Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-03-05
THE SPIRIT OF CONGRESS.
THE HOUSE PASSES THE IRRATIONAL
MONETARY CONFERENCE BILL.


From the Boston Herald.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 26 1897.
The operation of the rule permitting the
passage of bills under the suspension OF
the rules began to run in the house today
for the rest of the session.
c. w. Stone, rep, of pennsylvania
moved to suspend the rules and pass the
senate bill authorizing the president to
appoint commissioners to represent the
United States at any international mon
etary bmetalhc conference called to
secure by agreement a fixity OF value
between silver and gold. An amend
ment proposed by the committee on coin
age, weights and measures authorizes
the president to appoint special ENJOYS
to European nations to secure by diplo-
matte negotiation the object of the inter-
state conference.
Mr.. Stone claimed that since 1892 there
had been radical change in the views
of the English, German and French leg
islators and statesmen in favor of the
accomplishment of the purpose in view.
The delegates of the United States would
now 90 into the conference under dill
ferent conditions. The amendments pro-
posed by the house, giving the president
the power TO negotiate to secure the pro-
posed agreement, and repeating the legis'
lation in the last sundry civil bill pro-
yiding for the appointment of commits
toner's to an international monetary con-
ference, Mr.. Stone said, were acceptable
to the friends of the bill in the senate
The bill was further advocated by Mr..
McCreary. dem, of Kentucky, who was
a member of the Brussels conference.
lie expressed the belief that conditions
were much more favorable for securing
an agreement than they were five years
ago. Letters he had received from
Montefiore Levy, the president OF the
conference. and from Belgian. French
and English delegates to the conference
at Bru. sells in 1892, all expressed the
opinion that the conference should be re-
convoked, Nine members of the present
British government were members of
the bimetalic league. The reason large
lv why the Brussels conference failed to
reach an agreement was that the dele
gates we're not auth )rzed to conclude
one. The pending bill wisely cured that
defect.
Mr.. Quigg. rep, of New York. strong
" opposed the bill, for the reasons that II
;,ox-poIiont and
suitable as to time and place, and that a;
to results upon either the business Of
the country or the welfare of the party
it was distinctly dangerous.
Mr.. Hepburn, rep, of Iowa, said tina
the republican platform contained
pledge to secure the conference provided
for in this bill and that he could no
give expression to Mr.. Quigg's Language
without considering himself an apostat
to republcanism (Applause.)
Mr.. Johnson. rep. of Indiana, vigor
ously opposed the bill, He believed bi
metalism to be a thing of the past, ant
he had no desire to see it revived. III
pleaded with the republicans to have thu
courage of their convictions and 60 int
the arena fully armed to fight agains
the free silver advocates. who, Will
supporting this bill. declared their in
tention to continue the fight for the fire.
and unlimited coinage of that metal
Invitations to international mOnetar.
conferences, lie said. were received b,
foreign nations with courtesy and con
tempt
Mr. Dngey, rep, of Maine, gave hi
reasons for supporting the bill. 1t wa
his first speech in many weeks. and a
he rose he was greeted with applause
lie said;
Il can only briefly suggest two reason
why shall support he pending bill.
First, it is in response to the clear
distinct, uuquestioned pledge of the re
publican party IL the last campaign. Th
republican party at st. Louis declare
against the free coinage of silver by tn
independent action of this country, be
cause they believed, as | believe, and a
every scientific bmetallist in the worl
outside of politics believes. that sue
Independent free coinage of silver at l
to is Iothng in the world but silve
mOnometallism. But the party said 6
the same time they would promote, 5
far as lay in their power, an internation'
agreement for the free coinage of silve
under circumstances which should max
every dollar in silver as good as ever
dollar in gold; and that pledge, it is OF
duty Today, by the passage of this bill
to endeavor to respond to. applause
"SecOndly, | am in favor of the passag
of this bill because believe that its d.
feat under the circumstances undo
which it is presented and in view of II
pledge which we made at the st. Lou
convention would result in tremendol