Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-02-21
Mr.. BLAND AND Mr.. CLEVELAND.

The speech Of Congressman Bland,
chairman Of the house coinage commit
tee, on the cloture motion To take up
the bill one of whose provisions is re-
peal OF the Sherman law, Is more than
a straw TO show the direction Of the
wind In the Democratic party. There
are bundles of such straws nying in
Washington and elsewhere. MIR. Bland
is leader of the free coinage element
Of the Democratic party, but be has
been very accommodating, aud In this
congress has yielded much 10 the party
managers, consenting that tariff reiorn
should be given precedence over SILVER
legislation. But he takes bold and
menacing position with reference to Mr..
CieveIaud's effort u force financial
policy upon the party. The clolure
motion was In pursuance OF Mr.. Cieve-
lands aud, indeed, Of bisexpress orders.
II all reports are 10 be credited.
Mr.. Bland opened his significant
speech with this proposition; ut VIII
be curious thing for the country ano
the members OF this house to observ.
the vote upon this cloture resolution, 10
ascertain how many men upon this
side Of the house. who, last summer,
when the free coinage bill WIS up fol
consideration In the interest of the peo-
pie, planted themselves upon the high
horses Of Democratic principle, declar-
ing they would not vote for cloture; II
will be interesting, l say, to ascertain
how many Of those gentlemen are go
Ing TO come down from their high
horse today aud vcte cioture, In the in-
terest Of Wall street, To demonetize sill
ver.n He then went on to say ~ the
Congressional Record shows:
When the Democratic party In the
last campaign, aud especially gentle
men on this side presenting this Uill
now, went before the people, they said
that the free coinage of silver aud The
silver question was nothing In compar-
rIson " the tariff question. That was
the overshadowing, paramount issue
which the people had TO face.
hut ~ soon M the election IL over we
hear noihiDg OF the committee on ways
and means. They haye absolutely sub
sided. The tariff question Is reIegated
we WsiiA1InVe blAhytG vlt.y we r9!.!. 30 .nal
made 10 the American people In that
campaign on the taIifi aud silver ques-
tion, and up 10 this moment, sir, In
this house, the people of tnis country
will have been deceived IA the lust
election. [Applause. We promised
tirst Of all reduction Of the tarii.
Now, let the silver question alone untii
we get y little turifi reduction. Let it
70 until we revise aud reduce the tafii.
Let IL remain until We reform tue
federal election laws, aud take action
upon other measures upon which we
ali agree. (Applause. III the gentle.
men wish to prehs tue silver question
In the Democratic party you ARE IN
danger VI losing tariii reform, your
election laws, and reforms In many
other directions which are demanded
by the people. This was preached to
us when we tried to pass free coinage
bill.
hope there IL no hand In all OF this
government strong enough To thrust
this matter In this house aud TO keen II
here ~ menace 10 tariff reform aud
other pecessary reforms; nor Is there "a
hand In this country strong enough 10
compel the repeal Of this law--the so
called silver law--until some other
measure is Instituted equally satistae-
tory, or better, To take It's place. Zap
plause.
And give notice now that you can
divide aud disrupt the Democratic
s.a - a lat. all F..I Al.
cannot accomplish the purpose of legls
lating SOLELY Ia the Interest OF Wall
street on this question, | Renewed APP
We do not intend that II shall be
done. No threa; held over us will deter
us for moment from the performances
of our duty ON this tioor. Renewed
applause
l say IL ought never to have been
brought before the house. and especially
II ought not 10 be proposed now, when
we know that the other end the sen'
Ate--have voted down proposition to
consider the question at all. We are
simply nasq querading here. Our east.
arm Democratic friends are thrusting
this matter iuto the face of the Demo-
Gratis OF the West aud south. They
can continue to thrust the question an-
I'll they make q division here that will
never be healed. Loud applause,
l defy you Ia undertake Ia denlone-
tixs silver again In this country aud ~
back 10 the Infamous legislation of
1873. The Democratic party for the |
last twenty years has denounced that
~ the most Infamous piece OF legisls-
Hon that WAS ever accomplished la |
American history. and here u IL calmly |
And ooolly proposed la a Democratic
l1ouse that We shall demoneti1e. 10
back 10 that act of isTS, wipe out the
Iiivcr legislation --ali laws which rrcog. |
nlas that metal as money in this coun-
,ry aud ralify aud confirm the most
fillAiuous aud tyrannlcsi piece of legi,-
Alton that was ever enacted Ia the his /
0ry Of the American government,
Prolonged applause
1his h direct defiance Of Mr. Close-
Hud. There 10 no conce@lment la its
20 him. Aud what Ia more