The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-13
Advocated the Free Coinage OF Sill
YER From a Farmers Standpoint.
HIS CONCEPTION OF THE DUTIES OF A senate
Too Much Controlled by Party BeheStS--Presiden Cleveland
Charged With Betrayal of Democrats.

else the functions Of a senator and discuss
the issues presented to the senate. i
know, sir, that custom has made IL a rule
that new members of this body should lis
ten rather than be heard, and my brief OK
porience-and while In the city / have
boon very attentive upon the sessions of
the senate-has shown me that the custom
Is a wise one, because new mon who come
In here, especially those who, like myself,
have had little, In fact no, legislative ex-
pericnoc, realize very soon that what they
do not know about the affairs OF this great
government is far more than they do
know or can hope to learn without much
labor.
My experience has been in q different
arena. l am q farmer, pure and simple,
with no collateral occupation. Tho
speeches that l have made have been upon
the hustings, ont In the open air under
the trees, before tho common masses Of
tho country, whore mon arc allowed, II
they feel disposed, TO applaud tho uttorances
of the orator. / find hero that tho senate
considers 10 beneath It's dignity to applaud
anybody, and the galleries are reprimandod
severely IL they break over tho rule and
indicate that they approve something that
has been said. / find, further, that, no
matter how we'll pleased men are with
what is being said-I mean senators, for
Il look upon those in the galleries as muz-
zlcd nutomntons merely, you know-the
rule Is TO G%orgonize tho speaker with u
senatorial stare and turn him into stone
almost. What has been the RESULT l
find that men eminent In our history,
Whose speeches arc read oil over tho coun-
try, get up hero like s~choolboys and read
essays in q monotone 10 empty chairs,
when the senate OF the United States, sup
posed to be In session, has gone to the
cloakrooms or somewhere else.
So far as l know, I am tho only farmer,
,puro and simple. in this august body.
Yet out of tho 10000, 600 people in this
country 35, 000, 600 are engaged In ~agricul-
tural pursuits alone. II, thon, one farmer
has broken down tho barriers and forced
his way here, upon his head rests the re-
sponsipility of giving utteranco to the feel
iings, the aspirations of his fellows, and Of
giving utterance TO the sense Of wrong
which they have. Therefore, Mr.. Presi-
dent, I feel constrained today to raise my
voice to speak, and before l get through
you will realize tho fact that l speak
plainly and bluntly and use Anglo-Saxon,
the vornacular, the language of the COM
mon people, for + nm ono of them, and l
expect to tell you how they feel, and what
they think, and what they want.
A Farmers Standpoint.
The senator from Ohio Mr.. Sherman
said the other day that the question of the
free coinage Of silver Ia old straw; that IL.
has boon thrashod and thrashed and thrash
ed; that there Is nothing now in 1t. It
has been thrashod, sir, by lawyers; IL has
been thrashed by railroad magnatcs; it has
been thrashed by the president of this
corporation and tho attorney of that cor
poration. 1t has not been handled on the
pitchfork OF a farmer. / am here To SEQ IL
/ cannot get a few grains moro whent-of
truth-in the handling Of the question.
Farmers uso a pitchfork in handling
straw; therefore tho similo Is good If the
statement is good. They also use pitch
forks 70 handle manure, and perhaps l
shall find some Of that in my pathway be-
foro l get through.
What Is tho position OF tho Republican
party as set forth by Its acknowledged
leader, tho senator from Ohio Mr.. Sher-
mani? i am sorry no Is not hero. How
did he sot 1t forth In his speech on tho 3d
of January? What did ho propose to do?
He sail that tho present trouble with tho
finances Of tho country arises from q deficit
In tho revenues, n Tho remedy is to is
sue more bonds and tax tho people. That
IS all-incroaso tho tariff in order TO in
- CREASE tha rDlcnues and issnn hoi.ds to pay
tho deficit and Get tho gold reserve
straight, and wo will all be happy. That
Is tho Republican policy. They do not
propose any Other soiomo Of relief.
Clcyelend's Financial Policy.
What is the policy outlined by tho lead
or, as you say, on this sido, tho man who
1ixac NJ Tho ofh.p ar1 Of tho oNnntt.V He
policy Is nero bonds, no increase of rove
nue-hc has enough roycnuc just now
.retirs oil tho groonhaoks, all tho silver
certificates, and perhaps tho national banks
may grnciously come In and ill the void
by issuing notes.
In what respect do they difTcrf Mr..
sherman wants coin bonds; Mr.. Cleveland
wants gold bonds. Mr.. sherman wants
"A higher tariff; Mr.. Cleveland wants tho
present tariff. Mr.. sherman, rs a means
OF relief 20 stop the endless chain-which
Is "a patent contrivance, with thieves at
one end and dishonest officials at the other,
60 rob the American pcoplo-wants TO keep
tho redeemed groenbacks In tho treasury,
80 no ono can got thoin 10 raid tho trcas-
ury, whilo the president says that the only
refuge DO scos Is TO RED to blot ont
and ISSUE bonds In place Of every solitary
piece Of paper that circulatos without in
torest. And both Of thom moan contrao-
ton, lower prices, harder times.
Neither Of thom tolls us what is 10 bring
relief. Mr.. Sherman docs give what he
considers a comprehensive, "a good scheme
for future use. Mind you, not now. The
whole idea appears 20 be hat n promise Of
this government, which Is a mortgage on
the labor Of this country for 80 years 10
come, 10 bottor than apromiso Of this gov
without interest, which circulatcs
n money 10 the everyday affairs OF the
people. Now, ] nsk any tinn here who has
a s~cintilla Of honesty In bis heart or In his
brain 20 tell mo the difference between the
promises-of this government, ana II one 81
them, which would relieve the people. is
good, boing today ~ a premium, in the
namo ~ fairness and honesty. why should
they wish 30 retire ~RroenhGcks and put out
another rromiso that will bear intcrcsti
In whoao interest r. such n scheme
brought Lcrn but that OF tho moncyod
3lnsses. who ara today rolling In wealth.
The idoa Is TO sink deeper In the bog Of