The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-14

present Congress. You cannot determine
whether you VIII appoint the commission
by this body or not, until that scheme is
tried. and then il goes over until the reg
ular session of Congress. And when the
next Congress is elected. If legislation has
not before been had. you will not get IL:
and you will not get it for ten years, in my
judgment.
WILL ACCOMPLISH NOTHING.
/ do not believe there is a member of
Congress present. i do not believe there is
n member of Congress in Washington that
thinks the machinery you have devised
here will accomplish anything before the
Ffty-sixth Congress. l ask this body if
you want to face the people again with the
financial condition that has been revealed
to them? Now, 1 want TO say to this con-
vention what is absolutely true. There
may have been hints somewhere by some
body that the financial and banking scheme
of the United States was not the best the
sun ever shone upon. before the meeting OF
tie financial congress at Chicago, held In
conjunction with the worlds fair, but If
there had been a hint of that kind. l did not
hear of IL. At that time. for the first time. l
commenced TO expose the epormities OF this
system, which for the last time | exposed
here on this platform. 1t has been an out
rage upon the people or the Soutn and
West from the beginning. CApplause.)
The men who were responsible for 1t
have sat in Congress and have sat down on
every scheme that has been proposed
| Eight years ago., when i visited Washing
ton for the first time officially to take my
financial leaders of this country and / said
to him: Under my oath of office. and being
appointed on the committee on coinage.
weights and measures, before Almighty
God ] feel il upon me to do the
best / can, poor as ii may be, To preserve
our national financial system and TO cor
rect it. to perpetuate it and to improve
it." Ordering a glass of champagne
and that added to the embarrassment OF
the situation. because / did not take it
he calmly said to me: MIR. Walker. the
bonds of the United States are being rap
idly paid off. / do not think we can pre-
serve our national system. / think we Will
have to come back TO our State system. L
really do not see any other way. and the
difficulties are so great that / am unwilling
to undertake it." That has been the ieei-
ing.
What has been done for thirty years? l
want to say TO this convention that the
men in Congress-. Republicans because
they had the power in those years-that al
lowed the time to elapse from 1850 to 1919,
when we had a clean slate, without reform
ing our system. are verify guilty, ana tney
have an account to settle with the people.
Then commenced the agitation OF sill
do anything until we repealed
the purchasing clause of the act of 1890. and
since then we have dallied and delayed ana
we still daily and delay. L look you In the
face, Mr.. Chairman. and calling to my wit
ness every member OF this conVenuon.
many of whom have been members OF Con.
gress. and / say that with the thousands OF
measures urged upon US IT Is nearly impos-
sible to do anything in Congress that mas
not a tremendous power BEHIND IL.
TIED COMMITTEES HANDS.
You have tied the hands of the commit
tee on banking and currency. 1t might as
we'll adjourn. There are not five members
of the that will attend another
meeting of it. Neither will the finance COM
mittee of the Senate touch the matter. 1t
mill ctay daa6 The gentleman a member
Of the committee, made a serious mistake
in saying the other night that the finance
committee of the Senate and the committee
on banking and currency OF the House
would not welcome, as far as they were
able to do, gladly welcome, any suggestion
from any conference or n commission
that might be appointed. But what he
might have said truthfully, and undoubteo,
anything 20 Congress without a BODY or
men behind it. represented by individuals
rest, night or day, visiting us at the Capitol
and at our homes, calling US out into the
lobby and insisting on action, you will
never get any legislation; 1t will fall dead.
That is the way legislation is had.
L thought, perhaps, to say something
about the methods of securing legislation,
If there had been the slightest hope for en-
couragement from this convention, but 1
want TO say to you that you have damned
the whole refrom here to-day in the weak
ness of human nature. and there is no sal
walton.
MIR. ROOTS TAKES EXCEPTION.
Mr.. Roots, of Connersville. Ind, obtained
recognition after Mr.. Walker had spoken.
1 am somewhat in the predicament of the
politician who asked. Where am / att" said
he. Fortunately, or unfortunately. / am
a member of our State Assembly, and for
one l consider myself as a servant of the
people. (Applause.) / understand that it is
the province of a man who is elected to a
public office to ascertain. as far as possible.
the sentiment of his constituency and to
carry 1t out. ! take it as a favor for any
man, rich or poor, high or low. to give me
upon any subject ABOUT whicn
political convention. The political barriers
are thrown down. If i understand it. invi-
tations . haze , been sent t -r fns %bdYe OF OF R ISe
people of the United States who are inter-
ested in the permanent and sound currency
reform. tApplause) L believe that the
eminent gentleman who has preceded me
has misunderstood the motives of the men
who nave been active in the calling of this
convention. We stand here as citizens. We
come here for a purpose; we come here to
express our sentiments. and dangerous is
the position of that man in Congress who
charges us with being lobbyists for immoral
or any other purpose. Now. gentlemen, my
sentiments as one of the members OF the
committee that framed the call are eX-
pressed in the resolutions i have here on
paper:
Resolved. That this body appoint a CON-
MISSION. TO De composed OF Twelve members,
to be appointed by the chair. We suggest
that there be three from New England,
three from the so-called Southern States,
three from the Central States and three
from the Western States and Pacific coast.
Resolved. That a memorial be presented
to the Congress of the United States asking |
for Il congressional monetary commission
of five members-two from the Senate and
three from the House-in order that this
commission appointed by the convention
may confer with the commission appointed
by Congress. Not that they shall confer
with us. but that they shall confer with
them, concerning the subject matter of this
resolution.
Resolved. That this committee appointed
by this convention report to this convention
not later than Sept. l, and that the conven-
ton be adjourned, subject to the call of the |
chair" |
No action was taken on this resolution.
FOWLER SUPPORTS WALK