Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-07
STATUS OF SILVER.
MR. woLcorT ON THE sueJEcT IN
THE FEDERAL SENATE.
He Makes Vigorous Assault on the Ad'
minissrstien snd II Given Marked
Senatorial Attention.
rBy telegraph TO the Dispasch.I

WASHINGTON, D. c.. April e.--ln the
Senate at halfpast II o'clock to-day
Mr.. Morgan called up his silver reso-
lutions and yielded the floor to Ar.
Wolcott, of Colorado, who proceeded
to address the Senate. They might as
well. he said. face the truth on the silver
question. The bill had been put to sleep
In the House of Representatives and would
not be eresuscitsted. Nobody had expected
the measure TO become q law during this
administration because the present Execu-
tive last summer foreshadowed bis veto,
and those in his counsels had openly pro-
claimed it since The friends OF silver,
however. had hoped that it would at least
score some advantage this session.
If the votes of the two houses had
been polled in December there would have
been clear majority of fifty for free silver
coinage in the other body and majority
of twelve In this. But today II vote
were had on the motion to take ire silver
bill from the calendar 1t would not
be carried. SO the friends OF silver were
left fighting the air on series of general
resolutions. 1t was proper time, there-
fore, for the friends of free coinage, having
practically suffered defeat, to gather up
their wounded and dead, determine where.
the deserters were hidden, fortify their
entrenchments for the next encounter, ana
stop, if possible, tho destructive rear
firing, which had not only damaged but
had surprised them.
sage of the silver bill was in this Con-
eress. as it had been for three years. the
present administration. No stone had
been left unturned, no effort unemployed,
to compass the defeat of the measure.
The national convention was soon coming
on and decisive action on the silver
question was supposed TO be rather embar-
RAISING, and thing il would be better to
| avoid. The necessity OF a. vote had to
be prevented, If possible, and so
the miserable work had begun. The
Offices bad been parcelled out: the party
lash had been cracked, aud wavering
members had been gained. The work had
apparently been effectively done, and yet
there was always a tomorrow. Nobody
was deceived. But it would have been
graceful act in On outgoing President to
have permitted the two houses OF Con-
gress 10 vote according to their own IN
! cllnation on O measure OF national I'M
| por,ance. The spectacle. humiliating as 1T
was. showed that it was but an amazing
| change Of front by great section OF the
Democratic party.
During the last session that party had
stood manfully to Its party tradition-hard
money. A clear majority of its members
had taken the stump before the election
and pledged themselves that they would
vote for the free and unlimited coinage OF
| silver. The sudden change would be
| ridiculous, il its effects were not tragic.
| One prophet of Democracy announced
| that tariff reform was the slogan.
| Another insisted that being Demo-
| crat was the test and the watchword. The
South and West wanted free coinage, but
! these leaders (alluding to Cleveland and
| Hid thought that they must carry New
York and couple of little States ad.
! joining. These States were lenders, not
| borrowers, and wanted rather less than
more money. The friends OF the tariff
reforner had, in the North at least. the
! courage of their convictions, and demand
| ed the putting aside OF the silver ques'
| ton. =,
The adherents of another Moses, who
was to lead his people out OF bondage,
wanted to crafty the popular demand, but
were fearful of their eastern followers,
az would" And the silver bill was shut
| fed aside.
Mr.. Wolcott, at the close Of his perora-
tion. received q round of applause from
the senators, which was taken up ana re-
peated by the audience in tho galleries.
Although be read from atype-written copy
OF his speech. his delivery was free, breezy,
forcihle, aud effective. Tho attendance ol
senator's was unusually large. Not one
went out after he began to speak; and
there did not appear 10 be one senator III
the chamber who did not. from the first tc
the last sentence of the speech, give TO II
his undivided attention.
Mr.. Morgan formally offered the amend,
ment to his resolutions-which he had
presented yesterday then the resoiu'
tlous went over without action. retaining
their place on the calendar.
1t is improbable that there will be any
discussion of the silver bill either directly
or indirectly in the Senate during the re-
mainder OF the present week. BY common
consent the Senate was to devote two days
thus week to the consideration Of bills OF
the calendar, and it is understood that i
any time remains after the disposition o
the District or Columbia appropriation
bill, which is to be taken up tomorrow
morning, the Senate shall turn to the cal
endar. The silver senators have acqul
esced IN this programme, but they are pre-
pairing to continue their speeches upoi
| tbair favorite subiect next week.