, 1892-03-23
Mr.. Bland Opens Fire for Un-
limited Silver Coinage
he Deals in Cold, Plain Stats
tics for Argument.
Harter Answers Him with Elk
ceedingly Opposite Views.
The Two Speakers Consume
., the Entire Day.
House.

WAShlNtION, uhrcn. ILL tue
house the Bland silver bill was taken up.
MI. Bland declared the action of the gov
m OF the United States on the silver
question had been an invitation to Eu-
rope to go upon the gold standard. We
began %silver's demonstration in 1873 and
and 10 all our efforts to restore silver we
have been defeated by limitations. When
the free coinage bill passed in the house
10 1878 by a two thirds majority and went
to the senate. the same idea of an ~interna
tional agreement was injected into the
question and meanwhile we provided for
the purchase OF from two to four millions
a month.
The last congress passed an act to pur-
chase $500. 900 ounces Of silver monthly,
aud its friends proclaimed that it was
done in the interests of silver. In the in
terest of silver ne opposed that bill. The
gentlemen we're deceiving themselves and
the country and silver could not be
brought to par In any such a manner.
The law of 1873 compelled a coinage and
use Of the silver dollar. The law of the
last congress used bullion for what2 As
mere lead capital in the treasury which
might as well be in the bottom of the Pc
tomac.
Was the United States to be frightened
by the action of other n%atious2 Because
thcv were demonetizing silver and going
to the gold standard. must the United
States follow suit? This silver question
would not down. because it was the Amer
lean people who well understood it. In
conclusion Bland said: Il appeal to gen.
tlemen on the floor to lay aside every idea
of party exigency; every idea but that
which is right and just and cast their
votes according to the dictates of their
own cousciences and the pledges they
made to the great productive masses of
this country. If they do. the bill is safe:
the cause is won." Applause.
Harter took the floor at the conclusion
of Bands speech. He said since 1873
we have mined 1929. 900, 900 in gold, or
an average of over $40. DOC, 900 a year.
Under the Bland bill this would cease
and free coinage would drive out our gold
and cave what remained merchandise. as
wheat, corn and cotton are. The unlim-
tied coinage of gold and silver on a ratio
of sixteen to one would drive out gold
because it would undervalue it. Gold
sells in all parts of the world for 90. SO
times its weight in silver, and if. under
free coinage, we only give it the value of
l6. all human experience shows we would
have no gold in circulation.
/ submit that this bill is not free coin
age-it is purely and simply a bill to COM
pei the people of the United States TO buy
the entire product of the most prosperous
and Hourishing interest, small in the num-
Der of its members, but very rich IN dol
lars. at a price which gives them on the
cost of the product a protective tariff. or
a bounty, of over l43 per cent. Not con-
tent with this enormous burden which the
bill places on the over 60, DOC, 900 Of our
people IN no way interested as owners of
silver mines. 1t proposes to make us the
virtual purchasers of all the silver pro-
duced in the world and at l29 cents per
ounce. while much OF it costs not over
81 cents per ounce.
L submit that An equally bold PROPOSE
tion never secured the assent of any legis-
lative body in the world, and If it passes
this house. now that its provisions are
laid bare. 1t will be a record which will
come back to plague aud shame its mem
bers down to the hour they 90 into their
collins. Blu. for this discussion we would
be getting from Europe $l5, 900. 900 or
800, DOC. 900 in gold a mouth. Instead of
this, alarmed and excited, Europe is send
ing back our stocks and securities BY the
ream. Her purchases of the past quarter
of a century are coming back BY every
steamer and, instead of gold reaching our
shores, 1t pours out and away through
every channel. Continue this wild craze
for free silver and fair crops in Europe
next year will bankrupt the United States.
Let US counsel and compel wise and
prudent action now and those who come
after US will praise our wisdom aud bless
our memories. Neglect this opportunity,
and the names of those whose votes fasten
ruin on our party will rot.
Senate.
WASHINGTON, March 25.-Turpie rose
to a personal explanation. He had read a
newspaper report of an interview of
Judge Woods, in which the latter spoke
of Turpie as a hypocrite, he( Turpie)having
borne himself toward the judge as a per-
sonal friend. Turple denied that he ever had
social or personal relations with Woods,
and denied further hat he had ''coDgrat-
ulated" Woods on the supreme courts
unfolding of his decision in the tally
sheet case.
A bill for the relief of settlers of the
public lands was taken up and passed. "a
to pa party vote except that Hale voted
no with the democrats.
A bill to improve the navigation OF the
Mississippi river, etc was taken up as a
special order, the committee amendments
reducing the total appropriation from