The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-11
He Advocates Adoption of the Free
Coinage silver Substitute for the
House Bond Measure.
DEBATE ON HOUSE RULES
WALKER MAKES FIGHT FOR
RECOGNITION OF HIS COMMITTEE,
But a Majority Of the Members Vote
Against Him-Representativ Hep
burn Also Suffers Defeat.

ator Jones, of Arkansas in a two hours
speech, which was followed with close at
tention by Senator's on both sides of the
chamber. Mr.. Jones took strong grounds
in favor of the free and Independent COIN
age of silver, contending that was the only
method by which the distress in the coun-
try could be alleviated and the Treasury
Department relieved from it's present de-
pendence on the speculative holders of
gold. There was no reply to Mr.. Joness
argument today, but the debate will be re-
sumed when the Senate meets again on
Monday.
During the morning hour, on motion of
Mr.. Voorhees,, q resolution was adopted
appropriating $3.50 for the purchase Of
portrait of the late Allen G. Thurman.
Mr.. Pritchard called up The amendments
he offered to the revenue bill to increase
the duties on certain kinds of clays, marble,
iron ore, timber. live stock, cereals fruit
wool and coal, for the purpose of addressing
the Senate thereon. He favored the re-
enactment of the Mckinley law and the
free coinage of silver. He denounced the
Southern Democrats for their recreancy to
their own section. Their tariff law had
brought unexampled prosperity TO the New
England manufacturers and bankruptcy and
ruin to the farmers and producers of the
South
When Mr.. Pritchard had finished Mr.. Hill
chided the former for the inconsistency of
his State North Carolina, he said, occu-
pied a peculiar situation in Congress. and
he did not see how her people could be
grated. Some time ago the same Legis-
iature in North Carolina had elected two
Senator'S by the same combination few
days ago one of them (Mr. Butler) had de-
nounced the Democratic. party for being
false to its pledges of tariff reform. To-day
the other end of the combination told the
Senate that he favored the re-enactment of
the Mckinley law.
ANCIENT FICTIONS''
Mr.. White occupied the remainder of the
time before the expiration of the morning
hour with speech in favor of some prac-
tlcal notifications of the Senate rules He
did not mince words in his characterization
of the rules and the ancient fictions" they
perpetuated. The great evil which he es-
pecially inveighed against was that which
permitted interminable debate on any ques-
ton and placed 1t in the power of single
Senator to hold the Senate at his mercy
SO long as he could talk or have read any,
thing. no matter whether it was relevant or
not. He favored Senator Hilps proposition,
put forward in the last Congress. for cloture
whenever the majority of the Senate was
ready to vote. He also favored quorum
counting device, to do away with another
parliamentary fiction. The antiquity of the
Senate rules, in his opinion, did not make
them sacred, and they should not be allowed
TO stand in the way of parliamentary prog
ress- de carefully reviewed the abuses that
mad grown more and more intolerable and
cited many instances where the plain will
or the majority had been thwarted for days
weeks and months by the determined stand
of-the minority. The dignity of the Senate
would not be maintained by clinging to
rules which permitted interminable filibus-
tering, and must eventually bring the Senate
lions to the procedure Of the Senate Which
l have urged" he said, 'are not conceived
In partisanship, but arise from deliberate
fare is involved and that it is Imperative
mat attention should be paid to the we'll
grounded and universal demand for the
ADOPTION or an improved plan. Our rules
should be reasonable; in harmony with the
period Tor which we legislate and the CIV
llZation of which we partake Let us have
ample argument, but not argument lasting
lOng after all have ceased to listen. Let
us protect the minority but permit the
majority TO assert their manifest privilege
AT the conclusion Of Mr. Whites speech,
Mr.. Morgan, of Alabama, introduced a res,
oiution congratulating the republic OF
Transvaal on its stand for independence.
IL was referred TO the committee on for
eign relations
SPEECH BY ARKANSAS JONES.
Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas, then took the
floor and spoke on the free coinage substi-
IL.
that this BILL" said Mr.. Jones, was famed
and passed through the House in response
to the wishes of the President of the United
States. 1t is also said that the bill is en-
tirely unsatisfactory to the President and
the Secretary of the Treasury from the fact
that the bonds provided for are not specifi-
siders the treasury in unsatisfactory if
not in critical condition. If a condition
OF reasonable prosperity can be restored
among the masses of the people there will
be no difficulty whatever about the condi-
ton of the treasury. The present deficiency
results, in our opinion. from the much great
er evil OF the unsatisfactory condition of the
people. An issue of bonds is doubtless a
boon to that small class of persons who
have large incomes which they have not
the knowledge, industry or courage to use
profitably, who long for investments upon
which they may draw interest without any
greater labor than clipping coupons; but
sirable.
1T is true that the government is not
collecting as much revenue just at this
time as is needed. and some steps should
be taken to provide for the deficiency. The
Secretary of the Treasury, however, in his
official report shows that this deficiency will
be temporary and not continuous beyond
few months. The amendment proposed by
the committee, If enacted into law. will
amply provide for this. Tor the issue of
about $50 000, GOO in silver certificates against
the seignorage now held in bars in the
treasury is one of its features while the
deficiency estimated by Mr.. Carlisle is far
below that sum.
There must be something radically wrong
If the richest and freest nation on the
globe is in such condition of absolute
helplessness and dependence as the Presi-
dent seems to consider us now. The condi-
lions of distress not only in this country,
but in England, Germany and France, the
great nations Of the world, will not be
denied by any one. How does it happen
that in a time of profound peace all over
the world, with abundant harves;s. with
no pestilence other such calamity, such
q condition OF things can exist? No local
cause can account for IL, for 1t embraces
all the greatest nations in the world. There
countries to cause such widespread distress.
uniform in character. That cause seems
clearly to be the falling in prices which
has cursed and blasted this country for
twenty years.
EVERY FALL NOT AN EVIL.
OF course, every fall of prices is not an
evil A fall which results from improved
methods of production. or from improved
and cheapened transportation. is blessing
and brings prosperity TO producers. while 1t
showers its blessings upon the consumers.
There Is, however. one commodity which,
when affected in its value. necessarily af-
fects all other things in the world, in all
countries and among all civilized people.
to-wit: Money--suppose money TO be
doubled In value. suddenly il would take
then Just one-half as much OF IL 10 buy any
given article as 1T would have taken before
the rise In its value. This rise in the value
of money then would find its expression. its
visible manifestation, in a fall or general
prices to so per cent OF their former scale,