The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-10
The Debate I'm Detail.

The attendance of Senators this morning
was much larger than 1T has been for sew
eral weeks back, so there is no excuse for
q suggestion of absence of a quorum. The
resolution offered last Saturday by Mr..
Wolcott, instructing the finance committee
to report bill to carry out the bimetallic
declaration OF the Voorhees, substitute, was
taken up, and Mr.. Wolcott addressed the
Senate in advocacy of ii. The Presidents
open letter, addressed to the people of the
United States through Governor Northern,
of Georgia, was one of the most remarka-
bic pronunciamentos of this generation. The
President of the United States, while Con-
gress was in extraordinary session, con-
volSed by his proclamation. informed the
country that he was astonished at the pO-
sition Of the Senate to the measure he had
advocated In his message. Such utter
ance was intrusive and offensive. 1t would
not be tolerated in any civilized country Of
lures existed: Mr. Wolcott said that the
passage of the repeal bill would leave to
silver no place as standard value. AS to
the proposed International agreement, he
declared 1t to be chimera, myth. The
Presidents message had changed the whole
aspect of the situation. II the Presidents
attitude had been understood ground taken
by Senator'S favoring repeal might have
been different But 1t was not too late yet.
Surely the friends of silver who advocated
repeal of the Sherman act solely as a step
pingstone to the fuller recognition of the
metal would not follow the executive 1urIn-
er. The present great crisis demanded alb
solute frankness. Senators should no lon
ger hold with the hare and run with the
hound
Mr. VOORHEES, denied that the pending bill
would demonetize silver: The statement
that it would do so might be repeated a
hundred thousand times and still 1t would
not be true There was at this time nearly
s6iS.OOOOOO of silver currency, S5il,000,0co Of
OF that Would lose its ieSairtender mon
etary value. On the contrary, the Dill was
a better friend TO silver money than any
measure could be which bought silver
corn, wheat, oats and rye. The bill did not
touch the monetary value of silver. 1t
want to buy any more silver bullion. Mr..
Voorhees, defended his position on the sill
yer question from criticisms upon his in
constituencies made some time ago by Mr..
Harris. and asserted that he would rather
be inconsistent with his whole political life
than be inconsistent with his sense of public
duty.
Mr.. Harris inquired whether the passage
or the House bill or of the finance commit
tee substitute would not remove the last
statutory regulations of silver as a money
metal; Il would leave the silver already
would it not effectually destroy any hope
OF the future coinage of silver?
Mr.. Voorhees, repeated his assertion that
demonetize dollar of silver AS to silver
bullion, IL was raw material. and the
It. 0''7'iN''0" eO1'' not DC appi'eu
Mr.. Harris-If you pass the pending bill.
can you utilize SILVER IN any in
crease the volume OF money In the country?
Mr.. Butler-In other words, does it not
absolutely stop the coinage of silver?
Mr.. Voorhees-The Senator from South
Carolina ought TO know that there is a
coinage power left in the sherman law
after the purchasing clause Is repealed.
Mr.. Morgan rose 10 put another question
70 hr. Voorhees,. but the latter declined to
yield for the purpose. and went with
his speech. In answer TO another question
by Mr.. Harris, Mr.. Voorhees, said that there
was enough silver bullion on hand to
occupy the minis seven 10 eight years, and
that the power to coin that silver was in
the Sherman act, and would remain in it
after the repeal of the purchasing clause
He defended the declaratory section of the
substitute. and cited Magma Charta and the
Declaration OF American Independence as
Illustrations OF the value and Importance of
such declarations OF policy.
Mr.. Morgan tried TO get in question as
20 why the finance committee had set aside