Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-28
NEARING THE END.
Closing Incidents of the Great Sill
yer Debate in the Senate.
WOLCOrFS DEFIANCE TO THE EAST.
Senator Sherman Speaks Seriously
on the Reserve Fund.
A POPULAR BOND ISSUE.
THE SENATE.

THE SENATE.
The great conflict which has been carried
on IN the Senate chamber for the last two
months has. at last reached the critical
stage, and one Of the indications thereof
was that the galleries were filled even be-
fore the hour OF meeting this morning. There
was also fair attendance OF SENATOR AT
the opening. roll call showing the pres
ence Of fifty-two Senator'S
The Urgent Deacfency Bill
Before proceeding to the consideration OF
the silver purchase repeal bill. the urgent
dehciency bill was reported. some amend
mens agreed to. and the bill as amended
was passed.
The joint resolution offered yesterday bv
MI Cullom Qll) for the transfer to the
state OF Illinois, for the use of the state MI
iitia OF that state. the model battle ship IL
linois, was reported from the committee on
naval affairs and was put upon its pa ssaee
MT. Harris (Tenn.) thought 1t should not be
| passed until he saw II in print. He with
drew his objection, however. when he was
told that II was not a ship at al. but only
a brick model. The joint resolution was
passed.
Mr.. Wolcotfs Speech.
The silver purchase repeal bill was then
taken up and Mr.. wolcott (Col.) addressed
| the Senate. He said:
Mr.. President: Yesterday we voted upon
that amendment to the bill which would
give us free coinage. 1t was lost. a great
majority of the Senate voting against 1t.
All other amendments will meet q like fate
! They are only good in that they are better
than unconditional repeal; and IL seems
idle to go through the form of voting upon
them. / am Indifferent whether / vote upon
that or not. Some Of them have been intro
ducer by Senators who intend voting Cor
unconditional repeal. and their amendments
may save for them something Of the ap-
pearance Of things. Nobody is really de-
ceived, however, as to who are the friends
vote of yesterday having given us the
names, these additional roll calls but serve
to emphasize the defeat which the cause OF
silver has suffered. We came here buoyed
by hope and confident of final success. We
have met overwhelming and disastrous de-
| feat, and the reasons are not far to seek.
The fight for silver has failed because dem
| ocratic support and republican encourage
ment has been withdrawn. The true sit
| uation has never been understood by the
public. 1t has never developed on this
moor; 1t has never been exposed to the light.
As to Closure.
There has been talk Of closure and Sena-
| tors across the chamber have ieaped into
sudden reputation by advocating IT. have
posed as II they were each a Columbus
discovering some new land. or an ingenf-
Gus and adventurous spirit who had found
/ a clue to the Senate maze: they are lauded
by metropolitan press as men who We're
to be Caesars OF their country, and un-
savory criticism and bitter denunciation
have changed and blended into acclamations
and praise. Why, Mr.. President, even the
| newest Senator here must have understood
perfectly that closure as applicable 70 this
measure was an impossibility; that IL could
find no foot hold or abiding place In this
chamber. These arguments have been for
the gallery OF gulLioie pubic >. aor IL. my |,
| enacted. We have from the first invited
a vote upon its adoption. The majority
will see IL later. 1t Will not be so ardently
pressed by this side OF the chamber In the
winter months, when the repeal OF the cleo
tion law and tariff revision come I'D for
! passage. When that time shall come the
silver Senators will no longer be the goats
While we may not be able to emulate the
subserviency recently displayed by this
side toward the administration. we shall
hope to exhibit our earnest desire for pro-
gress in legislation by taking to heart the
lesson which has been taught us. and by
lending our presence at all hours for quo-
rum and vote.
The open and avowed sentiment Of a
large majority of this body is against the
Introduction here Of the previous question
or Of any other form of closure. That ma
1orfty believes that the privilege OF free
discussion is a safeguard that should not
be removed. and that while delay may
arise because of the right OF unlimited de-
bate. yet the sum OF the gain IL brings is
that may be occasioued. Nor does the dig
nifty of the Senate suffer by this right OF
debate.
The Mouthpiece OF the Executive.
The Senate loses its dignity, Mr.. Presi-
dent whenever IL becomes the simple
mouthpiece OF the executive and when Il
yields to influences which should have no
share in shaping legislation. Mr.. wolcott
continued for some time. his speech breath
ing defiance to the east and tustifying the
course pursued by the friends OF silver
senator Sherman's Remark..
senator sherman followed Senator VOL
cott- he expressed the deep sympathy
"hich he felt Tor the Senators and people
OF the silver-producing states He would do
anything at all to help them. He believed
that after the suspension of silver pur-
chases silver would rise in price. There
was now six hundred and seventy-seyen
million OF dollars Of silver in sight, and he
thought that much OF Il might be used In
subsidiary coin. After all the Jeremiads
which the Senate had heard the silver mi
ners Of Colorado and of the other silver
producing states would go up. The good
people OF Colorado who were now fright
ened out Of their wits because one OF their
interests was to be injured would find am
pie employment in the development Of their
soil and of their mines.
The government, he said. ought to encour-
age every industry in every part of the
country, but IL ought not to encourage
those industries at the expense of the whole
people of the United States. He believed
| in the protection of American industry and
II he had his way he would build up by
reasonable tariff duty every industry that
could be carried down with safety and
profit. II the silver mining industry could
be carried on without endangering the
| standards of value which all values
rested he would be very willing to see IL
done. He did not want his friends from
the silver producing states or the populists
TO feel hurt because he had not been con-
yer o by their long speeches. He did not
complain of their length because he had
always left the chamber when he felt tired
| Uaughter). But he could not indulge in
any fantasies when the general interests
of the people Of the United States were in
volved.
other Measures Necessary.
Addressing the democratic side OF the
| chamber, Mr.. Sherman said that he doubted
| very much whether the repeal OF the bill
| in its present shape would meet the expec-
| tations of many people who had made a
| bugaboo of the silver purchase law. He
| believed that il necessary to superadd
other measures even more vitally important
| than repeal, but IL not desired that
| they should be offered as amendments TO
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