Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-10
Villas ON BLAND'S BILL.
He Says the Seigniorage Meas,
ure Has Dangerous Features.
SENATE TO VOTE ON 1T NEXT WEEK
Stewart Creates a Diversion In Rushing to
the Defense of SiIvcr-House Considers
District of Columbia Matters-Op Opponents


the Defense of SiIvcr-House Considers
District of Columbia Matters-Opponent
of the Income Tax Urging an Active War.
WASHINGTON, March lO-After clearing
the calendar of a number of bills of minor
interest the senate took up the seigniorage
bill. After an agreement between Mr.. AL
lison for the minority and Mr.. Harris for
the majority that IL vote should be taken
on the motion to reconsider at , o'clock
next w Wednesday, and on the final passage
of the bill at the same hour on Thursday,
Mr.. Villas addressed the senate in opposi
tion to the bill. His speech was of ii frag-
mentary description, owing to numerous
Interruptions.
In speaking of the hOpelessness of speak
ing on the silver question he said that one
might as well attempt to eXpostulate with
prairie fire as to attempt to argue with
those who were determined to push this
bill through. This bill, shortly stated, was
simply proposition to offer nearly $780,,
OOO,OGO of silver certificates, and force them
into the currency of the country in addi
ton to the large amount already outstand-
ing, and to substitute such a volume of
silver certificates in place of the meas is
sued under the act of 1890, which We're to
all intents and purposes greenbacks.
Villas and Stewart.
Many of the features of the bill he con
tinued, which appeared to one side to be
particularly dangerous. appeared to the
other to be its chief merit. and it certainly
added to the alarm which he felt in regard
TO this Legislation, its purposes and its con-
sequences, to hear from able and inteli
gent men the expressed declaration of their
understanding that it was step-a long
StnT-tnIX-nr ard h,.S l,St Of ill
standard in this country for the gold stand
ard-not the substitution of bimetallism
that fatuous will o the wisp which is al
ways sent floating before arguments which
favored silver recommendation.
An amusing dialogue occurred between
Senators Villas and Stewart. precipitated
by Senator Villas prophecy of the dire mis-
fortune of silver recommendation and Sena
tor Stewards query. will the senator ex-
plain how this country will be injured by
manufacturing standard money out of sill
Ver>'
1t would afford me great pleasure to in
struct the senator on that subject" re-
piled Mr. Villas, but for two reasons. The
first is that it would divert me from my
argument. and the second is that were
gifted with tongue of an angel that in
struction would do him no good whatever"
Laughter.
Mr.. Stewart rctorted courteOusly that
the senator from Wisconsin could not show
any facts to prove that any injury which
might come would not he Il thousandfold
counter balanced by the benefits which
would follow the striking of the shackles
from the commerce of the country.
Mr.. Villas, in his reply referred to the
tiNity of purpose of the senator from Ne
vada to attribute all evils to the dcmone-
tization of silver.
My tiNity of purpose" rctorted Mr.
Stewart. lis not greater than my abhOr-
renee of the crimes which have brought
misery to the people-the crime of 1873 and
the repeal of the Sherman law in the extra
session. FiXity of purpose" he exclaimed.
Il was born to abhOr crime in any form. "
Continuing, Mr.. Villas said that he knew
OF no necessity for the passage of the bill.
The secretary of the treasury had asked
for no such legislation and indeed it was
known that he opposed it.
Mr.. Harris Asserts Himself.
Mr.. Aldrich said: "While it is true that
the secretary has not asked for this legis-
latiOn, understood from the attitude of
the senator from Indiana Voorhees, and
of the senator from Tennessee (Harris)
both distinguished members of the finance
committee and in favor of the bill, that
there was request on the part of the adj
ministration for the passage of this bill"
Did the senator say that he understood
from me that ii was the request of the ad-
ministration that the bill should be passed
in order to enable the administration to
perform its duty asked Mr.. Harris i'm
pressively.
81 said that from the fact that the SEN
ator from Indiana and the senator from
| Tennessee age in favor of this bill assum-
ed that the administration desired it to be
passed" responded Mr.. Aldrich
J Mr. Harris said slowly and distinctly:
| Il have represented on this floor my own
personal and individual views | have no
information from the head of the admins
! tratiOn or any member of the administra-
ton fully as to what they wish or do not
wish in regard to it. am representing my
| own individual views and shall continue
| to represent them until the end of the con
! test
The Executive Session.
| MIR. Villas. being permitted to continue
said that the secretary of the treasury be
| ing charged with the conservation of the
country and with its credit. could not help
| but view with alarm the progress of this
| bill, which was not introduced in the house
and was not then being urged in the sen
ate as a bill for the relief of the treasury
Mr. Villas yielded to Mr.. Harris for mo-
ton to go into executive session, after
which the senate adjourned until Monday.
| The executive session of the senate was
devoted to the consideration of nomina-
| tions to which there was no objection ex-
| cept in the case of c. s. Parker, who had
been appointed postmaster at Fullerton
| Neb., and who was charged with having
| voted against the Democratic candidate
| for congress at the last election. Senator