The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-11
WHERE He STOOD.
Representative Kirkpatrick's
Anomalous Position.
If He Did Silver No Good, He
Did No Harm.
A NEGATIVE POSITION
How He Explained Himself to
the House.
News From Washington of Gen
eral Interest in Kansas.

From the State Journals Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON. Feb 1.-The position
of Congressman kirkpatrick on the SEN
ate silver substitute is a peculiar one.
He was not here to vote on the question
and knowing he would be absent when
the vote was taken be defined his position
before he left. His statement shows
voted for nothing.
That is he would have voted against
tho motion to concur in the senate silver
substitute. Then he would have voted
also against the motion to nonconcur.
This, of course, would have been equiva-
lent to voting Tor no legislation at all
simply negative position.
In explaining his position on the silver
question and the bill before the house
Mr.. Kirk patrick said:
mir. Chairman. the only excuse l
have for burdening the house with any
remarks upon this question is that l ex-
pect to be called away and shall not have
an opportunity to vote upon the several
propositions under discussion. and for
thar reason it is but just to myself as wei!
as to my constituents that l should de-
fine my position upon these various
questions. Now, as | understand it.
when the discussion ceases motion will
be made TO cOnu in the senate substi-
tute. l want to say, Mr.. Speaker, on
that proposition, that if present l shall
not vote to concur. l am not in favor of
the unlimited coinage. of silver in this
country; l am not in favor of throwing
our ports open to the commerce of the
world without any restrictions; nor am l
in favor of throwing our minis open to
the free coinage of silver of the world
without restriction. Therefore if pres
ent l shall cast my vote, as l have sug-
gested, against concurrIng in the senate
substitute.
81 am further informed that the next
question that will be submitted TO the
house will be on a motion TO nonconcur
in the senate substitute, and insist upon
the house bill. If present 1 will cast my
vote against this proposition also, for l
did not believe, and do not now believe,
that the bill passed by the house should
become law. 1 can not see the neces
sity of enactiHg that law at this time.
While perhaps some amendment of the
law of 1875 should be made, / can not
see the necessity for the house bond bill
leaving the law of 1875 upon the statute
books. l believe the power of the sec
rotary of the treasury should be restrict
ed with reference to the issuance of
bonds. So, upon that proposition l would
also vote no.
There is another proposition or two,
separate and independent. that will
doubtless come before this house in the
way of an amendment to the senate sub
stitute end that is with reference to re-
firing notes of less denominations than
SO. Now l believe in bime talsm and
believe that we should do just as much
as We with safety toward bringing
the two metals together. In other words
if We continue to discriminate against
silver always we may never hope to see
the two metals come nearer together
and the breach will continually widen
from day to day and from month to
month. 1t seems to me we have an ex-
cellent opportunity of placing in circu-
lation all the silver that is produced by
our own mines by adopting this method
of retiring all the notes less than $40 in
denomination and substituting therefor
silver dollars or silver certifi-
Gates. Now am not advised
as to the number of these notes,
but they must run into millions, and if
we retire these notes and substitute sill
yer therefore we thereby then find an op-
portunity of placing in circulation a
large amount OF silver money, equal, in
my judgement, to the output of our
American mines, and by doing this we
will show disposition to aid silver aud
prove to the country that we are in fact
friends of silver; therefore should favor
that DrODOSlLlOn, IL M6E0 p0EnlIL6Q 10
vote upon it alone.
81 am also Inclined to believe that we
could safely coin the seignoirage in the
treasury and put that in circulation, and
l should vote for that proposition.
"Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that if
we continue to discriminate against sill
yer always, if we fail 10 put in circula-
ton that part of our silver product which
we can safely put in circulation, we
need never hope to see the commercial
price of silver advance. Therefore l be-
Iieve it is the duty of the American peo-
pie with reference to the product of their
silver mines to take the same care that
thew take of our other commodities. In
other words, l am a protectionisf. l be-
lieve in protecting our own industries; /
believe in discriminating in our own
favor and against the outside world, and
l believe in applying that doctrine to sill
yer. We can take care of our own pro-
duct and let the rest of the world take
care of its own. By so doing we succeed
in finding an opportunity to circulate
every silver dollar coming from our own
mines, and certainly we are under no OBJ
legation to Mexico or to any other coun-
try on the face of the earth to take care
of its product"
THE PEABODY SILK STATION.