The San Francisco call., 1896-02-09
The New Member From Mime.
sofa Creates a Sensation by
His Strong Speech.
POLITICAL ISSUES REVIVED.
Leaders of the Old Parties Talk Blunt1y
of the Demonstration of the
White Metal.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. S.-There
was q decided sensation in the House to-
day. Towne (R.) of Minnesota, g new
member, favoring in the absence Of any
other proposition looking to the extended
use OF silver the Senate free-coinage sub
st1tute for the bond bill passed by the
House, spoke for nearly two hours and
held the undivided, interested attention of
the House. He manifested an acquaint-
ance with the subject of free coinage and
the collateral one of the effect of the de-
monetization of silver upon prices and
values that has seldom been brought into
the discussion and an eloquence which
enabled him to present even the tables of
figures in an attractive way. When he
concluded an ovation was gwen him that
has not been equaled for a long time in
the House.
Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio departed from
the beaten path of oratory upon the finan-
clal question and made a general political
speech, declaring that whether the Presi-
dental election was determined by the
voters at the polls or by the House of Rep
resentatives under the constitution, the
result would be the choice of the Republi-
can convention. and that the silver SEN
ators who had asserted that unless ''some-
thing was done for silver there would be
no Republican party" represented not
the party. but faction only.
Other speeches were made during the
day (including the last session of the
parliamentary day of Friday beginning at
1o:3o o'clock) by Corliss (R.) OF Michigan,
Boatner CD of Loulsians, Evans (R.) of
81
Hepburn (R.) of Iowa and Hall (D.) of
Missouri against free coinage of silver, and
by Bartlett CD of Georgia and Milner (R.)
of Michigan in favor OF it. The House
took recess at 5 :15 o'clock until o'clock,
and will meet again at 1850 o'clock on
Monday morning to continue the debate
on the pending bill.
Fifteen members responded to Speaker
Reeds suggestion at 10:30 o'clock this
morning that the House come to order for
the third session of the legislative day of
Friday.
Corliss (R.) of Michigan was the first
speaker OF the day on the bond silver-eoin-
age bill. He favored the passage of bill
to secure international bimetallism by an
agreement with other nations than Great
Britain, and If that could not be accom-
phshed then to keep out foreign bullion
and coin the American product.
BoatneItD.) OF Louisiana favored the
coinage of just SO much silver as could be
maintained at parity with gold. Both
gentlemen opposed free coinage of silver.
A little life was thrown into the discus
sion in the course of the remarks of Bart
lett (D.) OF Georgia. He asserted that the
victory of the Democratic party in 1892
was won because Of the belief that Demo-
cratic success meant the remonetization of
silver and the failure to vindicate that be-
lief was responsible for defeat in succeed
ing years. Boatner asked if such shining
lights as Bland and Hatch had been re-
pudlated by their people because of their
opinions on the subject of free silver.
Bartlett - Those gentlemen were de-
feated because the people were so dis
gusted with the failure of the Democratic
Congress and administration to redeem
the promises OF 1892 that 9S4, 900 men who
voted the Democratic ticket in 1892 either
stayed at home in 1894 or voted another
ticket.
Further colloquy ensued regarding the
deslrabillty or expediency from party
standpoint of prosecuting the free-coinage
idea. Boatner asked Bartlett if that was
Democratic spectacle now being witnessed
IN Kentucky, where the Democracy was
threatened with the loss of Senator be-
cause the silver Democrats were not salts
he'd to support the State platform?
Bartlett-The Democracy is threatened
with the loss of Senator in Kentucky be-
cause a few men--a small minority-can-
not control the great majority. Zap
plause.]
Boatner-The situation there but en-
phasizes the fact that we should not agi-
tate issues as this is the party.
Continuing on the necessity of main
tanning party organization Skinner (Pop.)
OF North Carolina asked what Bartlett
would do should the Democratic National
Convention nominate gold candidate for
President on single-standard platform.
Bartlett shall support whoever the
representatives of the mass of the Demo-
cratic party sent to Chicago say should be
our standard. bearer. [Applause.l l say
this because believe that the Democratic
party alone promises to maintain the liber-
ties OF the people of this country.
Skinner-Then the gentleman would
sacrlf1ce the interests of his people and of
the whole country upon the altar of party.
Miner (R.) of Michigan, successor of
Senator Burrows, advocated concurrence
IN the free-coinage substitute sent by the
Senate. and at the conclusion of his re-
marks, at IL clock, the House adjourned.
1t was Immediately called to order for the
legislative day of Saturday, and after some
minor business had been transacted the
House in committee of the whole resumed
discussion of the bond silver coinage bill.
Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio departed from
consideration of the financial features of
the matter to make a general political
speech, taking for his text the plea of the
gentleman from California (Johnson),
DO something for silver" He said the
offer of the House in the bond and reve-
nue. bills to do something for the whole
people and to provide sufficient revenue
for the needs of the Government was met
by the cry, Don't do that; do something
for silver" Do something, continued
Grosvenor, for one hundred men-men
constituting the strongest monopoly in the
country.
Referring to the frequent denunciation