The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-04


for the White Meta. Even When John
sherman Threatened and Fumed About
1.-THE Stood by Silver Dick Bland in All
His Schemes and Never Failed to Get
in His Vote for Silver Bills of All
Kinds.
Chicago. April 3.-The Chicago Trib-
une, a bitter enemy of Mr.. Mckinley,
has the following dispatch from Wash
lngton:
"As soon as the financial plank in the
Ohio platform. with the authorship of
which Mr.. Mckinley himself was cred
tied, was given to the public it became a
subject Of criticism by his opponents.
1t was charged that the plank leaned
nightly toward silver and was not
sound.
When the Ohio utteranceS was criti-
cised Mr.. Mckinley, who has been care
ful to avoid public expressions, save Of
glfttering generalities, since his canvass
was actively inaugurated, broke his ST.
fence long enough to declare in an auth
orlzed interview that he stood on his
record
I have discussed the question Of
currency and coinage in congress- said
ne, and my record is plain
M'KINLEY'S UTTERANCES.
''He added that in 1890 he said in con-
sress that we should preserve gold and
silver moneys side by side; that he did
not want gold at a premium nor silver
at discount. These brave utterances
did not give Mr.. McKinley's record.
Words are capable of almost any sort
Of construction. Votes are not.
Mr.. Mckinley came to congress in
1877 as member Of the Forty-fifth con-
gress and remained until defeated after
the passage of his tariff bill in 1890
During his term of service but two bills
Involving the fate of silver became laws
the Bland-Allison act of 1873 and the
Sherman purchase act of 1890.
AS the consideration of the latter bill
In the house was proceeded with at
every stage under special orders which
forced the house 10 vote without an
amendment on the propositions brought
In by Speaker Reeds triumvirate, and
Republican action was determined en-
tirely in that congress by the decree of
the caucus. It is charged that McKin-
iey's record and individual opinions can
best be ascertained by what he did when
he was untrammeled in the forty-fifth.
That is a record for the free and unlilm-
lied coinage of silver, pure and simple,
and his opponents are anxious to learn
how ne will explain it.
VOTED FOR FREE SILVER
THE Reed supporters are especially
pleased also that at every stage of the
proceedings in that congress the record
Of their candidate appears side by side
with that of Mckinley.
The record begins at the special ses-
sion called by President Hayes October
Is, 1877, because of the failure of the
preceding congress to pass the army ap-
preparation bin. The first motion made
after Randall announced the appoint
ment OF the committees was a motion by
Silver Dollar Bland of Missouri, then.
now, one Of the high priests of free
silver, to suspend the rules and pass his
bill TO open the minis to the free coin
age of 41213 grains Of silver into stand
ard silver dollars. with full legal tender
qualities, upon the same terms with
gold.
The bill was placed upon its passage
November 8. 1877. and was passed-yeas
1863; nays 90, with SO not voting. Mr..
Mckinley voted for the bill, the record
of which will be found on page 2f Of the
Congressional Record, vol. 6. of the first
session of the forty-f1fth congress. Mr..
Reed voted against the bill
AGAIN GOES ON RECORD.
1.-THE number who lodged was exceed
ingly large Among them was the late
President Garfield OF Ohio, then mem
her Of the house. The bill went to the
senate. and there the friends of silver
finding that it would be impossible to
secure the passage Of the bill there and |
also under the menace of white house |
veto agreed to the compromise which |
afterwards became a law for the limited |
coinage of silver.
When the bill returned to the house
Mr.. Garfield assumed the leadership OF |
the OPPOSITION TO it and Alexander Stew |
ems of Georgia became its champion.
There, as in the senate, the free coin |
age men decided that bill more favor |
able 10 silver could not be passed, and |
that vas the plea for agreeing in the
senate amendments February q, 1873, |
final vote was taken.
''Abram s. Hewett of New York
moved to lay the bill and senate amend !
nIentS on the table, a motion that was
defeated, II TO POS, sixteen not voting. |
Garfield and Reed voted for the motion, |
and Mckinley was recorded against it !
Then, under the leadership of Stephens, |
the senate amendments were agreed 30. |
Mckinley voting with the majority and |
Reed, as before, in the opposition.
RINGING VETO MESSAGE.
February rs President Hayes returned |
the bill with his veto. John Sherman Of |
Ohio. always the sheet anchor of the |
sound money forces in the country, then |
secretary of the treasury. wrote the |
ringing message which accompanied the |
veto.
1T called attention to the fact that |
l215 grains of silver were then worth |
but 80 10 90 cents. The silver dollar |
authorized by this BILL he said, is |
worth or 9 cents less than it purDorts |
to be worth.
TO make legal tender a silver dol |
lar OF less commercial value than a /
dollar, it VIII hardly be questioned. Will, |
In the judgment of mankind. be an act /
Of bad faith. As to all debts previously /
contracted the silver dollar should be a |
legal tender only at its market value. /
The standard value should not be /
shanged without the consent of both |
parties % the contract National prom
ses should be kept with uniinching |
aelity. There Is no power to compel a |
ration to pay its just DEBTS. It's credit |
depends on its honor. l cannot approve |
d bill which. in my judgment. author |
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