The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1892-05-13
KYLE On SILVER

WASHINGTON, ID. e., May 3.-The senate
on motion of Mr.. Morgan Of Alabama. one
of the conferees, laid aside the conference re-
port on the Chinese exclusion bill and gave
the floor to Mr.. Kyle of South Dakota, for a
speech on the silver question.
Senator Kyle commenced by saying that the
people had an account to settle with the
advocates Of the gold basis, and would not
rest until their rights were restored. There
upon he delivered an elaborate argument in
favor Of free silver, using largely the reports
Of the prices of agricultural produce and Of
exchange since the demonstration of silver
in support Of his views.
Senator Kyle declared that the demonct-
izing of silver by the act of 1873 was con-
ceived in darkness and accomplished by
stealth.
Nov that the disastrous effects are felt all
over the nation party fealty is such that it
will be a herculean task to secure a return to
free coinage of silver, which it is safe to say
three-fourths of our people desire. Free
coinage Of silver affects directly, not indirectly
the products Of the American farm, a gold
standard puts us at a disadvantage in the
European market for wheat and cotton, while
FREE
will materially relieve us of sharp COMPETE
ton Of Russia and the silver using districts Of
Asia. 1t is the pride of our free government
that the people rule; but it seems today to be
a question i'll congress as to w..o are the peo-
pie; whether New York or the Mississippi
valley; whether New England or the vast
south; whether a few corporations or the
Masses"
"We might as we'll meet and face the
facts as they are" the senator continued.
"The voice Of the people means something.
The agriculturist may be ignorant OF many
things, but they know when there is an unjust
discrimination. A depressed agriculture has
rapidly driven the population from the rural
districts to the cities. This is not the cry OF
a small class of disgruntled, selfish farmers
and laboring men. 1t is the voice of the best
class of the republic"
In concl 'sion Senator Kyle said: We an
confronted with earnest appeals Of statesmen
and party leaders to refrain from independent
political action. We are pointed to history
to witness the folly of such a course; that it
means political suicide to those who embarked
III the possible hope of successful reform.
We are told plainly by the action of the house
within the last month that we can expect nc
relief from congress, and that both parties
will nominate for chief executive a man who
is unfriendly to silver. We can get, they
say, no relief from a third party. Now, be-
tween the two, may l ask where are the
people to come in?
with all due respect to the sage advice Of
such leaders, let me say that the peop'e are
not placed i'll such a dilemma, and that if re-
lief be not granted such a combination will be
formed as will relegate one or the other Of the
old parties to the position of third in the race.
These people do not determine upon indie
pendent action unless compelled to do Sc.
There is no glory in meeting the malicious
and r%evengeful attacks of the partisan press,
consequent upon such action, and there is not
a citizen OF the great south and west today
who would not unite in the chorus of graft
tude were he informed that relief from his
burdens had been granted by either of the cx-
listing parties"
CHINESE EXCLUDED.
The senate then, with a scant quorum
present, by a vote of 80 to IS passed the
am ended Chinese exclusion bill now Standing.
The protest Of Senator Sherman, chairman OF
the committee on foreign relations, that the
new section requiring all Chinese in the
United States to be registered within a year
or be imprisoned was a violation Of treaty
obligations wi h China.-Wor Herald.