The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-08-17
FIFTY THIRD CONGRESS.
TEE LEGIoNs MEET AND THE FIRST
CLASH TAKES PLACE.
Silver Men Lay Down Their Plans and Open
the Fight With BED Hot Speeches.
Bland Deals in Vituperation
But No Argument.
HOUSE.

WASHlNdlON, mug IL
intend that any political party shall
survive that will lay a confiscating
hand upon America in the interest OF
England and Europe and demonetize
silver in this country, and the friends
of the Eastern Democracy. we bid you
a farewell when you do it, These
were the words of Richard p. Bland in
the great financial contest that opened
in the house today, and the applause
that followed the determined utter
ance demonstrated that the great sill
yer leader had with him the material
element OF the Democratic party 1t
brought every member of the house to
a realization that the most serious
crisis in the Democratic party since
the dissension 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 program
last night agreed upon Mr.. Wilson,
Immediately after the meeting of the
house, introduced bill unconditional
ly repeating the Sherman purchase law
and Mr.. Bland, on behalf of the free
coinage men, followed with resolu
ton providing for the immediate con-
sideration of bill and alloting IA
DAYS for general debate before the
vote is taken.
The resolution of procedure was
drawn to especially secure the silver
men in their demands for separate
votes on free coinage at various ratios
proposed but is SO explicit as to call
for final vote for repeating the bill at
the termination of the debate, whether
silver amendments prevail or not.
Thus in the house at least the fear
of filibustering is allayed and both
parties arrayed in line for a fair fight
and no favors. The speeches of the
day were marked for intensity of feel
ing and revealed wide difference of
opinion in party ranks. Mr.. Raynor
OF Maryland was frank enough to I'M
qualifedly declare for monometalism
under present conditions and present
ed the arguments of the repeal men in
Mr.. Bland electrified the house by
his warning that the Democratic party
would know the silver men DO more if
it assissedsin the last drama in demon
citation of silver, and LATE Pence, q
young silver representative from Colo
RADIO, made one OF the strongest maid
en- speeches heard In the halls of con-
gress within the last decade, except
ing only the eloquent tariff grafton
that brought fame to Bryan OF Ne
braska, some years ago.
Mr.. Wilson of West Virginia, offered
for present consideration a bill to re-
peal the purchase part of the Sherman
act. Mr.. Bland OF Missouri, presented
the following:
Ordered by the house, that house
bill No. /, be taken up for immediate
consideration and considered ID days
during such consideration. Night
sessions may be held for debate only
on request of either side. Daily ses-
sions commence at II a. m, and con,
tinue until 5 p. Ill. Eleven days of
debate on the bill will be given, gen
eral debate under the rules of the last
house regulating general debate, time
equally divided between the two
such as the speaker may direct. The
last three days of the debtae may be
devoted to the consideration of the
bill and amendments as herein pro-
vided under the usual five minute
rule of the house as in committee of
the whole house. General leave to
print is hereby granted. Vote to be
taken first on the amendment pro.
viding for coinage of silver at present
ratio. If that fails then seperate
vote to be had on similar amendment
proposing q ratio of II to f. if that
fails on Is to /; If that fails 10 to 1; if
that fails 20 to 1. If all fail it will be
in order to offer an amendment reviv
ing the act of Feb. %, 1878, restoring
the standard silver dollar commonly
known as the Bland Allison act. A
vote may then be taken on engross
ment and third reading of the bill as
amended or on the bill itself if all
amendments have been voted down
and on final passage of the bill with
out other intervening motion.
Mr.. Bland then presented the bill to
the silvermen, which provides for free
coinage and repeats the silver pur-
hasing act.
Mr.. Kaynor, Democrat, was the trst
.peaker. He said he was in favor of
the unqualified repeal of the purchas-
ing clause of the Sherman bill without
any condition or proviso whatsoever.
He had no hostility whatever to the
use of silver on a proper basis as cir
culating medium, but after earnest
consideration was convinced beyond
all doubt and question that its recog-
milton as a circulating medium with
ut an international agreement was a
financial undertaking utterly impossi-
BILE of accomplishment except at the
risk of ruin and disaster
Mr.. Brown, Democrat of Indiana
expressed himself in favor of free coin
age of silver, but in view of the havoc
to business brought about by the Sher-
man law and in view of the declara-
tions of the Democratic platform at
Chicago, he would vote for the repeal
of the Sherman law in any event, con
ditions or no conditions. He thought
the president was in favor of the coin.
age of botn gold and silver without
discriminating against either metal
and that the president would redeem
every pledge and promise made in ac-
cepting the Democratic nomination.
n