Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-08-17

duction of silver that had brought
down its value II was legislation that
had done it-legislation in Germany
and the United States. How could II
be expected that silver would retain
It's value when those two great nations
took away the monetary use of silver2
With the resources and population OF
the United States II was only necessary
for the United States to fix policy
and stand by It.
The trouble was caused by the open
and sedulous inculcation of tho idea
that the country was about TO go to the
gold standard and that the silver
money in the country would be worth
less.
Mr.. Palmer dem, Ill.)-Would the
repeal Of the Sherman act bring the
country to a gold standard2
Mr.. Vest-I think IL would. II the
Sherman act be repealed not another
silver dollar would be coined in this
country.
Mr.. Palmer-How does the Sherman
act aid free coinage?
Mr.. Vest-T do not know that II does
aid free coinage.
Mr. Palmer-Then why not repeal itp
Mr.. Vest-I am willing to have IL re-
pealed, but | do not want its repeal
made stalking horse for monometal-
llsm.
Mr.. Vest spoke OF the unfortunate
condition of the miners of the west,
and said that the somewhat dramatic
remark of an ex-senator recently, that
In the extreme west the people were
crying for bread and that in New York
they were crying for gold, was literally
true.
Suppose" said he, "that we were
called upon to-day TO pass law stop
ping the factories of New England,
what protests would we hear from
that section? Suppose we were
called upon to strike down the wheat
culture Of Dakota and of the Red river
of the north, would we not expect to
hear protests against Il? II | were
here from one of the silver producing
states | would fight the demonetiza-
tion of silver as fought the force bill,
because IL involves all that those peo-
pie should hold dear in the way of
property rights and of the comforts of
life. Arguments would have to be
brought here stronger than proofs Of
Holy Wit TO make me agree to II. II
| can, by any possibility, by legisla-
ton, tentative or otherwise, keep this
great disaster from these people-citi-
zens of this great republic, of the same
blood and lineage as ourselves-l will
take the chances OF oven a mistake on
my part rather than perpe trate what
consider such an outrage upon them.
81 know these western states, not
| from theory, but from experience.
know what these people have endured,
leaving the comforts OF what was then
civilization in the eastern and middle
states and going out with rifle in the
one hand and pick in the other, blaz-
ing the pathway of civilization in the
canyons of the Rocky mountains.
They have built up the silver mining
industry on the faith pledged TO them
by the people of the United States-in
| its constitution and laws-that the
product of those mines shall
be considered as money metal,
and we are now asked, through
the financial Four Hundred of
New York and the commercial
classes Of England, TO betray these
people and say to them, find some
thing else to do. We want gold, gold,
gold No Mr.. President, | will not do
IT, If the time comes when find that
have made n mistake, can at least
have the consolation of knowing that
my heart and head both approve the
action which propose to take in re-
gard to this measure In conclusion
Mr.. Vest repealed the idea of there be-
ing a necessity for international agree
ment on the subject of silver,
At the close of his speech Mr.. Hoar
rep, Mass.) obtained the floor, and
then after short executive session for
the reference to committees of the
nominations received yesterday, the
senate adjourned.