The Forrest City times., 1893-08-25
THE SILVER DEBATE.
The General Drift of Argument on the Silver Question In Congress Gathered from the Daily Speechmaking on the Subject.
IN THE HoUsy.

from the Daily Speechmaking on the
 Subject.
 IN THE HoUsy.
 WASHINGTON. Aug. 20.-The silver debate was resumed yesterday after the reading Of the journal and Mir. McCreary tdem., ky.) took the floor in advocacy of the repeal of the pur- chasing clause of the sherman act. An extra ordinary financial situation. he said, had in- duced the president to convene the congress ia extra session. They all agreed that the pres ent trouble was widespread. far-reaching and full of peril to the whole country. They agreed also that it was their duty as representatives to find remedy It might be that the Sherman act, so-called. was the prime cause of the trouble. It might be that the huctuation of silver in Europe, the shrink age of values in many parts of the world, the failure of Barring Bros, had helped to bring about the serious monetary condition which now existed. He had voted against the pas sage of the sherman act That act had been colossal failure and curse The purchasing clause of the bill should be immediately re- pealed and unconditionally. Let the free coinage bill stand on its own merits. He was not in favor of holding the sherman act as hostage of the free coinage of silver lie was heartily in favor Of the Wilson hill. Let the purchasing clause Dc repealed. and then other Legislation would follow. The Will son bill did not demonetze silver or strike out the double standard. He NIT. McCrearN1 was here as a friend of silver and not as its enemy. lie was in favor oI international ti- metallisgn. He was in favor of the repeal Of the sherman act because this action would te the best that could he done 10 help oa an inter- national agreement The United States could not afford to adopt free-coinage policy now. The only path to free coinage was through in- ternational agreement. aud the only way to reach that path was 10 repeal the purchasing clause of the Sherman act. As bimetallist ~t@s. rf.afas 8 silver basis.
 NIT. Bland inquired why the international monetary conference had postponed it's meet ing from May until November.
 Mir. McCreary replied that il was postponed to allow the policy of bimetallism to grow in England. It had been postponed in the inter- est of nimetallism.
 Mir. Bland asked whether the gentleman had said that the meeting of the conference had been postponed for the purpose of demonetiz- ing silver in this country
 Mir. McCreary-I decline to yield to the gen. tleman if he insists upon misrepresenting my position.
 pressed his regret that the question of a change of ratio between gold and silver had been in jected into this discussion. He had no sym pathy with those who now desired to change the ratio from i6 to a0-to-l. The first duty of congress was to act without delay. Repeal the purcnaSlnE clause or the SDerfDdu aSl Inc second duty was 10 let free coinage alone for the present Its third duty was to stand by patriotic president in his efforts to advance the prosperity of the people and the welfare of the nation.
 Mir. Catchings tdem. Miss.) said he would vote for the unconditional repeal of the pur- chasing clause of the Sherman act and he would vote against any proposition directly or indirectly, looking to the free coinage of silver in this country at this time ct any ratio that could be suggested. He had come to this de- termination after careful consideration and after careful study of the Chicago platform. IL had been said that no democrat could vote against free coinage. He was q democrat His democracy was as good as that Of anyone on this floor. and he would not allow any man to question it. He was ia favor Of the repeal of the purchasing clause of the sherman act, because it would tend to restore confidence He would go further and say that il would re- store confidence and unlock the money that had been hoardeG up
 Mir. Livingston dem. Gal said there was no reason why men should not rise above partisan ship and discuss the disposition of the pending question as sensible men and patriots. lie fa- vored bimetallisn, and the plain question now presented was between a single gold standard and bimetallism. The Chicago platform had de nounced the sherman act as "cowardiy make shift.n A makeshift for what: For single gold standard? No. A makeshift for the free coinage of silver The bill for the repeal of ,ae purchasing clause of the sherman act did no; place the democratic party where the Chi eago platform proposed to leave it. He denied that the purchasing clause was responsible for the present financial trouble Years ago the farmers had come 10 congress asking for relief and they had teen greeted calamity howlers." He had then predicted to the present governor of New York that within two years the calamity howlers" would come from another quarter. Who was now bowling for relief The farm CTS: They had ceased to be howlers. The howl now came from the banks and the iankers. IL now proposed by placing the United States on single gold standard 10 put this country into the hands Of a re- eeiver and turn il over to England. The money men and the business men of England were getting shaky. and they said now that this gold craze had taken deeper root than they had expected He made the predic- tion that if the purc hasing clause of the Sher- man act were repealed the price of products in this country would not be increased. The gentleman from Kentucky tMr. MeCreary) had spoken in favor of an international monetary conference. Why not have an interstate none tary conference: He that provideth noi for those of his own household hath renonneed the faith and is worse than an iniidel"
 He would hail with delight proposition that The governor. the secretary and treasurer of every state should be called together in Wash ington city. there to discuss what was good for the United States. Congress was now en- 6eavoring to hitch the horse at the wrong end Of the cart.
 Mir Richards ,dem.. O. believed tha; Presi- dent Cleveland was right in attrihuting to the purchasing clause of the sherman bill the pres eEt depression.
 The house then nj o'clock took a recess un- IT o'clock.
 EVENING SESSION.
 After the recess 10 a eroNde gallery but to