The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-22

free coinage dollar, ana LneF0 you -naO
an act without any free coinage in it
81 have before me on this table the
files of the Chicago Tribune for 1873.
This bill was passed in the senate on
January II, SO that the morning papers
of the 18th would contain any news
showing that the fundamental laws of
the government had been changed. The
only reference that appears in that paper
in a press telegram from Washington is:
'Mr Sherman called up bill to revise
the laws relating to the assay offices aud
coinage of the United States, which was
amended and passed
sThat is all. One of the money metals
of the United States, as it is now con-
ceded, was struck down by that bill; one
of the moneys of the constitution had
been overthrown; the dollar that had
regulated all other coins had been abol-
ished. A great war debt to be paid of
and one of our money resource for pay
ing it has been destroyed (Long con-
tinued applause,)
mo information of that fact was con-
veyed to the people through the news
papers of the country. [Applause.] The
reporters at Washington did not know 1t;
the congressman as a whole did not know
it. The money of the people that had
served them we'll was destroyed, and
now challenge Mr.. Horn to show me any
where in the newspapers of the United
States during the passage OF the bill,
which he says has no faint of fraud at
tached to it. where the people knew that
bill was being considered by congress
that was to destroy as money one-half OF
the money metal of the country, or that
they had passed such a bill
81 have charged that it was passed
secretly. The great fundamental law of
the land had been reversed and that no
information of it had gone to the people
whose government it was, either before
or after the passage of the bill, until it
was discovered several years afterwards,
is one of the best evidences of its secret
passage"
Mr.. Horn in replying said: "All this
talk about striking down the money of
the people is the merest rOt-its the on
! ly word that exactly covers that kind of
bosh. The money of the people should
be just as good as the money of the
nabob, and before l get through l will
| show the people of the United States
! that have come hero to defend the
rights of the millions who live by toll,
who live by work, whose wages would
be cut in two by the passage of this law
! which my friend advocates (Long con-
tinued applause.
IF MIR. Harvey-now Hsten-shall
-
the United State in 1878 were mostly a
set of corrupt scoundrels and that he is
really the only pure and upright man
left in the entire city of Chicago, ii
won't avail him anything in his debate.
These questions are not pertinent to tn
questions in dispute"
The contestants being clearly at log
| gerheads as to the point of discussion,
little further progress was made until
! adjournment was taken until Monday.
The debate prior to running against
the big snag had been full of interest
The attendance showed no appreciable
ference from that which characterized
the previous sessions
Mr.. Harvey opened the days talk with
a review of the points 80 far established
They were that prior to 1878 gold and
| silver were the money of the constitu
ton; that silver was the unit of value;
that up to that time the debtor was per
mitted to pay in the cheaper money
and that silver was not demonetized
because of any over production al
the time the act of 1873 was
passed Then taking up the debate
| proper he denied that be had at any
time tried to impeach the integrity of the
American people, but he did not propose
to allow corrupt Legislators to throw the
mantle of national honesty around them
for their own protection. He recognized
the integrity of the American people and
it was to that he appealed.
The speaker then resumed the state
| ment which was interrupted at the close
of the talk on Thursday, of the various
steps leading up to the passage of the
act of 1878.