Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-09-27


there is a silver fight going on. For
twenty years his constituents have re-
turned him to congress; without any
EFFORT on his part, and for twenty
years he has stood with his back
curved and his bristles up (fguri-
lively speaking) against the assaults
Of the gold bhgs on silver. Silver is
hi theme. and his lance is always
thrown into the face OF the congress
man who dares to assal it 1t is not
strange then that when the silver
question came up in the house recently
for discussion, MIR. Bland was among
the first TO step into the arena of
forensic battle in behalf of his favorite
metal. He expressed his regret that a
number of gentlemen had chs nged
their opinion on the silver question.
The gentleman who had just taken
his scat Mr.. Brownl had been re-
garded as one of the most ardent and
able advocates of bi-metal alliSm He
had read part of the Chicago plat
form aud had retreated from a part
from that part of all others that had
contributed to give him a seat in the
house. lie had turned his face toward
the east and his back toward the west.
The Sherman law was the only law on
the statute books that looked to the
use OF silver rs money of the country
He knew at the time of its passage
that the element that was striving to
secure its passage was the element op-
posed to free coinage.
lie knew at the time that that Gle
ncnt would demand its repeal at the
first moment it saw It's opportunity.
The repeal of the Sherman act had
been q part of the Chicago platform.
Another part had been declaration
for the use of both gold and silver as
the money OF the country Speaking
for the people he repre- ented, he un-
derstood that the frefcoinage OF silver,
in accordance with the platform, nee
essarily repealed the Sherman law.
The two laws could not exist together.
They were inconsistent.
1t was not his purpose to call into
question the sincerity of any member
on the floor or undertake to criticise
1t was said that congress met under
peculiar circumstances and in the
midst of a financial crisis. Members
were asked to lcgislate by piecemeal
and take their chances in the future
1t was SAID that a panic existed now
The great voting masses of the people
might get into q panic when election
day came around again. Every vote
cast, every word uttered, would be re-
viewed by The people, not in a panic,
but with cool elaboration; and every
member would be responsible for his
vote and his speech. Mem bers were
now asked to repeal the Sherman act
and take their chances of securing
something in its place which would
meet the pledges of the platform to
coin both gold and silver.
Mr.. Bland then reviewed recent sill
yer and financial legislation and con-
tended that it was an apprehension
that the United States would repeal
the Sherman law that induced the
British government to recommend to
the government of India the Suspen-
sion of silver coinage. Why was there
being rushed in now, he asked, Il
proposition to repeal the only law
which sustained, for the moment a
least, the value of silver?
ESTHE PANIC WAS DESIGNED, HE SAID.
Gold, Mr.. Bland said, was coming
10 this country to-day, coming all the
time, and it was the people across the
water who were sustaining the panic
Gold could not be obtained from the
Bank of England or the Bank of
France without q premium being
paid for it, but the American treasury
paid out gold to every speculator be-
cause the administration was hostile
to silver. Desolation would sveep
over the states OF the union and the
effects would react over the whole
world. 1t was the fight on silver
which had precipitated the panic. 1t
had been brought about designedly
and for a purpose. There was no
doubt about that The panic had be
gun and was alarming the country;
but he declared with much emph sis
that il the demands of the bimetallistS
were not complied with the pani
would become one in earnest.
Mr. BANDS time had expired. bat
on motion OF Nr. Culberson democrat
OF Iexas) it was extended indefinitely.
After short time, however, he com
planned of the noise and confusion
that rendered him inaudibIe, and par
tieu arly of the fact that there was a
fringe of members standing up be-
tween him and the speaker. There
vas slight and fruitless attempt on
the part of the presiding officer to oD-
tain silence and order in the hall.
Members persisted in.crowding as near
as they could get to Mr.. Bland, aud it
was difficult, il not impossible. II ge6
q clear ana lucid idea OF his argu aent
THE LIoS's rAgl AeA5N Iwlsrh D.
Resuming, Il declared that the
money reQaircEeass q the Caiteet
States with the vast wealth, industry
and energy ofits nconle, were eqna1
to those OF England, Trance and Ger
many com bined, ana that the vhole
eiyilized worldNwou 4 have to. L IS to
this country for its future monetary
supply +'And yet, said he, WITH We