The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-14
The Coinage Substitute De-
feated in the House.
TEN DAYS DEBATE
Silver Men Greatly Disappoint-
ed by the Vote.
CLAIMED GREATER STRENGTH
After a Two Hours Debate To-Day
Closing With Speeches by Dingley
and Crisp, Final Vote Will
be Taken.

be Taken.
Washington, Feb. 49, After ten
days debate the House to-day, by
vote Of 50 to 1870, in committee Of the
whole, rejected the Senate free coin
age amendment to the bond bill and
reported the bill to the House with
| recommendation TO non-concur and
insist on the House bill. The strength
developed by the SLY er men was disap-
pointing They had been confidently
claiming over 100 votes.
After two hours debate tomorrow
the final vote will be taken. Mn. Ding
ley viii close for the majority and MIR.
Crisp for the minority.
Propositions were offered during the
day TO concur with amendments as
follows. 10 coin the American silver
pfiduGt, for the retention OF the seigni-
orage by the government and to open
the mints to the free coinage of silver
at the ratio of 1919 to /, when Germany
and France should have agreed upon
similar action. All were defeated by
large majorities. The last proposition,
offered BY Mr. Towne, OF Minnesota,
mustered SO votes, the highest number
Of any. Mr.. Towne had stated
To the House that similar
propositions would be submitted to the
Reichstag and the French Parliament
at the present sessions.
The most significant statement to-
day came il the form Of an inrimation
from Mr. Dingley, that a bill might be
reported from the Ways and Means
committee, looking to the initiation by
this country Of project for another
international monetary conference to
meet within a year. While Mr. Ding
ley said he was simply expressing hfs
personal position in the matter, II Wtss
generally understood from the man
ner in which he said it, that the sug
gestion had already matured into a
well defined intention on the part of
the Republican leaders OF the House.
Although the galleries were throng
ed to-day and there WAS q good deal
of outside interest manifested
IN the closing Of the de-
bate. az was evidenced b. the
presence Of Senator sherman and
others from the other end Of the edpi-
eol, the debate itself vas only saved
from utter stagnation by very spir-
tied and very personal encounter be-
tween Mr.. Dearrnond and Mr.. Hall, the
Missouri Democrats on different sides
Of the financial question.
The gentlemen had paid their re-
spects to each other before, during the
debate, but each in the absence OF the
other To-day the encounter was az
As. Hail fFsfkLg - l.
tiatiye. but he met an adversary worthy
Of his steel No man in the House
Yields a keener blade than Mr. Dear
mond, and his point is always tipped
with sarcasm.
MIR. Dearmond had criticised the
language Mr.. Hall had used in ar
Iouncing his conversion To the cause
Of sound money" (Ir. Hall in last
Congress voted for free coinage.) To-
day Mr.. Hall opened by referring to
the fact that Mr.. Dearmond had mem
toned the names OF Benedict Arnold
and Judas Iscariot without the ap-
parent courage 10 make a personal
application" Proceeding, he indig-
nantIy denied that he had been
washington convert" TO the cause Of
sound money and adyerted TO stand
ing challenge he had posted in Mis-
souri, last summer to discuss the issue
on the stump He also denied that be
had intended to charge his free silver
friends in the House with personal cor
ruption. why should the gentleman
think that he has been hit2" he asked,
turning to Mr.. Dearmond. Il do not
know unless the solution is found III
the old adage that the bird which has
been hit futters." Mr.. Hall continuing,
replied to the charge that he had been
posing as the author Of the income
tax. lie described how he had agitated
the question in the House when the
members were apathetic, how he had
printed magazine articles and had
urged the subject before the cabinet.
BY this time the House was intensely
interested and the members crowded
about the combatants. Mr.. Dearmond
had fire in his eye when he arose to
reply.
lie did not feel, he said, that anything
that the gentleman had said had
struck him, but he felt, as one of the |
Representatives from Missouri, that
when the newest convert from that
State TO the so-called sound money |
doctrine, saw proper in making his |
platform TO class the Chinese and the |
people from the East Indies, and the |
depths of Africa and the lower ami |
mails in the category Of those who did |
not change their opinions, that per-
haps IL might not be inappropriate 10 |
suggest that there might be changes |
Of opinion that would evidence no tire
mendous exaltation above these refer
red to. (Laughter)
AG the f,4agYaa Fax Et4gfpalc NO i
said the gentleman had allowed him- |