Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-08-19
FIFTY THIRD CONGRESS.

WASHINGTON. August 10. 1898.
SENATE.
The Senate was not in session to-day
HOUSE.
The silver debate was resumed i'm
mediately after the reading of the jour
nal and Mr.. McCreary took the floor in
advocacy of the repeal of the purchas,
ing clause of the Sherman act. 1t mat
tered not, he said, how gentlemen might
differ in opinion as to what had brought
Oh the trouble which now existed. They
all agreed that the trouble was wide
spread, far reaching, and full of peril to
the whole country. They agreed also
that it was their duty as representatives
to find remedy. 1t might be that the
Sherman act, so-called, was the prime
cause of the trouble. 1t might be that
the fuctuation of silver in Europe, the
shrinkage of values in many parts OF
the world, the failure of the Barring
Bros, had helped to bring about the
serious monetary condition which now
existed. He had voted against the
passage of the Sherman act. That act
had been failure and colossal curse.
The purchasing clause of the bill should
be Immediately repealed, and uncondi-
tionally. He was heartily in favor Of
the Wilson bill. Let the purchas,
ing clause be repealed and then
other legislation could follow. The
Wilson bill did not demonetize
silver or strike down the double stand
ard. He was in favor of international
bi-metallism. He was in favor Of the
repeal of the Sherman act, because
such action would be the best thing
that could be done to help on an inter.
national agreement. To-day England
hoped that the United States would
adopt a free coinage bill and would
come to a silver basis, because then she
would get our $3.50, 100000 of gold. The
United States could not afford to adopt
a free coinage policy now. No country
alone could maintain such coinage
The only path to free coinage wa:
through international agreement, ant
the only way to reach that path was t.
repeal the purchasing clause of thu
Sherman act. As bimetallist, he die
not wish to see this country RELOCATED
to silver basis.
Mr.. Bland, of Missouri, inquired
whether the gentleman's position wa
that unless every European nation wa
in favor of silver, he would be in favo
of a single gold standard.
Mr.. McCreary replied that the gentle
man had Inexperienced his position
He was to-day as much in favor of sill
Yer as was the gentleman from Mis-
souri,, and he was in favor Of travelling
over the only road which led to TIT
free coinage Of gold and the free coin
age of silver.
Mr.. Bland inquired why the interna
tional monetary conference had post
poned its meeting from May until No
vember.
Mr.. McCreary replied that it hat
been postponed in order to allow The
policy of bi-metallism to grow in Eng
land. 1t had been postponed in the in
terest of bi-metallism.
Mr.. Bland made another inquiry
and that was whether the gentleman
had said that the meeting of the con
ference had been postponed for the pur
pose of demonetizing silver in thi;
country.
Mr.. McCreary-I decline to yield tc
the gentleman ifhe insists on misrepre
senting my position. l have already
stated that the postponement was in
the interest OF bl-metalllsm.
Mr.. McCreary said he had no sympa
thy with those who now desired tc
change the ratio from 16 to l to 20 to l
To change the ratio would be to strike
down and destroy every prospect of in
ternational agreement. To change the
ro,;o would NO m discredit every dolla,
of silver in the United States.
Mr.. Catchings followed Mr.. Nc
Creary and declared himself squarely
and unhesitatingly in support of the
unconditional repeal of the Sherman
act. He would vote against any prop
osition, directly or indirectly, looking
to the free coinage of silver at sny ratio
that could be suggested.
TUI EcpApuTn PREVTTJES