The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-08-25

IL
of the house to a realization that the
most serious crisis i'm the democratic
party since the dissensions of slavery
was at hand, and that the division Of
1893, like the division of 1861, would be
largely on sectional lines.
In accordance with the programme
last night agreed upon, Mr.. Wilson. inn
mediatcly after the meeting of the
house introduced n bill unconditional
ly repeating the Sherman purchasing
law. and Mr.. Bland, on behalf
Of the frce-coinagc men, followed
with a resolution providing for the inn
mediate consideration of the bill, and
alloting fourteen days of general de-
bate before a vote should be taken.
The resolution of procedure was drawn
10 especially secure the silver men in
their demands for separate votes on
free coinage at the various ratios pro-
posed, but is SO explicit as to call for a
final vote on the repeating bill at the
termination of debate. whether the
silver amendments prevail or not
The preliminaries Of the debate hav-
ing been arranged. the great battle
was begun, and after speeches by
Messrs. Rayncr, of Maryland, and
Brown. of Indiana. Hon. Richard p.
Bland, Of Missouri, was recognized by
the speaker and made the speech Of the
day.
lie expressed his regret that num-
Der of gentlemen had changed their
position on the silver question. The
gentleman who had just taken his seat
tMr. BROWN had been regarded as one
of the most ardent and able advocates
o. bimetallism. lie had retreated from
a part Of the Chicago platform-from
that part of all others that had con-
tributcd to give him seat in the house
lie had turned his face toward the east
and his back toward the west. The
Sherman law was the only law on the
statue books that looked to the use Of
silver as a money of the country. He
knew Mt the time of it's passage
that the element that was striving to
secure its passage was the element OPP
posed to free coinage. He knew at the
time that that element would demand
its repeal at the first moment il saw its
opportunity. The repeal Of the Sher-
man act had been a part of the Chicago
platform. Another part had been a
declaration for the use of both gold
and silver as the money for the coun-
try. Speaking for the people he repre-,
scnted, he understood that the free
coinage of silver in accordance with
the platform necessarily repealed the
Sherman law. The two laws could not
exist together. They were inconsist-
emit.
RECENT LIQUIDATION REVIEWED
Mr.. Bland then reviewed recent sill
yer and financial legislation and con-
tended that 1t was an apprehension
that the United States would repeal
the Sherman law which induced the
British government to recommend to
the government of India the suspen-
sion Of silver coinage. Why was there
being rushed in now, he asked, prop
osition to repeal the only law which
sustained for the moment at least the
value OF silver?
Mr.. Bland appealed to members to
stand by bimetallism and not to obey
the commands of the shylocks France,
he went on to say. had afforded
medium Of exchange for all
the world during seventy years
At n ratio of ISL of silver to Of gold. |
At that ratio France has been able to |
maintain the parity of the two metals
all over the world. That was a proof |
that the United States government |
could do SO Mt the ratio of 10 toi. II
Europe refused to accept that ratio the
effect would be to divert from Europe
all the trade of every silver-producing
in the world. Could England,
he asked, withstand this withdrawal
OF trade? Certainly rot; il was BIZ
that madcs the manu- factur-
ers of England SO strong and prosper
ors. Western Europe would have to
come to the American standard eor
abandon its commerce with the United
States and with all civilized countries.
WOULD HAVE TO RECOGNIZE SILVER.
The United States was the best mar
kct i'm the world for the manufactured
products Of Europe, and that market
Europe could not have unless IL rccog-
nzed and accepted silver at the amc
value ~ the United States did. The