The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-02-05
SENATOR Villas TALKS.
a Vigorous Speech Against tho House
Bm-Opposed to Silver. sgs

vs.OS sC.S\Ss
A vigorous Speech Against tho House
Bill-Opposed to Silver.
Washington, Feb. 1.-Senator Villas
(dem., Wis., paid his respects to the
silver bill in vigorous speech in the
senate Friday. He not only antagon-
lied the free coinage proposition, but
denounced the bond measure as it came
from the house as fraudulent pre-
text" to meet the reasonable sugges-
tons of the president, which it denied,
while avowing their wisdom" Among
other things the senator said:
With the exception of provision for emer-
gency certificates--which ought to stand
III the permanent statutes-the house bill
contained nothing commendable; every
thlng else was but mockery of the legis-
latfon demanded by our fiscal conditions
And so again, as year ago, parrisanship
or imbecility, or both, has stricken con-
gfess with paralysis and the rescue of busi-
ness prosperity from it's recurring peril
mas been thrown upon the executive. 1t Is
almost as fortuitous as fortunate that an
OLD statute has remained untouched dur
Ing our financial madness which can again
serve the turn; and although in clumsy
way, considered with reference to existing
conditions and suitable measures Of re-
lleI, yet II shows Gods pity and mercy tire
not wholly withdrawn from us.
If any trusted agent in private affairs
should so deny duty and abuse trust as con-
gress did year ago, and now repeats no
judgment In their condemnation would be
too severe. Over $16,0O0O 900 in the public
debt were then thrown away in the reck-
less rage of partisanship. and the injury
that must now be sustained by the people
for the same reason Is probably no less ul-
though the exact measure Of it Is not quite
so clear.
Declaring that the bill as 1t came from
tho house was a mere sham and fraud,
Senator Villas proceeded to show that the
senate amendments made it worse than the
original measure, saying: 1T was a bad
stock; though 1t has been budded with a
warm scion. The best hope Is that both
will shrivel AMI lie in the desert air Of the
senate"
He then proceeded at considerable length
to discuss the free coinage provision of the
PENDING bill. declaring that the financial
distress and public misery of the last three
years were the direct products of the eff
forts to force silver upon the country, and
adding: "Our course to relief is a return
to sound principles" He believed especial
ly that every stop of the fatal progress in
error had been opposed to the cardinal
doctrines on which the democratic party
ia based, and by which it must abide or
sink in recreancy while the spirit flies from
Our institutions of liberty.
He contended that the silver-mine own
ers were largely responsible for the agita-
ton for free coinage, and after asserting
that silver mining was confined to the
western states said the mines were owned
by comparatively few people and largely
corporations, who, by the employment Of
labor, often make large profits on compar-
atively small outlay. The keenest and
best-trained intellectS, he said. were en-
listed by this solid interest, which was
possessed of great strength of numbers
and riches. powerful in intelligence, learn
ing and skill, keenly perceptive of it's
special interest, hardy and resolute to
seek it," That interest was intent to win,
to secure the best price for silver
He declared the people of the Rocky
mountains to be subservient to the mine
holders, saying:
1.-THE veriest despot of story, the Grand
Khan of Tartary, the great mogul. never
had more submissive subjects than the
silver king of the Rockies: nor was ever
tyrant more pitilessly exacting. No indie
pendence of thought or speech is tolerated
there. No party, no creed, no business can
thrive which dares to doubt in the realm
of that monarch, the law Of finance, as 1t
is in silver. The business men find it pru-
dent to say nothing, and, as for the poll
tician who dares to f1out his independence,
woe betide him. Where is that sturdy SEN
ator, the brave, unbending Carey? Where
is Dolph, the strong, able and indefatiga-
tle? Look on the bloody Moloch of silver
to learn their fate"
He continues: "Bimetallism is a high
sounding, splendid word, If only bimet-
allism; but, alas, what is it and where is
it? Like dreams that wane before the
half-shut eye or gay castles in the clouds
that pass forever fitting in the summer
sky, always dancing before the vision, al
ways something to be gained but never
realized, the glittering bauble has filtered
on afar before the fatuous pursuit on
which the public has so long been conduct
ed yet always to disappear, save in the
pleasing speech of silver advocates, while
the realities of gain could be matched by
the other and mastering purpose" He de-
clared that from the beginning practical
bimetallism had never been proposed to
congress, and that Senators Teller and
Wolcott, as champions Of silver, had based
their contentious upon protective founda-
ton.
Referring to the claims of the debtor
class, saying that at best they asked to
have something taken by law from one
class for another Glass; he claimed that a
free-coinage law would be especially hard
upon penSionerS-an unSpeakable and I'M
paralleled outrage, Indeed, such piece
of legislation would be, to sum up, genu-
Inc shame.
After reciting the glories Of the old party
of Jefferson and Jackson, the senator con-
tinued: This party will continue on it's
great career, yielding neither on one side
nor the other to the reactionary forces of
old absoiutism or red fires of anarchy"
A Campaign of Blood and Fire.
Havana, Jan. 31.-The alarming news