The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-08

who changed his opinion after tire first
decision ard before the second was ren-
Gered He would not. he said. attempt 70
enter into that Justices motives. bur that
Justice, and he Oestl did not know who
he was had been mainly responsible in
fastening the soriid despotisn OF wealth
upon the country by his change OF front.
Certainly he had the right n change his
mind but il was a matter Of regret that
he had not seen proper 10 put his reasons
on record for this far-resching ard terri
hla decision The Justices name was, he
continued unknown except 10 himself and
mis- associates. The senate had been ridi-
culea and vltuperated because OF the se-
crecy OF its executive proceedings. but
what. Vest asked, with a display OF
warmth. would re thought OF a senator
who would change his position on a ques-
ton OF vital and general interest when his
position was essential Is the success or
failure Of a cause, and who should not
have the manhood TO stand before the
country and reveal himself and his rea-
sons for such transformation. He could
not in such event imagine the storm Of
opnrobritErn. the hurting wrath or the
press and the charges of corruption which
would follow.
Vest said he did not believe that the ter
rible effect Of this decision had yet been
apprehended by the people OF the country
greatly mistake II the time does not come
when neither soft words nor hOneyed
praises will prove 2. sufficient apology"
IL was beyond creii3iiity that a Wander
bit. with his hundreds of millions. should
have 10 pay no more than the poorest Of
men. and that the army and navy must
be used 10 support him in his rights, as
must lie the case il the decision was TO
stand. He reviewed the record OF the last
three administrations. Though he differed
with the head OF his party in many
things, ne declared that no administra ton
in the history OF the country had been
more successful than the Cleveland al
miuistrati0n OF 1SS5-Ss II success was 20
be measured by the amount OF gold ex-
ported, he desired 70 eaH the attention OF
the other side TO the fact that during
Cleveiand's first ADMINISTRATION but about
$9,ooo.00 OF gold had been exported.
against s2l3.oo1.00o for Mr.. Harrison's ad-
ministration. So far SIS. 600 had been
exported under the present administra-
tion.
Vest admitted that his side vas divided
Oh the subject Of silver. The country was
divided. There was. he said an irrepress-
io4e conflict ia the land, as irrepressible
as that which resulted in the clash Of the
armies OF The North and South.
In the course Of q review Of some history
Of the passage Of the Mckinley law. Vest
night the blh was reported to the house.
hides were suddenly removed from the
dutiable list TO the free list.
Place duty on hides" said Vest sar-
castically, and New England would be
aroused as she has never been aroused be
fore this Venezuelan dispute. You would
smell powder and hear the Whistling bull
let's in this chamber" Further contrast
ing the Mckinley law and the Wilson law,
he praised the latter, especially free wool
and the reduction on woolens. Vest con-
tended that there never had been more
complete vindication OF the position of the
Democratic party than was shown In the
wool schedule. and he was glad the Wilson
bin had been enacted, On this account il no.
other.
Recurring to the financial question, Mr..
Vest admitted that the financial opinion Of
the world was against silver Europe fear
ed that we would go on a silver bass. When
the president sent his Venezuelan message
TO congress 1t had been received with ac-
clamation by the people. and lie hae heard
the hostile guns booming in tnis chamber.
How had England responded? Not With
shot and shell and saber stroke and b1 tile
ship but by throwing our securities on the
market. The power of money was to be
used to crush us. On 3Iond1y, when the
secretary Of the treasury had issued his
circular-his only complaint was that il
was not issued sooner notifying the coUn-
try that the bonds should go 10 the highest
bidder. Wall street was dissatisfied. Two
syndicates had cornered the eoid-one pa
per said $500 900. .010-they were opposed 10
selling bonds to the public. II was humili-
ating that the most intelligent people on the
globe. whose heritage was a continent,
should, when they undertook TO protect
their financial system, be met with an au-
tocratic ukase: We've got the coli and
you must get il from us at our own price"
Vest. with glowing eloquence said he
would rather have war. There were calam-
ities greater than war Better anything
than TO have US manacled and 3 bbet2d as
We were now. Vest challenged the state
ment that the people had any gold In their
stocking. In conclusion he made a strong
plea for the free coinage of silver and fnen-
cial independence. At the conclusion of
Vests remarks. the senate. a. 4.25 p. m.
went into executive session, a9d then ad-
journed until tomorrow.
Nominations: Lieut. Col. William T.
King, corps Of engineers. 10 be a member
OF the Missouri river commission: to be
members Of the California debris commits
sion. Col Charles Russell Sutter. Maj.
Charles l. 3. Davis. Capt. 9. f. Gillette al
OF the corps Of engineers; Third Lieut..
William II. O'Day OF Pennsylvania. and
Third Lieut.. Henry L. Peckham. OF Rhode
Island TO be second lieutenants in the rev.
enue cutter service.