Rock Island daily Argus., 1893-08-19
,cK ISLAND. SATURDAY. AUGUST 10, 1893.
THEY HAVE A BILL.
Senators Can Now Begin Talk
With Purpose.
THE VOORHEES," REPEAL MEASURE

Reported and the Debate to Commence
Next Tuesday-A Pledge for BimetalIism
That Wasn't Satisfactory TO the Silver
ties, Who Present "a Free-Coinage-at-aO-
to-1 Proposition-Comne on the De-
bates and Tenor Thereof
WASHINGTON, Aug 10. - The senate
finance committee, after much labor, has
succeeded in wording the ''bimetallic"
part of the Sherman repeal bill so as to
suit anybody except the radical silver
men. They would have none of it; moth
Ing but free coinage substitute for the
Sherman law would have obtained favor
with them. In fact they are the only per-
sons in congress who seem to know just
what they want. 1t is easy for man to
say he is "bimetallist" and at the same
time leave everybody in the dark as to
Just where he is at" but when a man
Iys he is in favor of free coinage at 16 to
you know just know where he st nds, or
you think you do.
The Sherman Repeal Clause.
VOORHEES, wrote the bill, so it is said, and
when it came before the committee there
was no amendment made 1t will prob
ably be known as the voorhees, bill, and
the men who voted against reporting it
We're free silver men on the committee
Omltting the enacting clause the text of
the bill is as follows:
That so much of the act approved July
IA, 1890, entitled, An act directing the
purchase of silver bullion and issue of
treasury notes thereon, and for other pur-
poses as directs the secretary of the
treasury to purchase from time to time
silver bullion to the aggregate amount of
4,5OO,00O ounces, or so much thereof as
may be Offered in each month at the mar
ket price thereof, not exceeding 81 for
37l.55 grains of pure silver, and to issue
in payment for snch purchases treasury
notes of the United States, be and the
same is hereby repealed
Uncle Sans Policy Declared.
And it is hereby declared to be the pol
icy OF the United States to continue the
use Of both gold and silver as standard
money, and to coin both gold and silver
into money of equal intrinsic and ex-
changeable value, such equality to be Sc
cured through international agreement, or
by such safeguards of legislation as will
insure the maintenance of the parity in
value of the coins of the two metals, and
the equal power of every dollar at all
times in the markets and in th- payment
o. debts. And it is hereby further de-
clared that the efforts of the government
should be steadily directed 20 the estab-
lishment of such a safe system of BIZ
metallism as will maintain at all times
the equal power of every dollar coined or
issued by the United States in the market
and in the payment of debts.
Minority Proposes Twenty One.
The minority-Harris, Vance, Jones of
Nevada, Jones of ArkanGs. and Vest-in-
structed Vest to introduce a bill for free
coinage at the r"tio of 90 to /, and it was
duly introduced Immediately after Voor-
hees had introduced the majority bill. The
Voorhees, bill is practically the same as
the Wilson bill, although it is little
more comprehensive in its declaration and
is regarded by the repealers as satisfac-
tory. They will fight for it tooth and
nail, and say they will win. They are much
elated over its introduction. 1t shows
that the senate has at last got something
to start from-something official, some
thing that does not jar on senatorial cour-
tesy. The bill will be called up Tues
day next and voorhees, will open the de-
bate on it, and when the debate shall end
who shall be rash enough to predict
Young Members Not BashfuI.
There have been a few interesting fea-
lures of the debate in the house, and one
of them is the number of young members
men in their first terin-to express their
views-that is what veteran official
reporter says This is especially noticeable
from the fact that the question is one of
the most difficult in the whole range of
public questions. Still it is one that
great many men think they know all
about. Another thing that the reporter
noted was that most of the speeches are
extemporaneous or practically so. I'VE
have had but one manuscript of any
length so far which we could use in the
Record-that of Mr.. Morse, of Massachu-
setts Mr.. Brown, of Indiana, who briefly
explained his views, also read from manu-
script, but everybody else we had to report
and write out in full"
Several of the speakers had prepared
manuscript, notably Messrs. Coombs, of
New York, and Snodgrass and Patterson,
of Tennessee, but they departed in their
remarks so radically from the text that
the copy was uselessssfor our purpose. Mr..
Bryan'S case was the most noticeable. He
wrote out his speech and had it put in
type and the proof sheets were ON his
desk. But after getting on his feet he
abandoned his prepared speech almost
wholly. The proofs were utterly useless,
even as a basis for report, for, whereas
he had prepared to talk an hour, he occu-
pied almost three hours. Except the per
oration, the effort was entirely a new
speech, put into shape as he proceeded
under the inspiration of the moment and
the surroundings.