The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-23
BAKERS FULL SPEECH.
What the Kansas Senator Said on the
Bond Bill

The Associated Press gives portions
of Senator Bakers speech in the senate
yesterday on the bill to prevent further
issuing of bonds without the consent Of
congress Tie cOmitted his remarks to
paper. and by way OF being certain to
say Just what he wanted, he read from
tha manuscript His speech was as fol-
lows.
This bill appears to be harmless up
on it's face. but at the present time and
under existing circumstances i regard
it as one of the most dangerous bills
ever presented to any legislatlV body.
lit is quite evident that on the 4th day
OF March. 1897. we shall have a Repub-
lcan president-AIaj- Mckinley or some
other equally as good and trusted Re
pubhcan-and in order to maintain the
honor and credit of the country it is
essential that we have sufficient reserve
to pay the current expenses of the gov
erument. 1t is admitted by all parties
represented in this body that the Cor
man Wilson bill does not produce rev.
enue sufficient to pay ordinary current
expenses that under such bill there is
and viii be so long is lit remains on the
statute books, deficiency of from $50.
100000 to SlOO. 100000 annually in the ma
tional treasury; and no method is prom
iscd with which to raise money to apply
this deficiency
THE senate of the United States by
its action ait this session, has refused to
increasing the revenue. although Dem
Ocrats POpulists and Republicans alike
admit that we need more revenue The
Democratic senators. the POpulist SEN
atOrs and the silver Republican seua-
tors have gone on record as opposed to
any tariff legislatiOD-39 Democrats 6
Fopulists ana free coinage silver men
have voted against uar1m legislation
These senators combined constitute a
large majority of this body and dOmin-
ate all legislation. and that they viii
continue SO to conduct themselves I
have no doubt; and if they do, and the
president is shOrn Of all power to sell
bonds TO raise money to protect the
credit of The nation then bankruptcy
and repudiatiOn is Inevitable.
Under existing conditions and cir
cumstances this bin. if enacted into
law. viii be. in my Judgment. the great
est crime OF the nineteenth century
The years of sorrow and trouble
through which we have and are now
passing viii be nothing in comparison
to the evils the legislation proposed
by this bill viii produce A govern
ment long without reserve cannot eX-
ist. A free people viii not long sub
init to such conditions "a revolution
viii come, peacaably hope, forcibly
If necessary, to maintain the honesty
and integrity of the nation
This bill attacks the financial hon
esty and integrity Of the government;
it foreshadOWs panic and disturbance
Tt ait once seeks to unsettle the finances
of this country and destroy the equal
ity of our circulating medium com
posed of gold. silver and paper money.
all as good as gold We need money
to maintain the credit of the nation;
this bill seeks to destroy the only
method left to maintain the credit of
the nation. That congress as now con-
stituted will not cooperate in raising
sufficient revenue to pay the expenses
of the government has been established
by the deliberate act of the senate,
and that it viii not maintain the pres
ent monetary system is apparent by the
advocacy of the present bill by free sill
Yer Democrats, free silver Republicans
and paper money Popudsts.
Tor the reasons herein given, shall
casL NJ .ota aaains- the bill