The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-08-19
The Silver Battle On.


The silver battle is on in the House oI
Representatives the debate having been
opened on Friday Of last week by Repre-
sentative Rayuer Of this state in favor OF
the unconditional repeal of the silver pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman act.
Conferences between the silver and anti
silver advocates ended in an agreement that
fourteen days should be allowed Tor debate
and that a decisive vote ON the repeal OF the
purchasing clause should be taken on next
Saturday, the 10Th.
Hon. w. L. Wilson of West Virginia
last Friday introduced the following bill
That so much Of the act approved July Ia,
1880. AS directs the Secretary of the Treasury
to iIurchaSe from time TO time silver bullion
30 the aggregate amount Of $500. GOO ounces,
or so much thereof rs may be offered IN each
month at the market price thereof. not ex
ceedins 81 for 81 grams of pure silver. aud
To issue in payment for such purchase Treas
ury notes Of the United States, be, and the
same is hereby repealed. But tins repeal
shall not impair nor IL any manner affect the
legal tender quality OF the standard silver
dollars heretofore coined; and The faith and
credit ofthe United States are hereby pledged
to maintain HE parity of the gold aud silver
coin of the United States, at the present legal
ratio, or such other ratio as may be estab
fished by law.
This is the Administration bill, and OPP
posed to it MIR. Bland presented the bill OF
the free silver men, as follows
That from and after the passage of this act
all holders of silver bullion to the amount OF
800 or more ofstandard weight and ineness,
shall he entitled 10 have the same coined at
the minis Of the United States into silver dol
lars of the weight and hneness provided Tor
in section . of this act
Sec. . That the silver dollar provided for
in this act shall consist Of Az. grains of
standard silver. said dollar To be II legal ten
der for all debts. dues, and demands, both
public and private.
See. ,. The holder of the silver dollars
herein provided for shall be entitled to de
post the same and receive silver certificates
in the manner now provided by law for the
standard silver dollar.
Sec. A. So much oflhe act of July II, 1880,
as requires the monthly purchase of $500
900 ounces of silver bullion shall be, and the
same is, hereby repealed.
Upon these bills the debate began, and
under the terms of the agreement between
the silver and anti-silver forces, eleven OF
the fourteen days set apart for tie debate
shall he devoted to general discussion OF
the financial situation as affected by silver
coinage laws and the remaining three to
the consideration of the Wilson bill and
amendments to it that the silver advocates
will have the privilege of offering. These
amendments comprise, first, proposition
for the free coinage of silver at the present
ratio of l6 to /, and then Ii to |, and so
on up to ratio of 20 TO l. If all of
the proposed amendments shall fail, the
silver men shall have the privilege of offer
ing the amendment reviving the act OF
February 2S, 1873, restoring the standard
silver dollar, commonly known as the
Bland Allison act Then will come the
vote on the final passage of the bill,
amended or not amended, as the case may
be- In offering this proposition TO the
silver men their opponents conceded every
thing that they could within reason, being
actuated by a desire to secure definite ac-
tion at the earliest possible date.