Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-02-25
THE SITUATION AS IT Is.

THE SITUATION AS IT Is
The New South Sends Men with both
Brains and Courage to Wash
lngton.
An Extract from the Speech of Senator But
Ter that Ought to Make Every Honest Man
Supporter of the Free Coinage Doctrine.
Senator Butler of North Carolina
spoke on the financial situation few
day. ago. The whole speech was a
mastery exposition of the present fl
nancial situation, and bristled all
through with interrogations that are
unanswerable, and at the same time
illustrate the condition of affairs so
plainly that blind man may read as
he runs. We quote the following:
IA few days ago the Senator from
New York (Mr. HID, in a speech on
this floor, attempted to Justify the ad-
ministration in pursuing this suicidal
course. Now, l would like to ask
him question, or, rather, to put a
plain, simple, business proposition to
him. 1t is this: Suppose on January
list 1895 had given my note to the
Senator from Ohio (Mr. ShermaD), in
which promised to pay him on Jan
uary LIST 1896, either 1000 bushels of
wheat or 1000 bushels of corn at my
option. Suppose on the first day of
June my business called me to
Europe, and, knowing that 1 could
not return before the LIST of January.
that 1 had asked the senator from
New York to act as my friend and
trusted agent, and to pay this debt
for me on the 1st of January, in a
manner that would be most advanta-
geous to me. OF course would have
called his attention to the fact that
my crop had not been harvested, that
did not know how my yield of corn
or wheat would be, but that my
wheat crop was short. Now, let us
suppose that my corn crop was a
bountiful one, but that my wheat
crop was q failure. want to ask the
Senator from New York whether.
under these conditions, he would
have paid my debt to the senator from
Ohio in the corn which l had in my
barn in abundance, or would he have
mortgaged my farm to raise money
with which to buy wheat to pay the
debt?
Mr.. Hill-Does the Senator want an
answer to that long and complicated
question now?
Mr.. Butler-The Senator can use
his own pleasure but would like to
hear from him now.
Mr.. Hill have forgotten what
the first part of the question was.
Mr.. Butler-That is the way with
these gold bugs. They excuse their
wrong doings by ignorance and want
of memory. daughter. That is the
only excuse for their sins of omission
and commission.
Mr.. Hill hardly think that the
Senator from North Carolina can ex.
pect me right off to answer a long
question that takes about one page
of recital-reCital of the ridiculous
fact that the Senator from Ohio
would be apt to take the Senator'S
note for any very large amount.
Mr.. Butler-Unless it was payable
in gold.
Mr.. Hill-WelI, if payable in any
way, possibly. There are too many
assumptions in it., and it requires
rather too much elaboration to ais.
swer it off hand in a reasonable time.
Mr.. Butler-I will give the Senator
from New York an opportunity to
think over it and give his answer at
his leisure.
Mr.. Hill-It does not require very
much time, but hardly think l will
indulge myself now to answer the
question.
Mr.. Butler-Then will proceed to
say what | think the Senator would
and should do as my trusted friend
The fact that the Senator from Ohio
Mr. Hill-The Senator can answer
it himself if he wants to. I have nc
objection.
MIR. Butler-I did not catch the
Senator's remark
Mr.. Hill say the Senator can pro
coed to answer it himself if he SO de
sires.
Mr.. Butler-The Senator from New
York will have full opportunity t.
correct my statement as to how ht
would act if do not state it correct
ly. l will state what it would be lii
duty to do, and leave it to him to say
whether or not he would do his duty
No doubt the Senator from Ohio
would demand wheat, but you would
not for moment consider his de
mand. You wonld call his attention
to the letter of the contract and in
sist on paying him according to tn,
contract, in the manner most advan
tageous to me. Especially would yol
do this if you had learned that thu
Senator from Ohio had cornered al
the wheat in the country, and beside
had nearly every farmer in the coun
try in debt to him on the same kin,
If pofoc and yuac trvinD tn forca nay