Omaha daily bee., 1893-08-12

once.
Mr.. Bland said he had no objection to de-
bate after the previous question was ordered
Mr.. Bland aud Mr.. Cannon entered into
controversy, which was 50 animated, and,
withal, so unintellgible, that both gentle
men were called to order by the speaker.
MIR Bland again demanded the previous
question.
MIR Cannon had some difficulty in securing
the yeas and nays but did at last, and the
previous question was ordered-Yeas. 2l1i
nays, 100
Blands silver Bill.
Mr.. Bland then pres cptcd tho following
bill for the silver men, which pro des for
free coinage and repeals the silver Irchas-
ing law:
BE 1t Enacted, etc, That from and after the
passage OF this act, all holders of silver bullion
to the amount of 500 or more, standard weight
and fineness, shall be entitled to have the
same coined at the mlnts of the United states
Into silver dollars OF the weight and fineness
provided for in section of this act.
Sec. 2-rhat the silver dollar provided for In
this act shall consist of 4l2a grains OF Standard
silver, said dollar to be n legal tender for all
debts, dues and demands both public and
private.
See. 3-Tho holder of the silver dollars here
In provided for shall be entitled to deposit the
same and receive silver certificates, in the
manner provided by law, for the standard sill
yer dollar.
Sec. $50 much of the act of July IA, 1890
as requires the monthly purchase OF 4,oOO,OoO
ounces of silver bullion be, aud the same Is
hereby repealed
Spoke in Impassioned Tones.
MIR Rayner, democrat, of Maryland was
the first speaker, and he was an impassioned
one. He was, he said, in favor of the un-
qualified repeal of the purchasing clause OF
the Sherman bill without any condition on
provlso whatsoever. He was not in favor of
purchasing another ounce of silver or the
coinage of IL at the present ratio, or any
other ratio. He desired to say that he had
no hostility whatever to the use of silver on
n proper basis as circulating medium,
but after earnest consideration he was
convinced beyond all doubt and question
that its recognition as n circulating medium
without intcrna tlonal agreement was n fnan-
cial undertaking utterly impossible of ac
complishment, except at the risk of ruin and
disaster In his opinion the present ratio
was unjust and arbitrary. 1t lay not i'll the
power of this government to purchase the
silver product of the mines, to impress upon
it fictitious value and, by legislative de-
cree, compel the people to take it at a price
in utter disproportion to the price which 1t
commanded in every commercial center OF
the world. The Treasury department was
acting as a pawnbroker for the silver miners.
This system of finance, built up by political
tricks and maneuyers, must be swept from
the statute books Every dollar of the ma
tions coin must be dollar everywhere and
in every commonwealth. He wanted that
law repealed because it stood without an
example or parallel. The law had brought
about distress and suffering and business
stagnation, which called IN the loudest tones
for it's repeal He wanted it repealed be-
| cause it protected the owners of mines to
| the ruin of the farmer and disaster of the
| people. Let not the United States stamp
! lie on its coin IN order to crafty the greed
or avarice of any section of the country.
Would stand by the Platform.
Mr. Brown, democrat, of,Indana, who fol-
| lowed Mr.. Rayner. expressed himself in
| favor of the free coiuage of silver. but in
| view of the lIVp DuSinnSS hrOnpht "A hon l.
| by the Sherman law, and in view of the
| declarations of the democratic platform at
| Chicago, he would vote for the repeal of the
| Sherman law in any event, conditions or no
| conditions. He would not assume that the
| president was opposed to the coinage of
+! silver money. He knew no one but the
| president himself who was ready TO ex-
! press the opinion of the president on this
| subject. If he ventured an opinion at all as
TO what the presidents opinions were, it
| would be that the president was in favor OF
| the coinage of both gold and silver, without
| discrimination against either metal, and
, that the president would redeem every
| pledge and promise he made in accepting the
| democratic nomination.
| Mr.. BANDS Speech.
Mr. Bland, democrat, of Missouri, the
| great silver advocate, was then recognized
| by the speaker. He expressed his regret
that a number of gentlemen had changed
| their opinion on the silver question. The
| gentleman VINO Hdu JuSG taKen MS seat nau
been regarded as one of the most ardent and
| able advocates of bimetallism. He had re-
| treltcd from part of the Chicago platform
from that parJ, of all others, that had con-
tributed to give him seat in the house.
He had turned his face toward the east
and his back toward the west The Sher-
man bill was the only law on the statute
books that looked to the use of silver us a
money of the country. He knew at the
time of its passage that the element that
STRIVING lis the
element opposed TO free coinage. He knew
at the time that that element would demand
its repeal at the first moment it saw its op
portunity. The repeal of the Sherman act
had been Il part of the Chicago platform
Another part had been q declaration for the
use of both gold and silver as the money OF
the country. Speaking for the people he rep
resented, he understood that the free coin.
age of silver, in accordance of the platform
necessarily repealed the Sherman law. The
two laws could not exist together. They were
inconsistent.
Mr.. Bland then reviewed recent silver and
financial legislation and contendel IL was an
apprehension that the United States would
repeal the Sherman law that induced the
British government TO recommend to the
government of India the suspension of silver
coinage. Why was there being rushed in
now, he asked, n proposition to repeal the
only law which sustained for the moment Al
least the value of silveri
What Franco Had Done.
Mr.. Bland appealed to members to stand
by bimetallism and not to obey 'the com
mands of the shylocks. France he went OF
to say, had afforded a medium of exchange
for all the world during seventy years a /
ratio of l5l5 of silver to of gold. AT that
ratio France had been able TO maintain the
parity of the two metals all over the world
That was proof that the government of the
United States could do so at Il ratio of III tC
|. If Europe refused TO accept that ratio
the effect would be TO divert from Europe al
the trade of every silver producing country
in the world. Could England, he asked
Withstand this withdrawal of trade? Ger
I tainly not. II was bimetallism that made
the manufacturers of England so strong
and prosperous Western Europe woulC
have TO come TO the American standard or
abandon its commerce with the United
States and all civilized countries. The
| United States was the best market In the
world for the manufactured products o.
Europe, and that market Europe could moi
have unless 1t recognized and accepted silver
at the same value as the United States did
The monouctallst of Europe knew that i
this country went into the free coinage o.
gold aud silver at "a fair ratio 1t woulC
setJle the question for the world and hence
their interests and determination to preven
IT, IL was not only serious question fo
the United States, but the oppressed peopl,
of the old world appealed 10 this country Il
settle the question for them and the whole
| world