Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-08-22
Cleveland and the Chicago Plat
form Scored in Silser Debate.
BANKS DISTRESSING LABOR
sir Set Speeches in the House for and
Against Free CoinAgc and He
peal OF the sherman Act

s->~% - ~@Fttth W ttt' ttk~@s Va 49, f.t
chasing clause of the Sherman act lie
referred 10 the Chicago platform ana 10
the Interpretation placed upon II byvar-
ious democrats The gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Sibleyl had referred
20 the Saviour of mankind as the tfst
democrat and hai taken the utteranccs
of the Saviour n his platform. Thegen-
tieman from Massachusetts, tNr. Evercttl
had taken Grover Cleveland as his plat
form and had gone around his district
singing at the top OF his voice sOh. isn't
be dandyy"
Mr.. Powers went on TO argue that the
purchasing cIanse OF the Sherman bill
was vicious in principle aud dangerous
In application. II free coinage were
adopted the gold bugs could corner the
market Just as easily as they could to-
day. IL did not do merely 10 say that
the republican party was responsible
for il.
People Lack Confidence.
Mr. Hooker opposed the unconditional
repeal OF the purchasing clause. The
president spoke about restoring conf
dence. Where was confidence lacking?
1t was in the great masses Of tho people;
il was in the money situation Of the
country that locked up the currency. IL
labor was distressed il was attributed 10
tho action OF the banks. The repeal OF
the Sherman law would not restore
trade or commerce. nor would il relieve
the wage earners. The present depres-
sion was not attributable so much TO
the Sherman act as 10 the Mckinley
act He would admit that the free coin
age Of silver would not give absolute re-
lief; but he contended that it would
give relief TO very great extent.
The debate was then suspended TO al
low the speaker to announce the stand
ing and select committees OF the present
congress.
Then. on motion Of Mr.. Bland, Satur-
day next was set apart for general de-
date Of the Wilson bill instead OF debate
under the i've minute rule.
Opposed Free Coinage.
Mr.. Cooper spoke in opposition to the
free coinage OF silver. He would rather
favor a pdhcy which would give the
couutw safe. recognized, stable cur
ren0 Snan enter upon experiments at
this fiue. IL congress repealed the
purchasing clause il would cot strike
down nor kill silver. In his opinion il
would mt up silver and make il the
equal OF gold. He suspected that the
arguments that this course would strike
down silver meant that il would strike
down the silver industry and not the
silver money. He then argued in sup
port OF he proposition to repeal the tar
on state banks.
Mr.. Alexander advocated free silver
coinage and spoke for larger currency.
III some relief were not given to the
country there might be trouble. But
he did not think the repeal OF the Sher-
man act nor the abolition OF the tax
upon state banks would give this relief.
Mr.. Speery opposed free coinage and
advocated the Wilson bill. He called
attention TO the fact that when the ratio
Of 10 10 was adopted the fight was
upon the question whether the ratio
should be 15ss 10 i or l6 TO 1. Now the
silver men did not seem To caro- whether
the ratio should be lG TO or 20
should Not Burden the People.
Mr.. Cox argued against the pending
bill and rccounted the hardships To
which the people OF bis district had
been subjected since the war. Never by
his voice nor his vote would there be
another feather weight placed upon
their backs He was speaking. be said.
in behalf Of the poor colored men of his
country. The gentlemen on the other
sile might claim 10 control the negroes
but at last the negroes had got to tho
other side.
Mr.. Chickering asked IL that was the
reason the gentlemen spoke for them.
Mr. Cox replied that he had come TO
the conclusion that the negroes consti.
tuted the best part Of the republican
party.
Mr. Settle said that in his canvas he
had opposed the free coinage of silver
The furtherest be would GO was the
coming of the American product lie
believed the voice Of the laboring class
of his state is not FOR free coinage but
simply for the incrense % the circula-
ton ~ the country. but he was not in
favor II an increase u the currency that
did not increase with sound and good
money. fApplauseL He was in favor
81 bimetallism. lie was not In favor of
striking down silver but be stood unal-
terably opposed O. the free coinage ~
silver In the absence % an international
agreement He would record his vote
against the amendments Of the gentle
man from Missouri mir. Elandl and
would vote for tho Wilson biz. ZAP
plausck
The house then AZ 5 o'clock took re-
cess until O'Clock.
Evening Debate.
n. fAa ~. MI
addressed the house IN opposition 60 the
Wilson ard in favor of the free coinage
q silver Silver hy the Sherman act
had been stabbed with the dagger of
BrntaN The situation hai come 10
pass rheil the people could stand il 10
longer. Applause
The republican party. be said, had
been swept out n power. bat the hreexe
which bad swept Il cot a power uooid
belong 2, the cyciune ehtch wouli
sweep th,s country n the democrats uere
unfaithfrl b The pselxes of the platform
opon which they bad been elected
Mr. NriDonslf said that ie wae in p
vor q the FREE ecinaae q god snd silver
Al any ratio sbss falehf b. ncsertable
tie woaI3 th~n renaoss fross both their
fe9al tender qslaiits flnf the goqefn
asent should hftfe fhs prislie..s q pey
ifig sverf doiiaf q ssei IN coan. ihat
vae the uniy slefhod q f<sfafinE tie
rerift q the leo es~fnl4
NJ liartlsf sai3 that ei,th ne fnee
saxs q the Ffetltl~ss ~ Esa ln tts4f
oHah seensd he represented = IAfmsas
csnstituft.cY tftiiaz. e4nsfEttifnef. a
ssfefin< f-l8sfttaeA<y = tsnslng etan
enfseafg sad a. demanded tlist the
FasshssiAe fises~ wlli be as4sals AssllY
sss.s1iasL IA lfiiaat fa8.ts. sfissisi zfse