The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-02-14
THE aENArE

THE SENATE.
When the senate convened Friday
1t was technically a continuance of
the session OF Thursday, as recess
was taken Thursday night The silver
bond bill, therefore, had immediate
right of way with Mr.. Villas, democrat,
Wisconsin, recognized to speak
There was a very meagro attendance
I and Mr. Allen, popElist, Nebraska,
called attention 10 tho absence of a
quorum. This necessitated a roll call,
which brought senators from commit
tee and cloak rooms and disclosed 4G
senator's present, one more than quo
rum. Mr.. Villas then addressed the
senate
'It will, said Mr.. Villas, doubt
less never be necessary to discuss this
bill as it came to the house, but it
may be said it deserved its fate
strangled by silver. 1t was but the
fraudulent pretext to response TO the
exigency which it protested to meet,
and to reasonable suggestions of the
president, which it denied, while it
avowed their wisdom
"With the exception of provision
for emergency certihcates-which
ought to stand in the permanent stat
utes-the house bill contained nothing
commendable; everything else was but
mockery of the legislation demanded
by our fiscal conditions. And so
again, as q year ago, partisanship or
imbecility, or both, has stricked con-
gress with paralysis, and the rescue Of
business prosperity from its recurring
peril has been thrown upon the execu-
tive.
Mr.. Villas divided the silver advocates
into three classes: First, those who
were interested in silver mining; sec
ond, heavy debtors, and third, those
who believe in the principle of bimet-
allism. OF the first class he said that
they were few in number, but wonder
fully potential; of the second, that
they might deserve sympathy if they
did not shock it." The third class he
regarded as honestly mistaken, and to
them he addressed his argument.
At Saturdays session of the senate
the free coinage substitute for the
bond bill was passed bya vote of 40 to
80. BY an agreement arranged at
Fridays session all debate was cut off
at 9 o'clock and the vote on the substi-
tute was taken. Twelve senators were
paired. Thestrugglewas ended at 3:15
o'clock and adjournment was taken
until Tuesday.
The finance committee of the senate
agreed to report for the tariff bill
substitute providing for the free coin
age of silver. The substitute was sug-
gested by Senator Vest and was agreed
to by a majority of one, Senator Jones,
of Nevada, voting with the democrats
for the substitute and all the republi-
cans present voting against it.
The substitute agreed to is in the
exact words of the silver substitute
for the bond bill which passed the sem
ate on Saturday. 1t provides for the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of is
to directs the immediate coinage
into standard dollars of the silver
seignorage in the treasury accumulated
by the purchase under the Sherman
act; prohibits the issuance of national
bank notes of a smaller denomination
than $40, and directs the secretary of
the treasury to redeem greenbacks and
treasury notes in either gold or silver
exclusively at the option of the secre-
tary and to reissue greenbacks.
The senate devoted half hour at
the beginning of Tuesdays session to
the clearing AWAY of routine business
and then Mr.. Molfill, chairman OF the
finance committee, secured recogni-
ton to report back the tariff bill. He
read the original title and then the
new title as reported: San act to
provide for the free coinage Of silver, "
etc. There had been much confusion
through the chamber, but there was a
hush as Mr.. Morrill, proceeded. When
Mr.. Morrill, finished, Mr.. Quay at
once followed with a motion to recon-
nit with instructions to report the
original bill and amendments sepa-
rately.
Mr.. Hill called attention to the fact
that the motion was irregular during
the morning hour, and the presiding
officer sustained the point, and Mr.
| Quay's proposition was disposed Of
for the time being.