Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-04-09
THE MONETARY" CON."
STEWART ADDRESSES THE
SENATE ON 1T.
The Republican Party Not In Favor OF
Restoring Silver by an international
Conference or Otherwise-The Presi-
dent Is Strongly Against 1t.

bill to provide for the representation
of the United States by commissioners
at any international monetary confer
ence hereafter to be called.
Mr.. Stewart said: Mr.. President,
do not wish to call names or express
the suspicious which | entertain OF bad
faith on the part of the Republican par
ty in pretending that they are in favor
of restoring silver by an international
conference, or otherwise. There are
exceptions, and l make the author OF
the bill, the senator from New Hamp-
shire (Mr. Chandler), one of the hon
orable exceptions.
But what is the situation of the ad-
ministration? When the senator from
Colorado (Mr. WolcotD first went to
Europe, the tone of the European press
was kindly, at least, but events hap
pened here which led them to ridicule
his mission and say that he represented
nothing and nobody, and was entitled
to no consideration.
That was the substance of the Ian
SuuSC VI thC iCduiho JOui huio Va iSAA
don a short time ago. But that Ian
guage was not used until events oc-
| Cured here showing the position of
the administration when it was ru-
mored that Mr.. Gage, banker of Chi
cago, might be appointed secretary OF
the treasury. Following that rumor,
Mr.. Gage went to Canton and had an
J interview with the president-elect. He
went home and announced his views.
There was some question at first as to
whether they were really his views, but
| it turned out that they were views
/ which he had expressed in deliberate
address and which he indorsed
In that address, as reported by the
papers, he declared that he is in favor
of retiring the greenbacks, of retiring
the silver certificates, Of selling the sill
yer which the government has in its
vaults, and of having no money in this
country except gold and national bank
issues. That was the position which
the person who is to be secretary of
the treasury declared. 1t was publish
ed in Europe, and Immediately upon
that publication Mr.. Wolcott's mission
was ridiculed. That was as clear a
declaration as could have possibly
been made that the United States did
not intend under any circumstances,
or that the administration that is TO
come in did not intend under any cir
cumstances, to change the situation.
By their acts you shall know them.
This act of the President-elect in Sc
Letting Mr.. Gage, who is the most radi-
cal gold man on either side of the
Atlantic, was taken as positive proof
of the incoming administration.
If we wanted further evidence of
that, it is found in this proposition,
which intrusts this matter to the sec
rotary Of the state. We all know who
is to be secretary of state. We all
know his record upon this question
We all know that he was the author
Of the bill to demonetize silver; that
he has done more than any other man
who ever lived to fasten the gold stand
ard upon the world. This matter is to
intrusted to him by our government.
When this is reported to Europe, and
they find that the subject has been del
egated to the secretary of state to send
agents to negotiate they will be fur
Their assured that the new administra-
tion will do nothing; and that the New
York Evening Post and other papers
which declared that the provision in
the platform was merely for political
purposes were right, and that Mr..
Smalley was right when he wrote his
letter to the cabinet minister, which is
reported by Moreton Frewen, in the
letter to the senator from Idaho (Mr.
Dubois, which he has just read that
there was no movement in this coun-
try among the powers that be for sill
yer; that they have regarded the YER
dict of last fall as a verdict for the
single gold standard, and intended to
adhere to it.
I am aware that there are some Re-
publicans who still entertain the hope
that there is good faith on the part of
their party in going to Europe to ask
permission to exercise the functions
delegated to congress by the constitu-
ton of the United States. 1 am will
ing that they shall try the experiment
1 regret, however, that that expert
ment is to be tried at the expense of
the honor and dignity of the United
States, for there is no more humiliat-
ing position which the people of this
country can assume than that Of ap-
pealing to Europe for permission to
pass laws regulating our domestic af-
fairs. It Is the most humiliating spec
tacle that has ever been presented.
While 1t degrades our people, while it
IL anti-American, am willing that it
shall be done II there is still one man
in the Republican party who in good
faith wants 1t done. l want the object
lesson given so that 1t can be under
stood. It has been understood by me
Tor many years.
I'have felt the contumely which has
been heaped upon us every time we
have duplicated for an international
conference, the sneers and jokes and
| lipbt aynrnesionc which have Occurrad.