Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-04-10

Who are the true friends OF SilSer9 2 Is
II the men who own silver mines or are
employed by silver mine-owners and
those who by their advocacy of an i'm
practicable system manage to keep their
names before the public and themselves In
fat Offices, or is it the men and the party
which gave to the country Its great Vol.
ume of silver money, which originated all
efforts at international bimetallism, called
all the international conferences which
have been called by the United States, APP
pointed all delegates to international con-
ferences and declared in their national
and State platforms time after time in
favor of the only practical system of utii-
ixing silver, international bimetallism!
These are questions which the people
of the United States can afford to con-
slider, carefully, at the present moment,
when the people have, by an overwhelm-
ing vote, declared against independent
free coinage by the United States and in
favor of international action, and in re-
Spouse to this Republican Congress has
passed an act authorizing the calling of
such a conference and the appointment or
delegates to it, and Republican Presi-
dent, William Mckinley, has said in his
inaugural address that the question OF in
ternational bimetallism will have early
and earnest attentian. 1T will be my con-
slant endeavor," said he, Ito secure 1t
by cooperation with the other great COM
1t has been charged over and over again
that the men who make the loudest clamor
for the free coinage of silver upon the
basis which the people of the United
States have declared impracticable, do so
and have done SO for the purpose of re-
tanning their hold upon public office and
their control of a certain class of voters
Of their States or sections. 1t has been
charged that many of these men were
Doved by mercenary motives of a more
direct character in the ownership of sill
'veE mines, or by being directly in the
iemploy of silver mine owners. Whether
this is true or not, every man who studies
the attitude of the alleged friends of sill
yer in both houses of Congress during
the recent discussions upon the interna-
tional bimetallic conference bill, must be
convinced that they are not the true
friends of silver, and that it is difficult
10 explain their attitude by other than
selhsti motives. Add to this the further
fact that the Republican party is the one
Poaitical organization which has from the
krst urged and taken practical steps in
favor of the system which the people of
the United States have just declared the
emily feasible one with reference to silver
International bimetallism-and there can
- longer remain n doubt in the mind of
the honest student of this subject. As
n the party and the men who are the
true friends of that system which the
Reople have overwhelmingly declared the
anly practicable one for the restoration of
Efver-international bimetaIlism-the dis
esssions in the Fifty-fourth Congress will
show. conclusively.
When Senator Chandler Republican),
- January %, 1896, asked unanimous
consent to take up in the Senate the bill
authorizing the appointment of delegates
10 m international conference on bimet-
alliszn, and the calling of this conference
II necessary, Senator Pettigrew- (Silver-
Republican,, refused unanimous consent,
saying: Il cannot yield, Mr.. President;
wish to dispose of the appropriation and
I. think we can better do it now" ls5
On January 9th Senator Chandler
again attempted to call up the bill, and
Senator Daniels (Silver-Democra), OBJ
5eeted, saying: Il hope the Senator will
mot interrupt me at this moment" and in
SISTED upon retaining the floor and dis
S.ssing the Nicaragua Canal Bill, thus
Henin preventing the discussion of the BIZ
.etaliic conference bill.
On January 2Sth, when Senator Chand-
8er succeeded in getting the bill before
tke Senate, Senator Stewart tSilver-Pop-
afist). although protesting that he had no
disposition to embarrass and hinder the
passage of the bill, proceeded to embar-
E4ss and hinder it far possible by
nying, first, that it placed the United
States in a humiliating position; second,
that there are grave objections to inter
national money. which ought to make us
Aesatate before we enter into any com
Fact with the world; third, that the es-
enlistment of such money would cause
great Inconvenience to those involved in
he complication" and ended by declaring
his opposition to International money and
aenouncing the proposition as "a fake
m old fake
On January 2oth, when the bill was
again called up, Senator Villas (Gold-Dem
ecraD. spoke against it, saying; Il desire
simply to express my opposition to thin
AxH," and proceeded to do so to the ex
.<nt of remarks covering several pages OF
the Congressional Record.
On January 18th, during the discussion
II the bill, Senator Pettigrew (Silver-Re
E1Asiean), said: Il wish to record my pro
test against the passage of this bill," anC
proeeeded to detail his reasons for oppo
xasieo at considerable length.
On January 18th, during the discus
Esnn of the bill. Senator Allen (Silver-Pop
nEstl presented n long argument to show
that the effort would be unsuccessful, ant
said of the bill: 1T is a useless thing. Il
> . work or supererogation-"
On January 10Th. during the discussion
ID the bill. Senator Cannon tSilver>Repub