j. Warner, one of the
fathers of the free coinage movement,
and during the day the herculean eX-
member held frequent consultations
with Representatives Bland and Pierce
and other leaders i'll the cause OF free
silver. In the galleries were seated
many bankers and financial experts
from all over the country, and the
Western Union wires on the outside
were busy bearing
The Hasty Messages
that flashed to the country the progress
of the discussion and conveyed to the
great financial centerS every indication
that appeared i'll the political atmos-
sphere. Il desire to give notice." said
Chairman Bland at the opening of the
debate, THAT at 2 O'clock tomorrow |
shall demand the previous question on
the silver bill and pending amend
ments." This means merely that gen-
eral debate will close at o'clock tomor-
row, and that final vote will then he
taken OIL the bill and amendments I'M
less its opponents inaugurate series of
hlibustering tactics.
The first speaker of the day was Rep
resentatlye Pierce, of Tennessee, the
able young lieutenant of Chairman
Bland Oh the coinage committee. In
discussion OF the pending measure, said
Mr.. Pierce, if l did not believe that the
unlimited coinage of silver was for the
best interests of the people of the whole
country, | should not so warmly sup
port this measure. The question of to-
day is whether we shall have bimetal-
lism or monometallism. Going back to
1916 we find that great. industrial Eng
land was prosperous and happy until
She struck down silver and discarded it
Rs one of her coin metals. The voice of
labor, then as now. was unheeded, and
the result was that the next three years
witnessed period of depression, dis
treSs and suffering hitherto unknown
i'll the kingdom of Great Britain. This
is matter OF history, he said, and can-
not be cOntrOverted.
Continuing, the gentleman from Ten
nessee said the spirit that is dominant
today among financierS and capitalists
throughout the world is that scarcity in
money is thing to be desired. Our op-
pOnentS tell us that gold must not be
mOlested that gold is the only sacred
metal; that
Gold rs King.
What is it that gave to gold the posi-
ton it occupies? Legislation. And it
is only by legislation that the great
wrong can be righted. Applause Up
to the time Of the decentralization of sill
yer in 1873 the silver dollar was never
worth less than 100 cents. When de-
monetized it was at premium of 80
per cent. Why did they demonetize it
then? The same spirit of avarice and
greed that struck it down in England
dominated this country, and silver was
murdered at the interest OF the great
banking and financial interests of the
country; and the agricultural and Ia
boring people from that time to this
have been paying the profits in their
sweat and toll. Applause.
There are gentlemen of New England,