The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-28


LET US be consistent with our record"
said Johnson. ''Let US stand by the rule
which we adopted many years ago that we
will not issue bonds in time of peace, but
that we will pile up revenue even if we
have to re-enact the Mckinley tariff bill
until the receipts exceed the expendi-
lures"
Representative Bowers made a strong
speech. The members crowded around
him and applauded enthusiastically.
Bowers speech was one of the features OF
the days proceedings. He said:
SIN ten minutes one cannot stop to
mince words. We excused ourselves for
our votes yesterday on a tariff for revenue
only by the claim, as stated here, that an
emergency had arisen and we must act
promptly. That emergency, we claimed
yesterday. we had provided for. What
emergency has arisen that requires this
haste i'll authorizing the issue of more
bonds, while the President now has I'M
limited power to issue bonds, and this bill
in nowise restricts that power? Indeed,
We are told by the papers this morning
that he is now negotiating for the issue
and sale of 500, 600 of bonds,
and that the sale will be concluded within
few days, either with the syndicate that
took the other bonds or with Russia, ire
spective of what this House may do. 3
II ask what has arisen to justify the
passage OF this bill? know of nothing
except that the other day two or three
stock gamblers in the city of New York
failed, and we were told yesterday that one
of these would probably get upon his feet
before he was counted out. Laughter
Mr. Speaker, stripped of its wrapping,
Invested of all its disguise. this bill appears
to me proposition to destroy greenDacks
all of them. 1t either means that or it
means nothing. Gentlemen OF the Repub-
lican side Of the house, are you ready to do
that? Who has asked you to do it? The
people? No; there never has come to one
of you any demand from the people any
where in the United States that this thing
be done. There has been no demand to do
even what you claim you are going to do.
The Democratic PRESIDENT in his last frantic
message to this House asks for it.
''That was the Alpha and Omega of that
message-'Destroy greenbacks and issue
bonds This demand is echoed by bank
ers and bond spectators of New York. 1t
seems to me this bill comes in here in re-
Spouse to their demands, and deaf ear
has been turned to the voice of the people.
You know the people of the United States
are opposed to the destruction of green
backs. They remember that greenbacks
enabled them to carry to a successful con-
clusion the war for the preservation of this
Union. They know that for twenty-five
years thereafter greenbacks continued TO
be the money of the people-of all the peo-
pie. And we had no other money during
the most prosperous era of this Republic.
Those greenbacks during all those years
were sound money. They were honest
dollars up to the day that Grover Cleye-
land was inaugurated President of the
United States, and raised the cry destroy
greenbacks and issue bonds. Applause
That is all there is against greenbacks
now-the Cleveland cry.
every one of you Republicans, when
pom the stump addressing your constitu-
ents, has denounced the President for
doing exactly what you propose TO do in
indorsing this bill. Yet in spite of that
we have now the astounding spectacle of
Republicans not only indorsing the Presi-
dent for doing that which has heretofore
condemned him in their estimation, but
proposing to give him greater power-the
power to destroy greenbacks and contract
the currency of this Nation to the extent
of $3.50, 10000 That is what it means.
You know that this bill cannot become a
law. You know, every one of you, that it
cannot pass the Senate of the United
States.
"But with the passage of this bill by the
votes of the Republican majority here the
mischief is accomplished and you have
become participants and sharers, not with
the Democratic party, but with the Demo
cratic administra tion-tbere is a wide diff
ference between the uwo-in the issue of
these bonds. And you have got to meet
that responsibility, every one of you. You
have got to spend all your time in the
next canvass explaining why you did this,
why you have got under the Cleveland
umbrella. l want to say to you Republ-
cans that when this bill is passed, if such
a calamity is to overtake this country or
this party, l beg you will amend the title
of the bill so that it shall show the purpose
and effect of the measure. Make it read,
A bill to retire Republican Congressman
and Republican Senators from Congress.
Applause and laugbter.]
81 appeal to you, Republicans, in words
of the gallant Sheridan, who, when in the
Shenandoah Valley, found his men flying
before the enemy, said: Face the other
way, boys, face the other way L ask you
Republicans to face the other way. Face
the enemy. Stand with the people who
sent you here. Stand with them in this
fight made against them by the associated
syndicates. [Applause.] 1 want you to
say in the spirit of Jackson: BY the eter-
nal, the greenbecks shall be preserved for
the use ofall the people, Loud applause.]
Representative Barham of California
also participated in the debate. He said:
''The first part of the bill is legislative
ratification of all the disgraceful manipu-
lations of Mr.. Cleveland and his Secretary
with the foreign syndicate of bondholders,
out of which the people lost more than
eight millions OF dollars. If it is intended
to deal fairly with the people why in
heavens name was not plain, ordinary
amendment adopted to the act of 1875,
making it necessary to advertise for bids
on sale of bonds and reduce the rate Of
interest to 3 per cent? Then the Ameri-