The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-31
This Country Should Not Be
Ruled by the Single Gold
Standard.
PERKINS MAKES EXPLANATION
Favors Free Coinage Because So In
Structed by the Legislature of
California.

W II. ", JdD. Quill
contrast with the excitement with the
speech of Tillman created in the Senate
yesterday the proceedings to-day were
dull and commonplace. Most of the
morning hour was consumed in discus
sion about the joint resolution ordering
the purchase and distribution~of seeds by
the Secretary of Agriculture ION which no
action was taken) and during the re-
mainder of the day, after o'clock,
speeches were made on the House bond
bill, with the Finance Committees
substitute. Call CD of Florida and
Mitchell (R.) OF Oregon argued in support
of the substitute, Mitchell declaring him
self Gin favor of a vigorous, aggressive
policy of independent bimetalism, coupled
with protective tariff. !"
Then Perkins (R) of California took the
floor to reply to newspaper criticism on
himself and his colleague, as misrepresent-
ing their State on the silver question. He
read the latest official action of the Cali
fornia Legislature in favor Of the free and
unlimited coinage of silver in disproef of
the charge and then he spoke at length on
the general subject.
An attempt was made at the close of the
days session TO have an agreement for
final vote on the bill next Saturday. In
discussion on that point some amusing
badinage took place between Senators
Chandler (R.) of New Hampshire and
Stewart (Pop.) of Nevada, in which the
latter spoke of the dispute over the free
coinage substitute as a mere ''dress
parade" and intimated that a similar
amendment would be offered to the tariff
bill.
The urgency deficiency appropriation
bill was referred back from the Committee
on Appropria tons and notice was given
by Hale (R.) CT Maine that he would prob
ably ask ths Senate tomorrow to con-
slider it.
The House bill for the appointment OF a
chaplain at West Point Military Academy
for four years was reported with amend
ments making the President the appoint
ing power and regulating the salary. 1t
was passed, aud a conference asked
Allen (Pop.) of Nebraska introduced
bill to prohibit the purchase or use by the
Government of any wares or manufactures
made in any penitentiary, workhouse or
other prison, or by convict labor, Referred
to the Committee on Education and
Labor.
The Senate bill to pay $7419 to the
widow of the late Justice Miller of the Su-
preme Court of the United States, being a
sum equal to the balance of his salary for
the year in which he died, was taken from
the calendar and passed.
The joint resolution directing the
Secretary of Agriculture to carry into effect
the provisions OF the act making appro-
priations for the purchase and distribution
OF valuable seeds and for the printing and
distribution of farmers bulletins was taken
up and George CD of Mississippi con-
tinued the argument which he began few
days ago against it.
The discussion of the resolution went on
till P. NJ, when it was laid aside without
action, and the House bond bill with the
Finance Committees free coinage substi-
tute was taken up and Call Cd of Florida
went on with the argument which was in
terrupted by adjournment yesterday. It
was generally in favor of the substitute.
Mitchell (R.) of Oregon was the, next
speaker. He denied the necessity for fur
Their bond issues-for a further increase of
Understanding Indebtedness He denied
that the interest or welfare of the Govern
ment or of the people required the per
petuation of the single gold standard.
And he protested that the continued and
persistent effort to destroy bimetallism in
this country was fatal stab at the best
material interests of the people and dan
gerous and oppressive encroachment upon
their constitutional liberties. He would.
therefore, without any hesitation. but with
great pleasure, vote in favor of the COM
mittee substitute, and against the bill as it
came from the House. In conclusion
Mitchell said:
'Is it not about time this great Nation.
these United States of America, should as
sert its monetary as well as it's commercial
independence Are we, with orr vast ter
ritory, our unreasonable resources, our
model Government, our 20, 600 600 of brave.
intelligent, aggressive, independent people.
to forever acknowledge our dependence on
Great Britain or any other power on earth,
in either monetary or any other sense?
Must we, while denying the right of any
Government on the globe, republican or
monarchial, liberal or despotic, to dictate
to US as to the character of our legislation
upon any or all of the great questions
touching our industrial and commercial
interests, questions involving the right of
expatiation. the character of people we
shall admit to our shores, the encroach-
ment of alien systems, even to limits far
beyond our National borders, but upon the
hemisphere upon which we live, questions
involving our National honor and every
conceivable subject pertaining to our
present and future welfare and the promo
ton and progress of our civilization. save
and except one, that relating to our none
tary system, and as to that one, must we
be forever subservient to the will and
wish and the dictation of Great Brltain2
HAS the more than century of our ma
tional life, with all the prestige and in
fuence and power and glory that have
come to US in our unparalleled progress as
nation, and in the development of a
civilization than which none so grand has
ever existed since the creation of man.
still left us poor, weak dependent on the
British crown? Because England. since
1916, has adhered to the single gold stand
ard in the interest of the gold-brokers of
Lombard street, are we to forever bend