The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-08-20
Alleged Scheme of Democratic Senator's
to Kill the Silver Repeal Measure.
Uncle Sam Worsted by the Bering- Sea Deci-
sion. According to Capt r. D. Evans-Busi-
ness Men Urged to Visit Washington.
DEBATE ON THE REPEAL BILL.

DEBATE ON THE REPEAL BILL.
Messrs. McCresry. Catchings and Livingstone
Occupy the Time of the House.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 19.-The session of
the House to-day was not marked by any
animated debate. but it was significant in
showing the inrosds made in the ranks of
the free-coinage men. Mr.. McCreary. of
Kentucky. member of the recent none
tary conference. and Mr.. CatchIngs, of
Mississippi. Of the committee on rules. both
took the floor In support of the uncondi-
tional repeal Of the Sherman purchasing
act. Mr.. Livingstone. of Georgia. made
one of mis- characteristic speeches in sup
port of free coinage and against uncondi.
tional repeal. and justified his past Populiss
record as calamity bowler" by asserting
that every prediction of the Farmers Alli-
ance of three years ago had been realized.
and that the bankers and brokers of Wall
street were to-day the principal calamity
howlers.
ME-. McCreary, in advocating repeal of
the purchasing clause of the Sherman act.
said an extraordinary financial situation
had induced the President to convene Con-
gress in extraordinary session. 1t mattered
not how gentlemen might differ In opinion
as to what had been the effect. The finan-
oisl trouble was widespread, far-reaohi ng
and full of peril to tho whole country.
They agreed that their duty as Representa-
tives was TO find q remedy. 1t might be
that the Sherman act. so called, was the
prime cause of the trouble. 1t might be
that the fiuctuation OF silver in Europe.
the shrinksge of values in many parts Of
w fo} }ltya nj ho har rtr prnt h
ers. had helped TO bring about the condl-
tion which now existed. He had voted
against the passage of the Sherman act
That act had been failure and q colossal
curse. The purchasing clause OF the bill
should be immediately repealed Let the
free coinage bill stand on its own merits
He was not in favor of holding the Sher-
man act as hostage of the free coinage of
silver. He was heartily In favor of the
Wilson bill. Let the purchasing clause
be repealed and then other legislation
could follow. The Wilson bill did not de-
monetise silver OF strike down the double
standard. He MIR. McCresryl was here as
friend OF silver and not as its enemy. He
was in favor of International bimetallism.
He was In favor of the repeal Of the Sher-
man act. because this action would be the
best thing that could be done TO help on an
international agreement The United
States could not afford to-adeps-a free
coinage policy now. The only path to free
coinage was through international agree
ment. and the only way to reach that path
was to repeal the purchasing clause of the
Sherman act. AS bimetailist he did not
wish to see the country relegated to q sill
YER basis.
QUIZzED BY BLAND.
Mr.. Bland inquired whether the gentle.
mans position was, that unless all Euro
pean nations were in favor of silver he
would De in favor of q single gold stand
ard.
Mr. MoCreary replied that he was as
much in favor of silver as Mr. Bland. but
was not In favor of travelling over the road
which led to free coinage of silver.
Mr.. Bland inquired why the in terms ational
conference had postponed Its meeting from
May to November.
Mr.. McCreary replied that it had been
postponed in order to allow the policy of
blmetallism to grow in England. IL had
lism.
Mr.. Bland inquired If it had not been
postponed in order TO destroy silver in this
country.
Mr.. McCrssry declined to reply to this
question, stating that he had already told
why the conference had been postponed.
To change the ratio. Mr. MoCreary said,
would be TO strike down and destroy every
prospect of International agreement and
destroy every dollar of silver In the United
States. The first duty of Congress was to
act without delay and repeal the purchas-
Ing clause OF the Sherman act. The second
duty was to let free coinage alone for the
present. its third duty was to stand by q
patriotic President In his efforts to 8d-
vance the prosperity of the people and the
welfare of the Nation.
Mr. Catchings of Mississippi. said he
would vote for the unconditional repeal Of
the purchasing clause of the Sherman act
and he wOnld vote against any proposition
directly or indirectly looking to the free
coinage OF silver IN this country, at this
time, at any ratio that could be suggested.
He had come to this determination after
careful consideration and after careful
study of the CHICAGO platform. 1t had
been said that no Democrat should vote
against froe coinage He was
Democrat. His Democracy was good as
that of any nan on this floor. and ne wOnld
not allow any man to challenge Ii. He
stood by every plank of the Chicago plat
form, but that platform nowhere demand.
ed the tree COINAGE of silver at this time.
He was in favor of the repeal of the pur-
chasing clause OF the Sherman act because
1t would tend to restore confidence. He
wonld 60 further. and say that it would
restore confidence and unlock the money
that had been boarded mp.
THE CALAMITY HowLERs.
Mr.. Livingston. of Georgia. said there
was no reason why men shonld not rise
above psrtisanship and discuss the pend
AHe foSSsioh no SOhoioio iuCh ohu potAiOto.
He favored bimetallism. and the plain
question now presented was between q
single gold standard and oimetallism. The
Chicago platform had denounced the Sher-
man act as "cowardly makeshift.n A
makeshlft for whati For q single gold
standardf No. A makeshsft for
the free coinage of silver. The
bill for the repeal of the
purchasing clause of the sherman act did
not place the Democratic party where the
Chicago platform promised TO leave 10. He
denied that the purchasing clause was
responsible for the present financial and
business troubles. a few years ago the
farmers had come to Congress asking for
relief. and they had been greeted as
calamity howlers.' He had then predict
ed 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 farmersf They
had ceased to be calamity howlers. They
had been squeezed until there was nothing
more TO squeeze from them. The howl now
came from the banks and the bankers. Ip
was now proposed by placing the United
States on a single gold standard TO put this
country into the hands of a receiver and
turn It 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
bad expected. He made the prediction
man act were repealed the price OF
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