Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-09-30
THE SILVER DEBATE.
synopsis of the Discussion in the United
States Senate.

Mr.. Voorhees, gave notice that he would ask
the senate to remain longer in daily session. per-
haps ut night
Mr. Mills dem, Tex) then spoke, advocating
repeal. The Sherman law was an unwise law
and as such should be repealed. 1t had been |
said in this debate that according to the pres
ident stood face to face with bimetalsm |
against single gold standard. That statement |
was not accurate The president had not made |
the issue. The facts had made the issue; |
and 1t for congress to deter |
mine between bimetalism the one |
side and n single silver standard on |
the other The president had been charged |
with having deserted the democratic platform. |
The president stood squarely with both feet on |
the platform OF the party that had elected him |
and was ready to execute the pledges which his
party had made to the people. The |
men who were attacking the president
were the men who were off the platform.
There was demand in the country
for the repeal of the Sherman law
for its unconditional repeal The democratic
party had arraigned the Sherman law as an
unwise law and declared that it should be re-
pealed The democrats were pledged to revise
the Mckinley act. Was the senate to walt be-
fore 1t repealed the Sherman act until the house
of representatives acted upon the tnrinY 1t
was said that Arizona and New Mexico should
be admitted states. Was the senate to wait
until this was done before it relieved the dis.
tress of the peopeg
Mr.. Mills then proceeded to argue that
bimetallism could not exist when intrinsic
value and money value were not precisely the
same. II they were not the same, how could
they be made the same, except by international
agreement? He was in favor of the free and
unlimited coinage OF gold and silver, but free
and unlimited coinage must result in
bimetallism And bimetallism would not
be the result of the United States
alone of all nations of the earth
opening her mints 10 coinage. In con-
clusion, Mr.. Mills said he was going to
vote for the repeal, and he would vote against
every amendment to 1t that human ingenuity
could suggest He could not conceive OF any
amendment that could be offered that would
not impeach the integrity of the president and
would vote against every one
Mr.. Stewart rep, New protested against
any closure proposition. II the silver men
went down they would go down protesting.
On the Goth the senate remained i'll continu-
Gus session six hours and half, the longest
session since the repeal bill was taken up Mr.
George (Mss) addressed the senate in oppos-
tion to repeal He read his remarks to slim
audience and several times roll had to be
called to develop the presence OF a quorum.
Mr.. Gray (DeL) spoke in advocacy OF the repeal
bill.
On the 2ist Senator Platt rep, Comm Of
fered an amendment TO the senate rules provid-
ing for closure: He said the rules OF the SEN
ate. as OF every legislative body, ought to facil.
itate the transaction of business while as
matter of fact it could not be denied
that they made it impossible to trans
propriety of change of rules to reason
ably facilitate the transaction of business was
brought to the attention Of the senate, 1t was
the best plan to enter upon that work He
knew ii would be said that in the present con-
diton of affairs in the senate such n
rule could not be adopted, but he be-
lieved it could be adopted by a vote Just
as easily and quickly the repeal bill could be
passed While he had not consulted SEN
ators upon the republican side, he thought a
large number on that side favored the adoption
OF that rule, Senator White dem, La-) then
spoke the repeal bill, claiming that there
were other causes for the financial panic be
sides the Sherman act
On the nd Senator Allen (pop, Neb) intro
duced bill making the dollar (Which may be
coined OF il2i grains Of silver or y $40 grains
OF gold the unit OF value. The bill also re-
peals the Sherman act and provides that own
crs OF silver bullion may deposit in the min t.,
and such silver, less 20 per cent ito be deduct
ed for seignorage ana coined into silver dollars
and put in the treasury), shall oe coined into
standard dollars for his benefit
The resolution of Senator Platt rep, Conn }
for closure rule in the senate was then taken
up and Senator Wolcott rep, COLI addressed
the senate. Although he said that he would
vote against the resolution he declared that no
factious opposition would be made to it, and
that vote upon IL could be reached
much sooner than . vote upon the repeal
bill could be, II the senate desired vote
the closure resolution it could have
it without much debate. He would not inter-
pose the slightest objection II there was a
failure to press 1t to q vote then criticism on
the senators opposing the repeal bill would have
TO cease The debate on the repeal bill could
be sthed by the closure rule, but 1t could not
be stifled otherwise.
Senator Teller rep, Col) declared that he
would resist by every method, obstructive and
otherwise the adoption of rule in the senate
which would limit or restrict debate.
On the I'D the closure resolution was further
discussed, Messrs, Turpie dem, Ind) and Cal
OIL dem, Fla speaking in opposition to the same
after which the resolution was referred to the
committee rules An effort 10 take up th'
repeal bill was made by Mr.. Voorhees,, who af
forwards moved an executive session. which
was agreed TO.
raigued President Cleveland for alleged viola
tion OF the constitution seeking to infiuenc,
the legislative department of the government
speaking of his resolution declaring that "th
independence of the coordinate departments o
the government must be maintained and tina
the use of :he power and influence OF one de
partment to control the action of another is il
violation OF the constitution and destructive II
our form OF government"
Mr.. Stewart began with q citation of tn
presidents speech on the occasion of common
Grating the hundredth anniversary of the lay
ing of the corner stone OF the capito. Thi
speech had been made by 4 president havin
more than 100000 federal officers to dispose O
signed only for extraordinary occasions, backe
by concentrated capital and encouraged an
fattered by venal press. He described M,
Cleveland on that occasion as turning hi
face toward the senate wing OF the capitol an
in angry and menacing tones using the follow
ing language: "lf the Representatives VIII
here assemble to make laws for their fellow
1ountrymen forget the duty of broad and disir
teresed patriotism, and legislete in prejudic
and passion, or in behalf OF sectional or SELLS
interests the time when the corner stone OF tn
capitol was laid and the circumstances SUI
rounding it will not be worthy of commemC
rating"
This declurati on Mr., Stewart said, had bee
checred and encouraged by thoughtess multi
tude and construed by venal press US n
Luke TO the senate
He charged that the president, in disreGar
OF his oath of ONCE TO execute the laws, ha
permitted the secretary of the treasury TO viz
late the order which made the purchase
100000 ounces of silver bullion per mont