The Meeker herald., 1896-01-18
'THE SILVER DEBATE.
opENEp BY SENATOR JONES.
Tn. A,k,u,.. st.te,m>n Says ths Issue
Of Bonds Would Not Relieve the sats-
.t,on-Freo Coinsge Would Revive La
du,.r,es and Increase Rsvsnss.

=, y,on,,, Would Not Relieve the SITS
.t,on-Free Coinage Would Revive La
dustrles and Increase Rsvenuss
Washington, Jan. 10.-The debate
on the Senate free coinage substitute
for the House bond bill was opened To-
day by Senator Jones Of Arkansas IN o
two-hours' speech, which was fol
lowed with close attention by senators
from both sides of the chamber.
Mr.. Jones took strong ground for
the free and independent coinage OF
silver, contending that that was the
only method by which the distress IN
the country could be allevinted ana
the Treasury department relieved from
Its present dependence upon the specu-
lative holders Of gold.
He said the amendment proposed by
the committee, II enacted into iaw' WI
amply provide for the present den-
cheney In the revenues, for the Issue
Of about S5o.OOO,OOO of silver ceNih-
Gates against the scIgniorage now Aeld
| in bars In the treasury is one OF its
|
mated by Mr. Carlisle is far below that
sum. There must be something radi-
cally wrong IL the richest and freest
nation on the globe Is In such condi-
ton Of absolute helplessness and de
pendence MS the president setms to
consider us now
The Speaker then referred to the
conditions OF poverty and distress pre-
vailing among all the great nations OF
the world, including England. Ger
many and France, and declared that
there must be some general cause. He
asserted that this cause of distress was
the prevailing gold standard, which
was resulting everywhere in rise In
the value OF money and n correspond
Ing fall in the market value of the
products of the common people. He de-
clared that the causes which have op-
Grated to produce present results will
continue their operation. and that
prices, which have been in the last
twenty years reduced so per cent, will
In the next twenty years be reduced
80 per cent. more
Referring to the repeated arguments
In favor of international bimetalIism,
he said: But We are assured that
Great Britain will not consent to this.
When 1t is clear that England will not
consent to an international agreement,
and that France and Germany will not
move except In company with England
then the question comes home to us,
what Will the people of the United
States do? A tremendous responsible
fty In this emergency, in my opinion,
rests upon us MS nation. If other nm
lions will not Join us In this great
move In the interests of humanity, 1t
believe that the unlimited coinage OF
Increase our revenues and do AWAY
lbsolutely with any pretense Of ne
.eslty to issue bonds. and that under
hat bill such revival In business
would take place that no issue OF
ponds could be claimed to be necessary.
There is nothing for us to do but to
present the system we believe in, to
iiscuss 1t and appeal at last to the great
tribunal which must decide 1t. The
friends of bimetallisn are ready and
to have the people settle this
question. They hope and believe It
will be speedily and well done. Mr..
Jones spoke for about two hours.
When he had finished, Mr.. Teller
asked him what speed 1t was proposed
to make with the consideration OF the
bill and when Il vote would be asked.
Mr.. Jones replied that as there were
quite n number of senators who desired
to be heard, no move would be made to-
ward bringing the bill to vote for
some days ut least.
Mr.. White of California delivered a
speech in favor of some practical modl-
fications of the Senate rules. He did
not mince words in his characterization
of the rules and the ancient fictions'
they perpetuated.
The great evil which he especially en-
Weighed against, was that which permit
ted interminable debate on any uues-
ton. and placed 1t in the power of a
mercy so long as he could talk or have
read anything, no matter whether it
was relevant or not. He favored Sep
ator Hills proposition, put forward In
the last Congress, for cloture, Whenever
the majority Of the Senate was ready
to vote. He also favored a quorum
counting" device to do away with an
other parliamentary fiction.
At the conclusion OF Mr. Whites
speech, Mr.. Morgan of Alabama in
troduced n resolution congratulatiny
the Republic of Transvaal on its stand
for Independence. 1t was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Relations.
The Senate adjourned to Monday.