The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-26
DEMOCRATS AND SILVER.

Republican party. It has not claimed
that the Democratic party will be sure
to place in its platform in 1896 de-
mand for the free, unlimited and in
dependent coinage of silver at the ra-
tic of 16 to l, but it has maintained
. that unless the Democratic party shall
thus pronounce, the cause of silver viii
for a season be doomed.
Against all that, local Republican
casuists can only offer taunts in re
gard to such states as have held Dem
ocratic conventions and have failed to
obtain a majority in favor of free sill
yer. They neglect, however, to make
any replies to the question as to what
Republican states have announced a
square and open adoption of free
silver plank. The unbiased observer
viii note the fact that several Demo
cratic state conventions have an
nounced a free silver policy, and that
in those instances where the con-
trary has prevailed there has been in
each case an enthusiastic and vigor-
Gus minority battling boldly for the
white metal
Notwithstanding these patent facts,
there are Republicans in Utah who
still pretend that the Republican party
is a free silver party. and that the
Democratic party has a bad record ON
this question. For the purpose of set
ting this. we once more place before
our readers the silver record of the
two parties in Congress, this time TAX
| ing our figures from a speech deliv-
cred by Hon. Louis Houck at a mass
meeting held in Jackson, Missouri, a
few days ago.
| We need not here repeat the fact
that a Republican Congress passed the
act of 1878 which demonetized silver,
and that Republican president signed
it. In December, 1876, Mr.. Bland of
Missouri presented a bill for the coin
age of dollars of 4121A grains, to be le-
gal tender for the payment of I'll debts
public and private, except where the
contract required payment in gold.
The vote in the House for the bin was
143 Democrats and 10 Republicans;
against it, II Democrats, So Republi-
cans. In 1887 Bland introduced a sim
| liar bill; 81 Democrats and 67 Republic
cans voted for it and 10 Democrats
and "A Republicans voted against it.
In the Senate "a Democrats and % Re
publicans voted for it, Z Democrats
and IA Republicans voted against it.
Before the Bland act of 1878 was
passed resolution was agreed to- in
the Senate that all the obligations of
the government could be legally paid
at the option of tie government in
standard silver doll.rs, without viola
ton to the public faith. There were 90
Democrats and 10 Republicans for it.
Democrats and Is Republicans
against it. In the House 102 Demo-
Gratis and 3S Republicans voted for it,
20 Democrats and II Republicans
against it.
December 8, 1878, motion was pre-
scented instructing the committee on
banking and currency to report bill
withdrawing circulation of any ma
tional banking association discrimi
mating against standard silver dollars.
This was supported by LOG Democrats
and 45 Republicans; 16 Democrats and
70 Republicans voted against the mo
IL n. In 1886 bill for the free COIN
af~e of silver and placing silver on an
equal basis with gold was supported
by $50 Democrats and Il Republicans.
81 Republicans and 80 Democrats vot-
ing against it.
When the Sherman purchase law
was before Congress, Mr.. Bland, on
June 5. 1890, moved to recommit the bill
with instructions to report a bill for
the free coinage of silver. There were
101 Democrats and II Republicans for
the motion, '12S Republicans and u
Democrats against it. In the Senate
an amendment to the Sherman act
was offered providing for the free and
unlimited coinage of silver. Twenty
eight Democrats and 10 Republicans
voted for it, Democrats and 81 Repub- |
licans against it. The bill so amended |
was voted for in the House on June |
20, when 113 Democrats and q Repub- |
licans voted for it, 100 Republicans |
and p Democrats against it; SO the |
amendment was lost. In 1891 a free
coinage amendment to a silver ap- |
preparation bill was ruled out by
Speaker Reed. Mr.. Bland appealed
from the decision. Seven Democrats
and 124 Republicans voted to sustain
the speaker; 116 Democrats and II Re-
publicans voted against the decision. |
In the next Congress, while a free
coinage bill was pending, Mr. Bur
rows, Republican, moved to lay it
on the table. One hundred and
thirty Democrats. u Republicans and
Populists voted against the motion.
In 1892 free coinage bill was
passed by the Senate. This is the
bill which Republican contemporary
has several times alluded to as having
been passed by the Republicans. We
have asked in vain repeatedly for the
figures announcing the vote. They
have been promised. But Republican
promises are very seldom fulfilled We
now furnish the figures: II Democrats,
10 Republicans and Independents
voted for the bill; Democrats and Is
Republicans voted against it.
From these figures it will he seen
that the Democrats in Congress have
always been more favorable to the free
coinage of silver than the Republicans