The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-27
SILVER DEBATE CLOSED.
The House Will Begin Voting on
the Question at Noon
Monday.
q Large Crowd Present to Hear
the Closing Speeches by
Leaders.
Elhnd and Wilson Represent the Opposing
IOrGes-BOurles Cochran Makes
Loud-S0nhding speech.

A'ihh" ana wilson Represent the Opposing
Torces-Honrke Cockran Mnkesn
Understanding speech.
WAsnNdToN, Aug. 2G.:-The galleries Of
the house we're filled this morning. at
trhcted by the fact that the last day of the
great silver debate would be signalizsd by a
battle of oratorical giants.
he speaker announcel that debate in
author, Wilson, of West Virginia, opposed
by Band, of Missouri.
Ex-Sreaker Reed, of Maine. nfter sketch
ing briefly the financial condition of the
country. and declaring that hs had no de-
sire to deal with the situation from a po-
litioal standpoint proceeded 10 cay: 1.-The
democratic party was brought into power
by curious combination of circumstances.
but in large measure bv the American peo-
pie. Consciousness of this fact underlies
the fnti,e situation."
He would not raise the question whether
protection is wise or not, but the fact re-
mained that even if IL be admitted that the
propositions of she democratic platform
are entirely correct, that system upon which
the manufactures of the country were
regulated for thirty years. is threatened
with total change. Whether that change
know. What the democratic party pro-
posed to do nobody can say; they do not
even know themselves
The speaker did not believe the demo-
cratic party utterly bad. nor that they
would be permitted to be 80 if they de-
sired. If reformation of the tariff were in
Che hands even OF its friends who favored
protection, instead of those who denounced
1t. business would be sta9nant or at
standstill But when its reformation is in
she hands OF men opposed to the present
system the manufacturers must necessarily
call a halt. If their goods are to como in
competition with tho manufactures of
other lands where production is on a differ
ent basis, whose labor is differently re-
garded. no manufacturer will dare manu-
facture more than absolute necessity re-
guires.
He characterized in this one phrase the
cause of the present condition of affairs
the undiscoverable uncertainty of the fu-
ture OF both the Gu rency question and the
question of protection and revenue tariff.
He considered the Sherman act and the
accumulation of silver as the earliest indi-
the chief cause. He did not believe the
democratic congress would so revise the
tariff that worklnRmen would be brought
back even to the condition of workingmen
under the Walker tariff.
Though he did not believe the repeal of
the Sherman act would give immediate
prosperity, he would vote for it because.
whether justly or not, il is believed to be
the cause of the boarding of currency and
because only by repeal could the nation
hope to attract foreign capital.
Dearmond. of Missouri. took Carlisle to
policy of his predecessor. Had the Sher-
man law been properly executed parity
would have been maintained. 1t might be
true. but he did not believe the story that
democrats and republicans of the senate
had agreed to drop tariff reform to secure
She passage of the repeal bill. The divid
ing lines were the money powers of the
east with foreign backing. against the toll
ing masses of the west and south.
Cochran. of New York. after some pre-
liminary uttsrances, said the democratic
plntform did not declare for the free coin
age of silver. An attempt wss made in the
convention by delegates from Colorado to
commit the party to that principle, but il
failed to secure ten votes. Colorado and
Nevada were declaring that the party is de-
parting from tho plato: nj Ill this matter.
If that is SO. why did those states take to
the woods in the election of 1892? 1t was
because those states abandoned the demo-
cfatic platform that Pence WAS elected to
the house from Colorado.
Cochran declared he was standing on the
platform with both feet. He asserted, and
dehed Bland to prove otherwise, that the.e
is no instance in the history of civilization
where gold and silver circulated side by side
at any ratio: fluctuations are such az to
constantly drive out the dearer metal.
France had to import six hundr cd millions
of gold TO maintain parity. and the United
States would have to do the same under
like circumstances.
Cochran controve,ted She assertion OF
Bryan, of Nebraska. that silver is still the
basis of value of farmers products. saying
"lf that Is SO. WHY do You not give him the
full value of it2 You would give the farmer
81 Il gralns of pure silver, while l would
give him 6511,." The p opposed debasement
of coin would reduce debts 45 per
cent, Bryan assumed that the loss
would fall on tho banks, but the
fact was the banks and corpo atons
were the debtors of the country and the
workingmen the creditors. tie denied that
gold appreciated. Never before did the
laboring man of America rocoive SO much
gold for his labor. Bland and r yam pro-
pose. in their plans 10 make the bankers of
New York present OF S2l. .00oOo0 in the
settlement of accounts with deposltors,
and deprive the laboring man of ~ per
cent of the value of his wok.
bryan. interrupting, asked If that Ia 80
why tho New York banks denounced him
self and Bland. and why Grand Master
Powderly was with them.
Cochran replied that the banks had
leaned that in business and politics hon
esty is the best policy. Cochran claimed
that business deptessions are always due TO
the imitation of the currency or of credit
beyond the capacity of business interests to
support. The operation of the Sherman
law proved this. 1t had inc eased the cur |
rency; now At ingency follows.
Rland's proposition 70 give 31ih Rrains
of silver would be called robbery II related |
to wheat or corn. The farmer suffered |
most in the depreciation of prices under |
the Sherman law. and it was strange that 1T
il the friends of the farmer who desired its
continuance.
Cook an closed with an eloquent appeal
for equity and justice as the basis of gov
ernmental policy. awakins whirtwind of |
applause and cries of "Note."
The speaker was overwhelmed with con-
erstulations on his magnificent effort. The
excitement on the floor WAS no great that
the speaker had to call on the officers of |
the house to restore order.
CLOSING SrEECUEs.
Delivered by Bland, Of Missouri. and Will |
son, of West Virginia.