The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-23

& i~rumors Of filibusterinp
\\ Nv designs u the pnrs q
the anti-free coinage
BLAND people, but II such do
signs exist they evidently are not
to be carried into execution until after
the three days Of debate. The gal
leries were crowded when. at 1920 tho
bill was called up under the resolution OF
the committee on rules. Tracey IN. W
raised point Of order against the bill b.
ing considered in the house. holding that
az the preparation Of coin notes BY the
treasury for exchange for bullion involved
expenditure by the treasury the bill should
be considered in committee Of the whole.
The speaker held thnt as the bill did not
make specific appropriation it should not
be- considered in committee of the whole
1t was agreed that evening sessions be
held to-day and tomorrow.
"This bill" :" said Bland, in opening the
discussion, proposes to 20 back 100 years
in the matter Of coinage. 1t is just 100
years ago that the wise founders of this
government adopted the double standard.
They provided for the coinage Of gold and
silver without limit at the mints Of tho
United States; that silver should be coined
the same AZ gold; should have the same ad-
vantage and the same RECOGNITION. Silver
dollars should consist Of 37l25 grains Of
silver, precisely the dollar Of silver called
for in this bill. This bill providss that
gold and silver shall be coined at a rate
fixed by the act OF 1873 called the ratio Of
sixteen to one, Or more exactly it is 1898 to
one. This bill provides tina. gold and sill
yer shall be equal at ths niints. Applause.
in order that this equality should be pre-
served IT is necessary that silver should be
put on the same plane in regard to the
issue OF certificates at the mint as Rold.'
Bland. here aent to the clerks desk let
ter from the director of the mint stating
that the cost of coming silver would be
about cent and ona-half per dollar, pro-
viding that x45,0O0.0OO would be coined
every year. Continuing. Bland stated that
while the bill placed gold and silver on an
equality in the matter of the issue of coin
notes and in their deposit at the ninta, it
also maintained equality by providing that
when coin notes should be presented for re-
demption the government should be free to
redeem them in either gold or silvor US it
might prefer. Thus coin notes issued on a
deposit of gold bullion might be redeemed
in silver, or coin notes issued on deposit
OF silver might be redeemed in gold az the
treasury might prefer. In the course Of
propose later an amendment to that portion
of the bill providing that coin notes shall
be issued as rapidly as bullion is deposited
He would move at the proper time to amend
by providing that coin notes shall be issued
as rapidly as the mints found it practicable
to coin bullion.
In arguing for greater volume of
money, Bland said he would admit that the
refined system of credits which had grown
up IN the country does to a certain extent
economize the use of money, but in the,
end, the day Of payment, these obligations
aiWAyg came. then mnSt hAva
I'm 1881, when we passed bill for refund
ing the national debt, the national banks
of the United States surrendered SIS, S,OOO.-
900 into the national treasury as a thrent
made for the purpose of inducing veto
from the president; threat which effected
its purpose, and the result WAS this with
drawal of $4,000, 900 fram circulation put
interest up in New York at the rate of ono
per cont a day. Notes and bonds-not
money-they are conveniences. The whole
fight over this issue ia between tho capital
lists, who demand interest, and the people,
who demand money instead of INTEREST,"
The gentleman denounced periodic at
tempts made for international conferences
---an international agresment every time
the free coinage of silver ia proposed.
Are we to bs shaokled here by tho
apathy of governments of other nations?
Is onr financial system to be regulated not
by our own ideas of justice and our own
convenience, but by the convenience of
other nations? Applause The momont
this great government declares for the free
coinage of silver other commercial na-
tions, too, will solve that question. Self
interest will compel them to do so. The
restoration of silver h re meana its restora-
tion everywhere, the world over. APP
plause. Gold and silver have been kery-
ants of civilization since civilization began,
They are twin brothers. When YOU sever
the lgature both are dead. Before gold
can leave this country there must be some
other form of money to take lts place. The
moment you restore silver, If gold is
taken from circulation prices will 10 down
III proportion, and TINT necesstates money
from abroad to purchase commodities hera
that go down because of tho contraction of
money. Let silver DE coined once and
SOC what the result will be. Then
YOU bring them to the level of
plause. 10 the levei of silver, where they
ought to be. Let us remember that as Il
rule when money il plentiful prices arc
good. You may pay little more, bur
labor. after all, is the only money. Wall
street to-day is demonetizing labor, wheat
and cotton. This bill remonetixes them
all" Applause,
Bland declared that the action of ths
government of tho United States on the sil.
yer question had been IN invitation to Eu-
rope to go on upon the old standard. "Wo
began silver's characterization i'll 1878. and
in all our efforts to restore silver We have
been defeated by limitations. When the
free coinage bill WAS pnssed i'll the house III
1878 by a two, thirds majority und went to
the senate the same iden of an interna-
tlonal agreement was injected into the
question: and meanwhile We provided for
the purchase of from a,UO0,0o0 to 4.0O0,OnO
ounces IL month. The last congress passed
an act to purchase 4, ,dnO, OUU ounces ot silver
monthly and ltA irienus proclaimed that il
was done in the interest OF silver. In the
interest of silver he opposed that bill. He
said the gentlemen were d~eeiying them
selves and the country, and silver could not
be brought to par III any snch manner.
The law of 1878 compelled tho coinage and
use of the silver dolar. The law of tho
lprt copyrass uaad bnlIion for whhtY A