The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-26
HILL HAS THE FLOOR.
HIS DIAGNOSIS or THE COUNTRT,S
MONETARY UALADT.
II Differs Somewhat from that OF MT.
CieYeland's--MuchH House Speak
ing to Empty Benches

WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug, 2s.-At
| the close OF the routine morning busi-
ness in the Senate to-day which compri-
sed no matter of public interest except
the presentation OF communications from
the Treasury department adverse to any
special legislation in rgard TO penalties
on the whiskey tax. Mr.. Hill addressed
the chair and was recognised He
! yielded, however, 10 Mr.. Vest, who sent
TO the clerks desk and had read a COM
munication from the directorof the mint
| giving statistics as 20 the purchase, cost
/ and coinage OF silver. Mr.. Hin then re-
! sumed the floor and began his speech.
the opening paragraph Of which attract
! ed much attention.
! There were those, Mr. Hill said. who
| did not wholly agree with the President
| in his diagnosis OF the malady affecting
| the body polite, and who did not has
tily join with him In the rosy conclusion
that financial millennium is 10 come the
/ moment the Sherman law is removed
| There were some who had given thes ub-
| ject attention who believed the cause of
| the present depression was deeper than
| and beyond the sherman bill, and that
| its foundations were laid In the evil
hours or 1913. when the country unwit-
| tingly laid aside the financial policy that
had been It's guide since the foundation
OF the government. The existing financial
disturbances. MIR Hnl found. were attrib-
utabie TO three distinct causes: First.
It was the natural and inevitable result
Of many years OF real or fictitious pros
perity.
Secondly, some portion OF the present
sent panic could be traced to a cOncer-
|. ted effort on the part Of monometallists
TO produce It In order 10 discredit
silver.
Third. no matter what else may have
contributed TO the present financial con-
dltion. Il would not be denied that the
silver purchase law had been, at least
I'm part and possibly most largely. instru-
mental in producing the existing compl-
cations Mr. Hill did not believe that
simple repeal OF the Sherman law would
at once restore abundant prosperity but
that many years woJld be required TO
recover from the Iresen. disturbance
Mr. Hin read his speech from printed
slips. His voice was strong and clear: and
though he INDUCED I'm no gestlculations,
he used much emphasis, and turned his
face alternately from one side Of the
chamber to the other. AS his desk is
rather far back on the Democratic
side. the Senators who had their seats
In front OF him wheeled around their
chairs. turning their backs upon the pre-
siding officer; and the Republican Sena-
tors also took such positions as would
enable them 10 fix their gaze upon him.
There was perfect quiet and stiffness In
the chamber while he spoke, and the
closest attention was paid to the speech
both on the floor aad in the galleries,
which were crowded.
In the couraa OF HE epaarb Nv tItII
said.
1T has been ASSERTED that the President
himself in hi. Hostility % Independent free
silver coinage. was disposed az one time
to regard with favor ~ ocquiesce In the
provisions Of the Sherman law. which had
been the instrument or means by which
such free coinage had been defeated.
Whether this be so or not the fact re-
mainsand has not escaped observation
that while the Democratic national plat
form denounced the Sherman law and
demanded it's repeal-denounced it not
as the result Of truce, but as a
"cowardly make-shift"-yet Mr.. Cleveland
neither in his speech delivered at Madi-
son Square Garden, New York, I'm an
swer to the notification Of his nomina-
tion, nor I'm his subsequent letter OF ac-
ceptance. nor in his inaugural address
I'm March last. criticised the Sherman law
nor made any allusion 70 It whatever.
although It was then already threatening
the prosperity OF the country with the
dangerous results Of its operation. which
were apparent TO every one who had given
the subject any careful attention.
House of Representa-
Nothing sensational transpired in the
House to-day Aside from the speeches
delivered by Mssrs. Burrows and Sprn-
ger there were none that commanded the
attention Of the members. And they we're
not listened 10 with the attention they de-
served. To-day was a day OF calm, the
precursor Of the storm that wiu come to-
morrow. 4 large number OF members ad-
dressed the House. but for the greafe-
part they wasted their eloquence on emp
ty benches.
Tie silver debate was promptly begun
by Mr.. Pendleton Dem, Texas.) who ex-
pressed his intention 10 vote for the free
coinage OF silver at any ratio that had
been suggested, but at the same time he
held the purchasing clause Of the Sher-
man act responsible for the present hard
times
Mr.. Bowers Rep.. CALI. said that the
vote TO be taken next Monday would be
vote as TO whether silver should be
destroyed as money and the country
placed on gold basis.
Mr.. Pigott Dem. Conn., spoke brief
ly I'm favor OF repeal
Mr.. Dockery Dem MOI, said that
since the beginning OF history gold and
silver had been recognized as the money
metals OF the world. The practical ques-
tion before us was what ratio would
best maintain the golden mean between
the two metals and between the debtor
and creditor. The unconditional repeal
OF the Sherman act meant the uncondi-
tional surrender Of silver His vote would
be recorded 10 restore silver 10 It's ancient
honor and dignity. (Applause.).
Mr. Moon Rep.. Mich.) was in favor of
which, he believed, would
relieve the people from the present strin-
gency Mr. Cobb (Ala), argued that the |
Wilson bill would place the country on
gold basis and he was therefore opposed
10 II unles II was amended.
Mr.. Burrows (Rep., Mich.,l then claim |
ed the foor and asked unanimous con-
sent that he be permitted 10 speak for |
forty minutes. Mr. Bland objected, and |
MI Burrows declined TO address the House
for five minutes. Subsequently Mr.. |
Bland Withdrew HIS objection. and Mr. |
Burrows proceeded with his speech
He held that If we coined our silver |
dollar at the ratio Of IS 10 1. or twenty
10 one. We would have a dollar intrinsi- |
cally less valuable than the gold dollar |
To such a proposition he could not give |
his assent. Those who favored the repeal |
OF the act OF 1880 were the only real BIZ |
and they were pursuing the !
only course by which binetallism |
could be maintained. The free and unli- |
neted coinage OF silver at any OF the |
ratios named would destroy bimetallism, |