Evening journal., 1892-01-28
SILVER'S INITIAL INNING.
The First Hearing on Free
Coinage in This Congress.
MINT DIRECTOR LEEoa UNDER FIRE

Both sides PLY Hsm with Questions on
the Subject Chiffon. Of Texas. to Retain
His Seat in the senate--The New Euies
Debated in the House.
WASHINGTON, Jan 2s.-The first hearing
II this congress on the silver question took
place before tho house committee on coin
age, weights and measures, Mr. Leech, the
director Of the mint, being examined Tho
inquiries Of the free coinage men related
chiefly TO whether or not the fan Ia tho
prices Of silver and the worlds commodities
had not been practically contemporaneous,
considering the question for a series OF
years and unaffected by any special crop
uondNioni also as to whether or not Che
present policy, under which even the silver
notes were redeemed in gold if desired, did
not have the effect Of enhancing the value
Of goad and keeping the two metals apart
Mr.. Leech was OF opinion that the supply
and demand for silver alone regulated It's
prices
Mr.. Williams Of Massachusetts, an anti
freo coinage member, directed his inquiries
with the view Of showing that under freo
coinage other nations would send their sill
yer here, and that a single important nation
could seriously impair our standing by drain
ing gold from the United statea and destroy
ing confidence in the ability Of this country
to make good its promises to oredeem ia gold.
Mr. Leeoh favored an international agree
ment as the best mode Of solution Of the
question.
Mr.. Bartine asked Director Leech for in
formation Of an explanation Of the fallin tho
price Of silver in the Lace Of our large pur-
chases.
Director Loech's Argument.
Mr.. Leech said the only one was the in
creased product and Che lack Of demand for
the surplus over and above what the United
States buys A large amount Of silver lead
ores, he added, was now going from AUS
tralia TO England and the tendency was to
glut the European market because there
! was no active demand In Europe FOR tho
silver The visible supply Of silver was q
little smaller than a year ago 1t was &, Coo
700 ounces when the government purchased
large quantities and the supply rose TO.
100000 ounces when the government went
out
Mr. Bartine- Suppose our purchases had
been sufficient 70 completely absorb al tho
surplusl
Mr. Leech-Siiver would have been higher.
Just how much is a matter Of speculation.
In further response TO Mr.. Bartine, he
! 5aid that, of coarse, il we bought an the
, | silver and paid for it in gold, the prizes
would SO 10 par and stay there as long ~
we could pay gOld FOR it which we are
doing now. He said that the governments
! was now practically paying gold for silver
, because it was ready on demand 10 pay any
one gold for notes issued on purchase Of
: silver
Mr.. Bland sought to show that the effect
of this was 10 make gold dearer and enhance
I. its value relative TO silver by making it tho
one metal on which everything depended.
but Mr. Leech did not concede this He
l having spoken Of India's large balance OF
Z trade, Mr.. McKeighan, Of Nebraska, asked
! ! i that instead Of showing prosperity on tho
: part Of India, did not show that India sold
, 50 cheaply that other countries preferred To
buy Of her rather than sell to her
When Mr.. Leeoh responded that largo
trade balance was generally Thought a good
thing for q country, Mr. McKeighan pro-
: pounded this question: which was not satis-
tactorily answered: "Why, then, after 1885.
! when the United States had one Of its larg-
est trade balance, did we have to cushion.
: the beams Of our cars 70 carry tramps onr
The senate Seats Chiffon.
The senate agreed TO the report OF the
committee on privileges and elections, do
slal1ng Mr.. Chiffon, Of Texas, entitled to
retain his seat.
) The first protest in the senate against
+ public building appropriations came from
Mr. Mcpherson when a bill was under dis
) cussion giving $4,000 for Reno, New.
{ Mr., Allison, chairman Of the apprcpria,-
tions committee gave a good natured v arm
. ing against using too much money ia this
: direction. He admonished the public build
ings committee that it was not wise toA
amplify and enlarge too rapidly such appro-
priations.
Vest Chides Mcpherson.
This brought Mr.. Vest to his feet with a.
i defense Of the pnbfc buildings committee.
( bis services on which, he said, were the
{ most irksome, the most unpleasant and the
. most ungratefuN Of his public duties. Haf
4 ntimatcd that Mr. Mcpherson was not en-.
tiTely justified ia his adverse criticism, IN
view Of the fact that he had never asked in
vain for an appropriation for public build
> ing in his own state. That senator's course.
I he said, was neither in accordance with fair
, legislation nor Christian usage, for he was
! returning evil for good
5 Mr. Mcpherson defended his course and
l declared that he would not vote TO appro-
pirate s., 100000 for public buildings in
California to the neglect Of other stAteA-
Mr. Stewart was replying TO the remarks o4
Z Mr. Mcpherson and was defending the pro
posed appropriations for California when
the hour Of ? o'clock arrived and the Mexi-
can award bill the L'Abra clain). came ap
as the unfinished business, the Reno BIN
going over without action,
BIair's Case as Precedent.
Senator Morgan wants the senate to look
into the refusal of China to accept Mr.. Blair
as our minister He offered a resolutions.
+, directing the secretary Of state to furnish
the correspondents on the subject Ha
merely wanted to know, he said, what OBJ
jections China has offered
So far as the senate was concerned. hs
I said, there had been the strongest affirma-
tion of Mr.. Blair's fitness to represent tbs
United States in that country or anywhers
else.
There was some little discussion and the
resolution, changed 50 as TO request ths
/. president to furnish the correspondence, il
not Incompatible with tho public interests,
! ! was agreed to.
! Watson's Protest.
The wide latitude allowed in the debate
on the proposed house rules was taken ad-
vantage Of by Mr.. Watson. OF Georgia, to
i lay down the principles Of the Farmers Ali
ance. He created much amusement By re-
, / ferring to the 'Czarism Of Mr.. Reed in tha
last congress- Mr.. Watson said the pro-