The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-05-16
SENATOR VEST TALKS.
A Warning to the Administration
Interference Through Office Hold
ers With the National Demo-
cratic Convention May
Cause SeriOus Trouble.

From the st. Louis Republic.
Washington, May 7.-Senator Vest,
of Missouri, delivered a sensational
speech in the senate today, in which
he practically announced that under
certain circumstances he would bolt
the Chicago convention. Senator
Palmer, of Illinois, provoked the
speech. The Illinois senator delivered
IA carefully prepared speech IN opposi-
tion to the free coinage of silver.
Senator Vest entered into dialogue
with him, the Missourian insisting that
free coinage was wise and just, the
Illinois senator asserting the contrary.
Senator Palmer called the Missouri
and Illinois conventions of last year
"snap conventions, and siad they did
not reflect the democratic sentiment of
either state on the money question.
Senator Vest, with some heat, told
Palmer that he could speak for Illinois
if he wished, but he (VeSt) would not
permit him to speak for Missouri. Mr..
Vest defended the Pertle Springs con-
vention as being in every way regular
and representative. Senator Palmer
insisted that the Illinois democrats did
not favor free coinage. When Palmer
concluded, Senator Vest got the floor
and said:
AT hn~ nd n -, oil 1 no m
connection with my personal history
struggled to the full extent of my linz
tied ability to prevent the unfortunate
condition of affairs in the democratic
party today upon this currency ques-
tion. stood here at the risk of severe
criticism from men who agree with me
in regard to the free and Unlimited
coinage of silver and begging the dem-
ocrats IN this senate and in the house
of representatives not to thrust this
issue upon us if possible, but to attempt
to hold the party together upon some
conservative basis.
81 went to the president of the
United States in person and to the
secretary of the treasury and under
took to show them what would result
if it was attempted to force the demo-
cratic party to the single gold stand
ard. told them that it was impossi-
BILE to hold us together, whatever mig Int
happen to the great republican party,
in which equal dissensions existed,
but which had the cohesive power of
being then minority party, and which
might survive this struggle for short
time at least, in view of the great issue
of protection to which that party was
pledged.
this floor, and was upbraided by per-
sonal and political friends upon this
side of the chamber because l begged
my party and my party associates if
possible to postpone, at least, this
question in regard TO The free coinage
of silver until we could adjust other
matters and crystalize the power of the
party upon what l conceived to be its
fundamental principles, but | also said
and say now if forced 10 the issue I
would never consent to mOnometal-
lism, either of gold or silver. That
opinion is based upon my absolute
conviction that there is not enough of
either metal in the world to transact
the business of mankind without op-
preston to a large majority. believe
that monometallism, either of gold or
silver, Is a bastard monopoly, which
gives into the hands of the few the
power to control the interests of the
many. But we have come now to that
question, when, against the protest of
the majority of democrats the admins
tration forced this issue upon us. We
attempted here, when the repeal of the
purchasing clause of the Sherman act
was before the senate, to effect Il COM
promise with the administration upon
this subject, and offered TO support
that repeal against our convictions,
provided they would make some con-
cession to silver.
"That compromise was rejected, and
we were then compelled either to follow
the money idea of Mr.. Cleveland, the
president of the United States, and his
secretary of the treasury, who gave
adhesion to him, either to follow their
lead in regard to this matter and
separate ourselves absolutely from our
own convictions and those of our
people, or to follow the manly and
honest dictates of our own judgment
in such Il contingency. No self-re-
specting man could hesitate for an
instant. l am therefore not RESPONSE
BILE for this discussion or for similar
discussions before the people of the
United States.
MIR. President, this thing has come
to that pass when manhood and decen-
cy will not permit us to stand here and
be told that we are in favor of unsound
money, that we are advocating snap
conventions, and that we are attempt
ing to lead the people of the United
States IN the direction of great disaster.
Mr. President, this morning | saw
in the papers that our president had
extended the civil service to something
like 80, 900 more employees of this GOV
ernment, leaving, | believe, as the
statement said, but 775 who are now
outside of the classified civil service.
This administration, therefore, has
pledged the people of the United
States, so far as it was possible, TO the
civil service reform, of which we have
heard so much One of the first ele-
ments of that reform is II divorce be-
tween the patronage of the government
and its political action. One of the
burning tenets of this school is that the
patronage of the government should
not be indirectly used for the purpose
inf m lot tifAn q