The record-union., 1896-02-15

Leading Speeches for and Against
Free Coinage Were Made by Two
Democrats, Both Members of the
Ways and Means Committee and
Both From Georgia, Crisp and
Turner.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-By a vote
of 215 to so the House to-day, after
debating the matter for almost two
weeks, decided that it would not concur
in the Senate's free silver coinage sub
stitute for the bin Of the House au-
thorizing bond sales to maintain the
gold reserve, sales of treasury certifi-
Gates TO meet temporary deficiencies in
revenue and providing additional reye-
nue. for the treasury. Nothing else
was presented in the course of the five
hours session. The closing debate was
notable principally because of the fact
that the principal speeches for and
against free coinage were made by two
Democrats, both members of the Com
Inittee on Ways and Means and both
from Georgia-Crisp and Turner, re-
spectively. The closing speech against
the Senate substitute was made by
Dalzen (Rep) of Pennsylvania.
The speeches were of unusual length,
and throughout the speakers We're
heard with attention and apparent in
terest, the novel spectacle of Crisp and
Turner arrayed against each other be-
ing a strong factor in the case. While
Crisp was speaking Senators Pritch-
ard, Lodge, Burrows, Palmer, Tillman,
Bacon, Cockrell and Mantle and Secre-
tary Herbert were observed on the
floor. When the debate had been con-
Guided the previous question was or
dered pro forma. and at the suggestion
of Dingley (Rep) of Maine, in order
that there might be no misunderstand-
ing it was put in this form, Shall the
House concur in the Senate substi-
tute?''
The roll was called amid extraordi-
nary quiet and at its close the cause
of absence of those not present was
stated by their colleagues, SO great was
the anxiety to have the record show
the attitude of every member toward
the proposition. A study of the votes
shows that % Republicans, 5S Demo-
Gratis, Silverite and all the Populists
voted in favor of free coinage, and that
1S4 Republicans and 81 Democrats voted
against it. The Democratic vote against
free coinage was six greater than the
Republicans for it.
This matter being disposed of, the
House took a recess until s o'clock to
consider private pension bills.
Commencement Day of the debate
on the silver bill in the House attracted
no more spectators in the gallery than
any day of the past two weeks, during
which it has been the pending business.
There was, however, a larger number
OF Representatives in their seats than
usual. Those who had been off to Lin
coin Day banquets in various cities had
returned and were on hand to vote, and
many who had not hitherto felt it nee
essary or desirable to listen to discus
sion as it proceeded came in to have
their votes recorded on the question.
AS soon as the journal had been read
the last stage of the debate upon the
financial question, as involved from the
Senate free coinage substitute for the
public bond revenue bill, was entered
on.
Crisp Dem) of Georgia, the Demo-
cratic leader, began the closing speech
in favor of the free coinage of silver.
BY unanimous consent he was given as
much time as he desired in which to
complete his remarks. In the outset
Crisp said he would endeavor to con-
duct his part in the discussion so as to
offend no member of the House. This
was an economic question, and he would
assume that every member would vote
upon it in accordance with his convic-
tions In 1873, he asserted, the United
States demonetized silver. This has
been questioned in the course of the de-
bate From 1882 to 1873 the United
States had bimetallism.
This proposition also, he said, had
been controverted by advocates of the
single gold standard, who maintained
that, notwithstanding the existence of
the statutes upon this subject, there
had really not been bimetaIlism in this
country. The confusion, in his opin-
ion, grew out of the failure to distin-
guish between a standard and a cur
rency. This distinction existed, and he
quoted from a message from President
Cleveland. who ought to be satisfac-
tory authority to the gold standard ad-
vocates." to show that it was appreei-
ated.
The law of 1892 establishing the mint
contained the basis of the bimetallism
for which the Democratic party had
always stood, and which it now in
sisted should be restored; that bimet-
allism which provided for the equal
coinage of coins of two metals, both OF
which are of the same debt-paying and
purchasing power. The standard OF
value comprised both metals.
In his argument on this point, Crisp
asserted that the standard of value was
based upon the use Of all the money in
the world, and not upon that of any
single or particular nation As long
as any commercial nation opened its
mints to silver, the standard of value
was based on both gold and silver
That was the condition up to 1873, wher
the United States demonetized silver
Discussing the effects of the law of 1878
Crisp said it was sticking in the bark
for any gentleman to say that law eoule
not affect values The law could ano
did affect values by regulating the de-
mand for the article to be valued. Thai
was the way in which the Act of 1871
reduced the value of silver by reducing
the demand for it as money.
IF law could not affect values" ht
asked, "how could an internationa
agreement affect values? What did tbs
platforms of both great political par
ties mean when they said that they ia
vored the resumption of silver coin
age under an international agreemen
or surrounded by necessary Legislative
restrictions? If law could not affec
values. what did we mean by saying
that we would trust the maintenance,
of the parity Of the two metals by 1egis