Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-12
TALKING ON SILVER.
The Debate on the Financial Oues-
tion in the House.
REPRESENTATIVE HARTER OF OHIO
Was the Principal Speaker on the
List Today.
OTHERS WHO SP KE.
o HERS WHO SP KE.
THE HOUSE.

When the House convened this morning
AT IL O'Clock there were not more than 100
members in attendance. and the audience in
the galleries was a small one The interest
In the silver debate seemed already to be on
the decline: action and not discussion being
generally desired.
Tenn.), resolution was adopted for the
message.
The silver debate was then resumed. MIR.
Wneeier tDem., Ala) being entitled to the
moor. He continued his speech of yesterday
against repeal. The moment the Sherman
act was repealed, he said, that moment
there would not be line or a word in the
laws OF our country recognizing the coinage
Of silver. and there never would be during
our lives or the lives Of our children.
Representative Morse.
Mr.. Wheeler was followed by Mr. Morse
MassD. Mr.. Morse said that the country
had come to two roads. Sound finance
beckoned it on to national integrity and
honor: free silver beckoned it on to finan-
cial ruin and distress. He was heartily in
favor of repeating the purchasing clause OF
the Sherman act. but the remainder of that
act, declaring a parity between the two
metals. was fine craftsmanship and should
stand. So much of the Presidents message
as related to the currency met with his
most unqualified approval. So much of the
message nss,s &c was good republican doctrine. But
proposition, he could not believe with the
chief magistrate that the present appalling
business situation was due entirely to the
purchasing clause of the silver bill 1t was
more largely and principally due to the
threatened tariff legislation, which had I'M
there could be no relief until the demo-
cratic cratic, policy in regard to the tariff was
Mr.. Hnrter of Ohio.
Mr.. Harter dem. Ohio) who was one of
the leading anti-silver men in the Fifty
second Congress-took the floor in advoca-
cy of the Wilson bill. He disclaimed any
idea cf partisanship on this question. 1t
was patriotic question. If party gain
was te accrue by saving the country from
its present situation, he was willing that
the REPUBLICAN party might have it all. He
desired only to lift the country out Of the
pit into which it had fallen. He was able
to say who was responsible for the pres
ent situation. but he did not think that in
a time like to this ii the part of a pa
triot to call up such a question. IL he had
come to the capitol this morning and found
In the gutter man in the last stages Of
alcoholism. that man would have been taken
to a hospital, and his treatment would have
been agreed upon by competent physicians.
But If that drunken man were taken to this
House. there would have been a difference
OF opinion. The doctor from Maryland (Mr.
RaynerD would have said that further al
eon9l should be kept from him; that he
the gold cure. Uaughter.) But the doc
tor from Missouri (Mr. Bland) would look
would say that the man needed more al
cohoi Here was Uncle Sam In q condition
In which he had never before appeared be-
fore the nations of the world, at time
when he should be erect and prosperous.
Uncle Sam was in an almost coma:ose CON-
dition. and had been taken to this hospital
for treatment.
series of Questions.
Mr.. Grosvenor Ohio) Interrupted to in
quire what the gentleman would think of
the physician who in the given case should
simply stop the administration of liquor,
but who prescribed nothing for the future.
Uaughter.)
Mr.. Harter replied that ne was some
that sometimes mild remedies would cure
when radical treatment would kill. There
were gentlemen on this floor OF national
and international regulations who would
I'LL Uncle Sam up with more silver. His
view was to stop the purchase Of silver.
II had been said by the gentleman riom
ed for the repeal for the purchasing clause
would be relegated to private life.
Let Congress give the country an honest
to shake the dust of Washington from his
feet and never enter the House Of Repre-
sentatives again. (Applause)
er the gentleman knew anything about the
silver question that he did not know ten
months ago. Uaughter) Mr.. Harter re-
knew little more of the silver than he
did ten months ago. than he did ten weeks
ago. than he did ten days ago. And
question the longer he lived.
continuing and In reply to questions. Mr..
Harter said that the condition of the work.
1ngman In England was much superior
to the condition OF the workingman in Ohio
principally on account of the silver legis-
lation) as berth in heaven was superior
to cot In purgatory Qaughter). In re-
sponse to a question by Mr. Henderson
Qowa) Mr.. Harter said that the Sherman
and republican Senate. and had been
approved by republican President. Oem-
ocratic applause)
He asked pardon for having made this
reply. 1t was not his intention to raise the
issue of partisanship The question was too
grave. the situation was too serious for men
sanship to be INTERCEPTED. Under the cir
cumstances, God knew that he was unwiIl-
ing to introduce politics into this discus
sion.
Attitude of the Democratic Party.
Mr.. Henderson Qowa) asked the gentle
man to state to the House the attitude of
the democratic party at the time of the
passage of the silver law.
Mr. Harter said that he trusted to -be
good temper Of the House to keep this
question out Of politics.
Mr. Henderson-"Oh! Let us be eood
tempered. but let US be honest"
Mr. Harter said that in referring to '.C,ood
temper he did not mean to use the words
hhcH oTulHdTy dcceptdttOn. He meant
to say that he hoped that there would he
good temper enough to permit him to 70
on with the thread Of his remarks.
Reviewing the history of the Sherman
law, he said that while the law was not a
good law, under the circumstances Senator
sherman, instead Of being abused ought
to have the grateful thanks of the whole
people. because he got the best there VAS
to be obtained for the country out OF a had
situation, which had been brought on by
the republican platform and the election Of
a republican President With Mr. Cveyo
land in the presidential chair a free coin
age of silver measure could no more con-
troll his signature than could the death
warrant of the Speaker of this House
Mr. Henderson persisted in his question
as to the attitude of the democratic party
at the time of the passage of the Sherman
law.
Free coinage" shouted several members
on the democratic side.
An Honest Answer.
Mr.. Henderson-There is an honest an
swer from the democratic side. Will the
gentleman be equally honest?