The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-01
Mr.. Villas Also Denounces the bond
Bill because IL Doesn't Heed CIeve-
lands endatiOns.
VOTE TO BE TAKEN TODAY
sILvERITEs AND ANTS FINALLY
REACH AN AGREEMENT.
Fate of the Amended Bond Bill tn BE
Decided at o'clock - Scene ut
Night Session of the House.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special 10 the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 31.-This week in the
Senate has been a memorable one in some
respects. Probably never before in the same
space Of tine has the Congressional Record
been burdened with such a varied mass of
pyrotechnical speeches. First there was
Senator Turpie. a master OF seven tongues,
who wanted to crash a solid shot into the
seraglio of the "beastly" Sultan of Turkey.
Then there was Daniel Wolsey VOORHEES,,
the Tall Sycamore of the Wabash" who
fired silver bullets into the gold bugs"
much like he hanged Carnegie and other
millionaires a few years ago-with his
mouth. On the same day the Denosthenian
statesman from Observation-Disclosures
Thurston-made his debut as a senatorial
spell-binder. Next came the anarchist from
South Carolina, with a pitchfork between
his teeth and a mouthful of vtuperation,
and to-day there was the Wisconsin cuckoo
Senator Vilas-who warbled sweetly for
the administrations financial policy.
Senator Villas Is no tyro with
his tongue and he let it have
full swing. The Wisconsin cuckoo differs
from the winged Calculus Canorus in that
the former can sing almost any note, while
nature has so arranged the vocal chords
OF the latter that cuckoo is all it can
utter. Several times to-day Mr.. Villas al
lowd his voice to soar TO the dizzy heights
OF college oratory, but ne Is too old a bird
TO resort to any such clap-trap as bursting
British shells above the dome of the Capitol
and his peroration was, therefore, tame
compared with Thurston's.
The final vote on the bond-silver bill will
be taken in the Senate at 2 o'clock to-mor-
row, an agreement to that effect having
hoa,
clusion debate covering many days. The
agreement came rather Unexpectedly at the
close Of Mr.. Vilas's speech. He had talked
for three hours. and was about to be fol-
lowed by Mr.. Bate when Mr.. Chandler pre-
cipitated the question OF a final vote by
stating that he would ask unanimous con-
sent for recess from until 7:30 o'clock
Mr.. Harris, of Tennessee, put the voting
proposition in more definite form by asking
that the agreement cover a. recess from 4
to 7:30 tonight, further recess until IL
a. m Tomorrow, then the five-minute rule
OF debate to apply, except TO Mr.. Morrill,,
the venerable head of the finance commit
tee. and finally vote on the bill and all
amendments at 2 o'clock. The presiding
officer declared the unanimous agreement
to be In force. Aside from this the day
was given to speeches on the pending bill.
II.
When the Senate convened to-day IT was
technically a continuance of the session of
Thursday. as recess was taken last night.
The silver-bond bill. therefore. had imme-
date right OF way. with Mr.. Villas recog-
nized to speak There was a very meager
attendance, and Mr.. Allen called attention
to the absence OF quorum. This necessi-
tated a roll call. which brought Senators
from committee and cloak rooms and dis
closed forty-six Senators present, one more
than quorum.
Mr.. Villas then addressed the Senate. He
said:
1T will. doubtless, never be necessary to
discuss this bill as IT came to the House,
but II may be said ii deserved its fate.
Strangied by silver. 1t but the fraud-
u-ent pretext of response to the exigency
which IL professed to meet and to reason
able suggestions Of the President. which it
denied, while IL avowed their wisdom. Witr
the exception OF provision for emergency
certificates-which ought 10 stand in the
permanent statutes-the House bill con-
t&iutd nothing commendable; everything
else was but mockery of the Legislation
der1anded by our fiscal conditions And so
again. as year ago. partisanship or i'm
bec1lity, or both, has stricken Congress
with paralysis and the rescue of business
prosperity from its recurring peril has been
thrown on the executive. 1t is almost as
fortuitous "a fortunate that an old statute
has remained untouched during our finan-
cial madness, which can again serve the
turn and although in clumsy way, when
considered with reference TO existing condi-
tons and suitable measures of relief, yet
1t shows Gods pity and mercy are not
wholly Withdrawn from US.
IF any trusted agent in private affairs
should SO deny duty and abuse trust as
Congress did year ago and now repeats,
no judgment I'm their condemnation would
be too severe. Over $l6,000,0O0 in the public
debt were then thrown away in the reck-
less rage OF craftsmanship and the injury that
must now be sustained by the people for
Che same reason is probably no less al
30 clear. Then Republican management
was able TO show pretenses that but for
the Populists and free silverites there mig at
nave been relief. IT was not true then. and
this bill has now unmasked the fact BY
denying, under Republican dictations the
chief"
Declaring that the bill as Il came from
the House a mere sham and fraud, Mr.
Villas proceeded to show that the Senate
amendments made IL worse than the orig
asserted, though IL has been budded with
good scion. The best hope Is that hofh
Will shrivel and die In the desert air of the
Senate. In the Senate. Midas is the horror
said he had hitherto concluded that il was
the wise policy TO sit quiet and allow the
silver advocates to do the talking as they
were In the habit OF doing. at the ratio OF
Is to l. but he had heard II asked vhv
the opponents OF free coinage did not iusfi
~ their faith in debate. He then proceeded
al. considerable length to discuss the free
coinage provision OF the pending bin. de-
claring that the financial distress and pub
lie misery OF the past three years were
the direct products of the efforts TO force
course to relief Is return TO sound prin-
ciples." He believed especially that every
stop OF the fatal progress In error had been
opposed TO the cardinal doctrines on which
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