The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-12
SILVER OR DEATH.
BIand's Plain Talk to
Democracy.
WHAT THE WEST WILL Do.
There Must Be No Trucking to
Great Britain.
CAN FOLLOW AMERICA.
Words Reminiscent of the Days
When the Party Was Wrecked
on the Slavery Question.
Special to THE MORNING CALL


America in the interest of England and of
Europe, and that will demonetize silver In
this country, and. my friends Of the East
ern Democracy. we bid you farewell when
you do il.
These were the words of Richard p.
Bland in the great financial contest that
opened in the House of Representatives
to-day, and the applause that followed the
determined utterance demonstrated that
the great silver leader had with him the
material element of the Democratic party.
It brought every member of the House to
a realization of the fact that the most seri-
Gus crisis in the Democratic party since
the days of the dissensions over slavery
was at hand. and that the division of 1898,
like the division of 1861. would be largely
on sectional lines.
In accordance with the programme last
night agreed upon, Wilson, immedi-
ately after the meeting of the House, in
trodueed a bill Internationally repeating
the Sherman purchasing law, and Bland.
on behalf Of the free-coinage men, followed
with resolution providing for the imme-'
diate consideration of the bill and allotting
fourteen days for general debate before
after the reading of the journal that Will
son offered for present consideration his
bill to repeal the purchasing clause OF the
Sherman act.
Bland offered an agreement made this
morning governing debate. 1t limits the
talk to a total of fourteen DAYS from II
A NJ. to 5 P. NJ. with night sessions for de-
bate only, if desired. Bland demanded the
previous question on his order, but it was
antagonized by Republicans under the
leadership of Cannon, who wanted to de-
bate the question.
Finally vote was taken, resulting ayes
217, noes 100, so the previous question was
ordered. The Republicans generally voted
with the Democrats in support of the mo-
tiou. The resolution was then adopted.
and Bland presented the following bill of
the silver men, which provides for free
coinage and repeals the sllver-purchasing
law:
''Be it enacted. That from and after the
passage of this act, all holders of silver
bullion to the amount of 500 or more,
standard weight and fneDess, shall be en-
titled TO have the same coined at the mints
of the Uaited States into silver dollars of
section of this act.
section 2. That the silver dollar pro-
vided for in this act shall consist of 412b
grains OF standard silver. said dollar 10 be
legal tender for all debts, dues and de-
mands, both public and private.
Section 3. The holder of silver dollars
herein provided for shall be entitled to de-
posit the same and receive silver certif-
Gates therefor in the manner provided by
law for the standard silver dollar.
Section 4. So much of the act of July
"A. 1890, as requires the monthly purchase
of 4.5O0.000 ounces of silver shall be and
the same is hereby repealed"
1t was just P. NJ when Rayner Demo
craft of Maryland began debate in support
of the Wilson bill for the unconditional
repeal of the silver-purchase clause in the
Sherman act.
Rayner said the adoption of free silver
coinage would tie the United States to the
tail of any bankrupt nation of the world.
The opening of the mints to silver might,
for time, maintain fictitious value for
coin, but the value of bullion woIld al
ways be regulated by the market price. AS
long as the Sherman silver act remains on
possible to effect international arrange
ments; so long will monetary conferences
result in failure.
What kept silver and gold at parity
was the misplaced confidence OF the peO-
pie. If the real condition of the treasury
were known there would be no necessity
for the repeal of the Sherman law; it
would repeal itself.
The constitution nowhere establishes
gold and silver as the money of the coun-
try; there is no obligation to coin silver,
nor purchase and store it for the benefit Of
the miner. While referring 10 the Demo-
cratic platform. Rayner said, in closing:
Il know the declarations of that document
have been differently construed. according
to the views OF the gentlemen eXpoundlng
them. AS for me. in this supreme hour of
my country's need, l am not blinded nor
intimidated by the glittering words of the
convention declaration"
Brown (D.) of Indiana followed Rayper.
He favored the coinage Of silver; bur. in
view of the havoc wrought by the Sher-
man law and the demands of the Demo.
cratic platform. he would vote for repeal
with CT without conditions. In addition
to repeating the Sherman law the Demo-
cratic platform promised to coin both gold
and silver without discrimination against
either, and that promise must be re-
deemed. Brown said. He would not at
tempt to speak for the President, but if he
were to do so he would say Cleveland was
IN 1aVor OF the coming of both gold and
sIiVef IN accordance with the terms of the
Democratic platform.
Mr. BLAND expressed regret that num-
Der Oh gentlemen, of whom the Speaker,
VINO hau Just sat down. was one of The
most capable, had seen fit to change their
positioh upon this question. to abandon
large portion Of the voters who aided in
giving them the seats they occupv and IN
turn their faces to the East, their backs 10
the West. As to the declarations in tho
Democratic platform, Bland asserted il
was an understanding that free coinage
meant the repeal of the Sherman law
The two are so antagonistc that thev can
not exist at the same time But we ara