St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-28

W SCCuTG Ou
the Seigniorage Bill-Unlimit- -
ed Wind Breaks Lose For and
Against Silver Coinage.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-Mr. Pence's
speech of yesterday, in which he struck
right and left at his colleagues in the
house, cut a prominent figure in today's
proceedings. Mr.. Pence's reference to
Mr.. Hainer had been incorrectly re-
ported, and, rising to question of
privilege, lie took occasion to apologize
for the personalities he had INDUCED
IN. but Mr.. Cooper, of Indiana, was not
satisfied and gave him a severe scoring.
Again today Mr.. Bland was unable to
master quOru m on his motion to close
debate on the selgniorage bill, so he
allowed the debate to run on without
limit. In his prayer this morning,
Chaplain Bagby referred feelingly to
the illness of Mr.. Wilson. chairman
OF the ways and means commit
tee, who is reported in a
critical condition in Mexico. I'M
mediately after the reading of the
journal, Mr.. Pence, of Colorado, rose
to personal explanation. When the
house adjourned last night. said he, 1t
had refused on motion to permit him to
proceed with an explanation he was
making. When he arose this morning
he was amazed to find in newspaper
an erroneous statement of his remarks.
which, he understood, had been sent
out to number of papers by the United
Press news agency.
He sent to the clerks desk and had
read this statement, which made him
say that he charged Mr.. Hainer with
being fuller of beer than comprehen-
sion of ideas. What he had said was
Fuller of beard than of IDEAS" He
had immediately written a letter of
apology, which he sent to the clerks
desk and had read. Acting under the
advice of friends, whom he knew to be
wise and experienced in such matters.
he said he thought he owed
A MORE EXPLICIT APOLOGY
to the gentleman from Nebraska. What
he had said was said In the heat of the
debate following direct charge that he
had said he desired to see this bill de-
feated. Il should also say" he con-
tinued, THAT in other utterances l have
gone beyond the language that should
be used in legislative body. For such
of them as might by any construction
be deemed parliamentary, cheer
fully and gladly apologize, and 1 now
ask unanimous consent that the CONVEX
Sation between Mr.. Hainer and myself
last night be stricken from the per-
manent record" There was no objec-
ton, and it was so ordered. This was
not to be the end, however. Before Mr..
Pence had resumed his seat. Mr.. Cooper,
ilege to call Mr.. Pence to account for
the reflections cast upon him yesterday.
Mr. Cooper read the words to which he
took exception, to the effect that he, Mr..
Bynum and Mr.. Oates had last summer,
when the silver repeal bill was uD,
''obeyed the command and demands of
the executive, and traded and swapped
openly before the eyes Of the worId.''
He asked MIR. Pence t. explain what
he meant. and the Colorado repsenta-
tive again came forward.
He said that even in the closing hours
of the last congress, when Henry Viii
lard, as representative of the incoming
administration, ives here trying to se-
cure the repeal of the Sherman law,
Mr.. Cooper had voted for free silver.
Yet last fall, acting under Democratic
administration, he had changed his entire
course. That justified what he had
said, although Mr.. Cooper spoke for
repeal. Mr.. Pence concluded: HE now
seeks to save his silver record by sup
porting this bill in the face of the
COMING ELECTION"
Mr.. Cooper said in reply that what
Mr.. Pence had said of his silver record
prior to this congress was true. But in
the midst of the panic last spring he
had come to the conclusion that free
coinage for the United States would
bring untold disaster. He made up his
mind to this before he came to Wash
lngton 10 attend the extra session. and
was so quoted. Taken in connection
with the other remarks of Mr.. Pence.
his reflections could only mean that his
position had been shifted at the dicta-
tion of the White house.
"Whlle l honor Mr.. Cleveland" said
Mr. Cooper, ''as do few men, desire
to say that l never had any conversa-
ton with Mr.. Cleveland on the subject
of the Sherman law until after the bill
was repealed. My conclusions were
arrived at entirely independent of 9TH
ers, and l consider the reflections of the
gentleman wholly unkind, unjust and
untrue. l should differ frdm him on
any subject under any circumstances
with the greatest degree of reluctance,
but sincerely believe that the gentle
mans utteranceS and conduct on this
floor are prompted by all interest which
has overwhelmed him, and that if he
would stop and think where he has
placed himself, and where he is going,
he would speedily retrace his steps. Ee
is interested largely in silver mines.
He has stocks in silver mines, and if
he Will read the statutes of congress
and the laws of his country he will
learn that he has no right to vote upon
this question, much less to speak upon
it. He has direct personal and me-
cuniary interest in the result of this
legislation, and if he would exercise
that degree Of caution or modesty of
common decency that ought to COM
mend itself to man having a financial
interest in the result of pending legisla-
tion, he would hesitate before he at
tackled the motives of other gentlemen,
honorable men who are serving their
country,as they believe, instead OF their
personal gain"
MIR. CUMMINGS JUMPED
to his feet, and brought down a laugh
by shouting: "If it is in order, l sug-
gest that now Is an opportune time for
some one to apologize for his remarks
with reference 10 the New York Democ-
racy."
Mr.. Geissenhainer Dem., N. J.) then
asked unanimous consent to consider
bill to save the armament Of the
wrecked Kearsarge,