Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-09-09

| man reasoning. 1t will require more
potent arguments than have as yet
been advanced TO convince sixty-hve
million people, whose foreign and In
terstate commerce and whose business
transactions reach the magnitude OF
that of the American people, whose re-
sources are recognized by mankind as
almost unlimited, and whose patriotic
impulses have been equal 10 every draft
which the exacting demands OF over
century have drawn upon them, that
the purchasing clause OF the act OF 1890
is responsible for the conditions which
confront US to-day. Such an assertion
is beyond the limits OF what, In pariia-
mentary language, might be designated
as 'Tmprudent exaggeration."
Mr.. President, while l am not one OF
those who believe that the act OF lS9O,
with it's present limited purchases OF
silver bullion, has causei the condition
in which we find the country to-day,
vet am sensible OF tho fact that intiu-
ences have been put in operation, oy
agencies the most powerful, to induce
the people to believe that It's repeal
would result in the re-establishment OF
the normal condition of financial credit,
restore confidence and release the clrcu-
| lation now boarded by the people. l
will go a step further and admit that the
| deIusion has been so successfully en-
couraged that | believe the people TO
very large extent would feel relieved OF
the incubus which they suppose rests
upon them should that act be- repealed,
and that through the ingenious manip-
ulatons of the same agencies by which
this condition was brought about, conf
dence would be again restored and the
| circulation Of the country return TO the
active channels OF trade.
The country is convinced that II Is
sick, when, in truth, its condition is
simply that of hypochondriac, and, as
no legislative medicine can reach THIS
abnormal condition, our only hope for
the full restoration OF the patient to
healthy frame OF mind and active phys
ical condition will be TO yield, upon rea-
sonable conditions, to his hallucination,
and rely upon the faith that Is In him to
etfct cure.
Mr.. President, as al humble member
OF the Democratic party who has been
taught as part of his political creed
that gold and silver constituted the
only legal tender money authorized by
the Constitution Of his country; who
represents in part State that when, In
1873. the political crime OF the century
was consummated by the Federal Con-
gress in the decentralization OF silver,
exercised its clear constitutional power
by clothing the white metal with all
the functions ard powers OF full legal
tender within the boundaries OF us ter
ritory, the representatives OF whose
Democracy, in every State and Con-
gressional convention, with an enthusl-
asm and unanlmity that would brook
no opposition, have again and again
given the pledged faith Of the party
to the fual restoration OF silver as
standard Of value, and who,
personally, upon every stump, In
every county of that State, In
the Two bitterly contested campaigns OF
the recent past, Endorsed the princl-
pies announced in those platforms, and
gave his promise TO redeem the pledges.
made 10 good faith by the represen-
tatives of an intelligent and earnest
Democracy. can not with'honor enter
tain the suggestion that he should not
OILY ueClluo W NOOO lOL bhO 1hu
complete rehabilitation OF silver, as pro-
vided for by the platform adopted at
Chicago, but that he should go a step
further, and refuse to cast his vote for
fore the Senate that %ou,a'aO diho -har
evan in the most limited form, silver
coin as a standard OF value.
CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED.
Mr.. President, the condition which
faces us to-day, and which bears direct
lv upon the instructions given me oy
the Democracy OF West Virginia, may
fairly and with truth be admitted TO
have somewhat changed from the con-
dition which confronted the country al
the time those instructions were gwen.
The action OF the Indian government
in closing her minis TO the free coinage
OF silver, has suggested serious and
grave doubts to my mind, anu, lor Tue
first time, has caused me TO question
the ability Of the United States, single.
handed and alone, to open the minis VI
this country to the free and unlimited
coinage OF that metal at any ratio, ana
to preserve and maintain the same on
parity with gold. Sufficient time has
| not vet elapsed since this action on the
mart Of the government OF India, ana
| the effects which must flow from 1t have
not sufficiently developed to justify
! final conclusion as to its permanent Ell
feet uoon silver, but II the purpose OF
that government, as has been puolIcIy
| declared, is fully carried out, It's erect
upon this question l fear Will De more
far-reaching in it's consequences ana re-
sults than any act which has occurred
during the last fifteen years.
For these reasons have hesitated TO
advocate the free and unlimitad coinage
of silver by the United States. ana l
think IL should be the controlling sentl-
ment OF those who believe ana nope LOT
the restoration OF bimetallism that the
measure now supported by It's frlends
should be on the line OF conservatism,
and in character purely tentative, that
the timid may no the repulsed, nor those
VINO. upon principle, honestly seek TO re-
establish the double standard become
separated and their energies dlsslpated
by division.
Mr.. President, we should not seek to
deceiye ourselves or mislead those VINO
have nlaced confidence in the declara-
ton OF our platform and In the honor
and integrity OF our pledges. We face
today a condition that demands OF
every true friend OF silver the closest
cIrcums pection. and the most careful
consideration Of. every measure which
can in any way affect, temporarily or
permanently, the use OF silver as 3
money metal. We can not AFFORD to re-
neat the blunder that some OF the
friends of bi-metaIlism fell into when
tbey-voted for the passage OF the act Of
Univ IA 1890. A step Ia the wrong d.