The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-06
In THE HOUSE.
Boatner and Cochran Discuss tho Cur.
rency Bill.

Washington City, Jan. SIN the house
the currency bill was taken up and
Boataer spoke. Bland, interrupting. put
several questions to show that the adj
nlinistration had adopted a gold policy.
form was a fraud IL there was no inten-
tion to carry 1t out, asserting that plat
forms should mean something.
Boatner asked If Bland had not been
a supporter of President Cleveland in
the last campaign. whereupon Bland re-
sponded that he had supported the plat
form and had voted for the candidate.
and the party had gone down In igno-
minious defeat for its treachery and
fraud.
Pence brought up Secretary Carlisle's
advocacy Of silver while a member of
the house in supporting Matthews res
oiution, and asked IL. soon after accept
ing the treasury portfolio. he had not
announced his intention of paying some
of the governments obligations in sill
YER and had not been called down."
Boatner replied that II was useless. to
revive free silver as a factor OF the cur
rency question. Bland retorted: you
publican lines, and no mugwump can
change its policy
Boatner con.cnded that 1t was the
mistake of the century when the ad-
ministration failed TO pay obligations
In silver as well as gold. I'VE should
no longer keep ourselves on exhibition"
Boatner concluded. las unable to agree
on a single measure that promises re-
lief to the people, Lacey followed in
opposition to the bill.
There was the usual filling of seats
when Cochran rose in the first aisle OF
the Democratic side. He deplored the
tendency To treat the measure as
party one. which WAS likely TO wreck
ii on the rocks of political expediency.
The vote of confidence In the Democrat
ic party In 1892 had been reversed. he
said. and he did not think the constitu-
tionai provision which allowed the par
ty to remain in power until March was
granted for passing party acts. An
agitation without result. which would
rufiie restored business tranquility,
would better be dropped If this house
succeeded In establishing monetary
system based on huIpan reason and
experience OF experts, the last days win
not be without profit or devoid OF hon.
or. There were, In his opinion. questions
on which legislatures could divide along
party lines with advantage. but this
was not one OF them. lie said there
were many questions upon which man
kind had differed from the beginning
of civilization. and the questions con-
nectesi with the finances and political
economy were among those over which
there had been most dispute Neverthe-
less. he contended, the laws controlling
these questions were inmutabie. and 10
obey them was To bring blessings. TO
ignore them; the reverse. I'VE can,' he
declared, mo more affect the economic
laws by our legislation than we can
by the same means affec. the laws gov
ernimg nations" He asked that the
question now et Issue be considered on
the basis of these economic laws. lie
thought he saw evidence that the judg-
ment OF the generation had been warp
ed by the saperabundance of talk on
the .'erin,e OF 1871 when silver was
demonetszed. The tendency TO treat po-
lEsical economy as mysterious science
had enabled men to pose as statesmen,
who, IL they talked common sense,
would have been discovered. but thus
were able 10 confuse the people BIZ
shouting platltudinous nonsense San
ancient astroioger was no more absurd
than the double standard. When we re-
fleet that this generation has allowed
its daily affairs 10 be affected by the
nonsense or inp<sstors. cur charity to-
ward the ancsents br0adened and our
sympathy was touched by the sight of
cur own people listening to men who
said that the payment Of wages IN a
bad dollar pras better than In good
dollar, and that taxation was the hand
maid of prosperity.
waan Cochran alluded sarcasttcaiiy 20
the free silver aghs OF Bland and Gray.
ana what be termed the ehSEge Of atti-
t,i4e of Roatnsr, wha @as about - retire
% the casrner fIel3s Of Jurisprudence.
bland interrupted with question regard
ing Mr. Coekrzn's prediction that the re-
zeal OF the purchasing clause Of the saer-
man ae. would restore prosperity, and Dir.
cocsrdn challenged hlEn 30 pyosince 3
wa-a az his 20 sfae syess- II am not
one. Nr. Cochran resumed, ''wso pre-
tene.s snat prosperity csn be forced IN this
chansEser or by tAe iaw Of TIE tana. / be-
Igeve AL the taw a aG gozpelon she subject os
,a.gtsrat economy was revealed 70 the FIRST
,nan when 5as. ssod tsEd hirn sssas by
the sweat cf his brow be must earn Ills
bread g
Taxtaw ap the tzaksng and earrency
b.li, he xgok@ briefly o< tae Claims ef tia