The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-01-30
COLOSSAL SWINDLE.'
The Demonstration of Silver.

The Demonstration of Silver.
One of the meanest things about
the last campaign was the infinite and
infamous lying performed by the Re-
publican orators and candidates.
Congressman McCleary was conspicu-
Gus in this work. He declared that the
bill for the demonstration of silver
had been fully discussed: that Con-
gress knew what it was doing: that
there was no fraud about it: that the
American people wanted silver ex-
cluded from the minis, ETC., etc. He
even produced the debate on another
bill as the debate on the demone TIA
ton bill. We therefore reproduce
part of the record on this quest ton.
We want our readers to study it care
fully and they will see how the trick
was accomplished,-a the history
Of the world fails to record baser or
more damnable or more destructive
trick.
e EXTRACTS FROM THE RECORD
The best history Of decentralization
is found is the Congressional Record,
and in extracts from subsequent de-
bates on the subject in the House and
Senate.
Mr.. Holman. of Indiana, in speech
delivered in the House Of Representa-
tives July l3, 1876, said
81 have before me the record of the
proceedings Of this House on the pas
sage Of that measure, record which
no man can read without being con-
WINGED that the measure and the
method Of its passage through the
House was colossal swindle.' | as
Sert that the measure never had the
sanction OF the House and it did not
possess the moral force Of law"
Again on August 5, 1876, he said:
1.-THE original bill was simply bill
to organize bureau of mines and
coinage. The bill as it finally passed
the House and ultimately became a
law was certainly not read in the
House. 1t was never con-
sidered before the House as it was
passed. I p to the time the bill came
before the House for final passage the
measure had simply been one to es
tablish a bureau Of mines. l believe
L use the term correctly now. 1t
came from the committee on coinage,
weights and measures. The substi-
tute which finally became law was
never read, and is subject to the
charge made against it by the gentle
man from Missouri (Mr Bland) that it
was passed by the House without d
knowledge of its provisions, especially
upon that Of coinage.
1 myself asked Mr.. Hooper, who
stood near where | am now standing,
whether it changed the law in regard
to coinage, and the answer of Hooper
certainly left the impression upon the
whole House that the subject of coin
age was not affected by the bill. (See
Congressional Record. Volume ",
Part six. torty-fourth Congress, first
page 5231.)
The debate on the bill
throughout shows that no one
except those who framed the
bill, or rather the substitute,
knew that it demonetized silver and
established the single gold standard.
The sharp reporters of the daily
press, who are ever on the alert for
news, had the bill containing this
clause been made public, would GER
tainly have discovered so important a
factor and published it to the world.
PASSED WITHOUT READING.
An extract from the debate on the
substitute from the Congressional
Globe, Part five, page 1883, shows how
the substitute was put through:
Mr. Holman: Il suppose it is in
tended to have the bill read before if
is put on its passage"
The Sneaker, Mr.. Blaine: "The
substitute will be read
Mr. Hooper: Il hope not. 1t is a
long bill and those who are interested
in it are perfectly familiar with it's
provisions.
Mr.. Kerr: ''The rules cannot be
suspended SO as to dispense with the
reading of the bill"
The Speaker, They can can be-"
put through this bill without being
read"
The Speaker: "Does the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr Hooper,
move the reading of the bill be dis
pensed with?"
Mr.. Hooper: II will so frame my
motion to suspend the rules that it
will dispense with the reading OF the
BILL
The Speaker: ''The gentleman
from Massachusetts moves that the
rules be suspended and that the bill
pass, the reading thereof being dis
penSed with"
The question on suspending the
rules was put and lost, two. thirds not
voting.
Mr.. Hooper: 81 now move that the
rules be suspended and the substitute
for the bill in relation to minis and
coinage be passed and l ask that the
substitute be read"
The clerk began to read.
Mr. Brooks: "Is that the original
bill"
The Speaker: "The motion of the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Hooper, applies to the substitute,
and that on which the House is called
to act is being read"
Mr.. Brooks: "As there is to be no
debate, the only chance we have to
know what we are doing is to have
both the bill and the substitute
read"
The Speaker: "The motion of the
gentleman from Massachusetts being
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