The record-union., 1896-02-01

Bond Bill, Declaring That Measure
as It Came From the House Was q
sham and a Fraud, and That the
Senate Substitute Was Even Worse.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31-The end of
the long debate in the Senate on the
House bond bill with the Finance Com
1nittee's free coinage substitute, was
sighted to-day, when unanimous
agreement was made that after an
evening session to be devoted to
clearing UP of belated speeches a re-
cess shall be taken till IL o'clock to-
morrow morning. and that then, after
Morrill, (Rep.) of Vermont shall have
been heard, the discussion shall go on,
under the five-minute rule, until
O'Clock, when the final vote is to be
taken.
There were three speeches made on
the subject to-day, Villas (Dem.) OF
Wisconsin speaking for two hours and
three-quarters in opposition to the bill
and the substitute. The other two
speeches were in support of the free
coinage substitute. They were made
by Senator'S Bate CDem.) of Tennessee
and Pascoe (Dem) of Florida.
The Senate was called to order at
noon, at which time there was not over
a dozen Senators present. As to-day 5
session, through the parliamentary de-
vice of taking a recess instead or an
adjournment yesterday was but a con-
tinuance of yesterday, the usual formal
ities of prayer, reading of the journal
presenting memorials, introducing OF
BILLS and all the other morning business
was dispensed with and the Senate re-
sumed the consideration of the House
bond bill.
Allen CPop.) of Nebraska suggested
the absence of a quorum. Forty-six
Senators responded to the call.
Villas (Dem.) of Wisconsin addressed
the Senate in opposition to the bill and
to the substitute. He spoke as fol-
lows:
1T WILL" said Villas, doubtless never
be necessary to discuss this bill, as 1t
came from the House. But II may be
said that it deserves its fate. strangled
by silver It was but the fraudulent
pretext in response to the eXigency
which it professed to meet, and to the
reasonable suggestions Of the Presi-
dent which it denies, while it avowed
their wisdom. With the exception OF
the provision for emergency certificates
which ought to stand in the perma-
nent statutes-the House bill contains
nothing commendable. Everything else
is but a mockery Of the legislation oc-
manded by our financial conditions.
And so again, as a year ago, parti-
sanship or imbecility. or both, has
stricken Congress with paralysis and
the rescue of prosperity from its re-
curing peril has been thrown upon the
Executive. Almost as fortunate as Tor
tuitous that an old statute has re-
mained untouched during our financial
madness, which can again serve the
turn. and, although in clumsy way,
when considered with reference to ex-
listing conditions and suitable measures
CT relief. yet it shows that Gods pity
and mercy are not wholly withdrawn
from us"
Declaring that the bill as it came from
the House was mere sham and fraud.
Villas proceeded to show that the Senate
substitute was worse than the original
measure. 1T was a bad stock" he as
serted. though it has been budded with
a warm scion. The best hope is that
both will shrivel and die in the desert
air of the Senate"
He then proceeded at considerable
length to discuss the free coinage pro-
vision of the pending bill, declaring
that the financial distress for the last
three years was the direct result of the
attempt to force silver on the coun-
try. And" he continued, "our course
of relief is a return to sound principles.
He believed especially that every
step of the fatal progress in error had
been opposed to the cardinal doctrines
on which the Democratic party is based,
and by which it must abide or sink in
Tecreancy. while the spirit flies from our
institutions of liberty. He traced the
past legislation in the interest of silver
to the theory of protection, which he
characterized as vicious and wicked
The Senator then proceeded to a re-
view of silver legislation and of silver
production and silver coinage In the
limited States, showing that the produc-
4ion was small before the silver war. OF
finetallism he said: ''Bimetallism is
Understanding, splendid word If only
himetallism, but, alasl what is it and
sv here is it? Always dancing before the
vision. always something to be gained,
hut never realized, the glittering bau-
lie has fitted on afar before the fatu-
Gus pursuit on which the public have so
long been conducted, vet always to
disappear. save in the pleasing speech
of silver advocates, while the realities
of gain could be matched by the other
and mastering purpose
He declared that from the beginning
practical bimetallism had never been
proposed to Congress. He declared
Hhat Senators Teller and Wolcott, as
champions of silver, had based their
contentious upon a protective founda-
tion-
Villas speech was a vivid word pic
true Of Democracy, menaced on the one
hand by feudalism rejuvenated in the
Republican party, and on the other by
that ''portentous cloud of a party never
known in the days of Democratic just
ice, charged with wild. fantastic theo-
4ies of social disorder and wilder
schemes of remedy, threatening, should
1t grow apace, no one can foreteIl with
what violence or social tempest.
This party will continue on its great
career, yielding neither on one side or
the other to the reactionary forces of
old absolutism or red fires of anarchy
IN the course of the speech a couoquy
sprung up between Villas and Mitchell
fRep0 Of Oregon. the latter asserting
that when the last bond issue was
taken BY the syndicate for some eight
T,f11ions less than II would have been
taken If the bonds had been made pay
bic specifically in gold instead Of in
coin there was no justice or fairness