St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-15

country (all obligations being out of the
way on single standard, the issue
might be fair one; but with debts to
the amount of $4,000, 100000 due by the
United States, the striking down of
about one-half of the currency of the
country would be not only unjust and
ruinous. Dnt absolutely wicked.
Mr.. Vest spoke of the biinetalllsm of
France, and declared that today the
French people are financially the first
people In existence. The French peas
antry boarded their silver 5-franc
pieces. and so, in the United States, the
colored men of the South would hoard
silver dollars if they could get them.
Why, he asked, should not the United
States float $500, 100000 of silver in the
country instead of being told that the
country would be
Shipwrecked
If silver coinage was continued another
day? 1t was not, he asserted, the over
production of silver that had brought
down its value. 1t was legislation that
had done it-legislation in Germany and
the United States. How could it be ex-
pected that silver would retain its value
when those two great nations took away
the monetary use of silver? With the
resources and population Of the United
States it was only necessary for the
United States to iix policy and stand
by it. The trouble today was caused by
the open and sedulous incubation of
the idea that the country was about to
go to the gold standard, and that the
silver money of the country would be
worthless.
Mr.. Palmer QDem.. Iilinois)-Would
the repeal of the Sherman act bring the
country to gold standard?
Mr.. Vest-l think it would. IL the
Sherman act be repealed not a silver
dollar would be coined in this country.
Mr.. Palmer-How does the Sherman
law aid free coinage?
Mr.. Vest-l do not think that 1t does
aid free coinage.
Mr.. Palmer-Then why not repeal it?
Mr.. Vest-I am willing to have it re-
pealed, but do not want the repeal
made stalking horse for monometal
| ism.
Mr.. Vest spoke of the unfortunate
| condition of the
| Miners of the West.
and said that the somewhat dramatic
remark of an ex-senator recently, that
in the extreme West the people were
| crying for bread, and that in New York
they were crying for gold, was literally
true. Suppose. said he, that we were
| tn 10 or
| ping the factories of New England.
what protests would we hear from that
section.
Suppose we were called upon to strike
down the wheat culture of Dakota and
| of the Red river of the North. would we
not expect 10 hear protests against it?
If were here from one of the silver
| producing states. L would fight the
decentralization of silver as fought the
force bill, because it involves all that
those people should hold dear in the
way of property rights and of the COM
| forts Of life. Arguments would have TO
be brought here stronger than proofs of
! Holy Writ TO make ne agree to it. If I
can, by any possibility. by legislation
tentative or otherwise, keep this great
disaster from these people-citizens of
this great republic. of the same blood
and lineage as ourselves-I will take
the chances of even a mistake OH my
part rather than perpetrate what l con-
slider such an
Outrage Upon Them.
/ know these Western states, not from
theory, but from experience. l know
what these people have endured, leav-
ing the comforts of what was then
civilization in the Eastern and middle
states, and going out with rife in the
one hand and pick in the other, blazing
the pathway of civilization in the
canons of the Rocky mountains. They
have built up the silver-mining indus
try on The faith pledged to them by the
people of the United States in its con-
sttutiOn and laws-that the product of
those mines shall be considered as a
money metal, and we are now asked,
through the financial flour hundred''
of New York, and the commercial
classes of England. to betray these peo-
pie, and say to them, find something
else to do. We want gold, gold, gold.'
No, Mr.. President, ] will rot do it.
If the time comes when | find that /
have made mistake, can at least
have the consolation of knowing that
my heart and my head both approve
the action which [ propose to take in
regard to this measure.
In conclusion MIR. Vest repealed the
idea of there being necessity for inter
national agreement on the subject of
silver.
At the close of his speech. Mr.. Hoar
rep, Massachusetts, obtained the
floor, and then, after a short executive
session for the reference 10 committees
of the nominations received today, the
senate adjourned.