The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-20
THAT HE DID IT
MIR. OyERsTREET ON INTRODUCTION
or CURRENCY REFORM BILL.
New Light on Those Absences from
Roll CaII-Bailey Reflects ON
the G. A. n.


The Republicans of the Fourth ward last
evening completely filled Greenieaf Hall, in
North indianapolis, and gave the closest at
tention to an address by Representative
Jesse Overstreet. The audience was rep
resentative one, and Mr. Overstreet gave
them an accounting of his stewardship as
their representatives Mr.. George w. Lam
caster was chosen chairman, and in a few
words presented Mr.. Overstreet.
Mr.. Overstreet said he believed a repre-
sentative should give his entire time to the
duties of his position, and when he was
elected he gave up his small business and
made study of his district, its needs and
resources. He compared the conditions OF
two years ago, when the Republicans
claimed that public confidence was neces-
sary to restore confidence proposition
that the Democrats laughed to scorn and
set up the counter claim that more money
was needed The Democrats ascrihed the
conditions then prevailing to the gold stand
ard, and claimed that the free coinage Of
silver was the necessary remedy The rise
or confidence and increase of business under
the election of President Mckinley was
sketched, and the first step in this restora-
ton, the speaker stated was due to the
Dingley bill, which was one Of the two great
promises of the st. Louis platform. The
other great promise of that platform was
the declaration for the gold standard and
to make it the undebated and unquestioned
standard for the currency of the country
THE PLATFORM said Mr. Overstreet.
was not as strong as that language but
declared for the existing gold standard
Commerce had long adopted the gold stand
ard as the measure of value and we intend
ed and still intend to make gold the stand
ard by law. While we did not say so, it
was our intention that it should be So and
we are not disposed to deny it now; we
were only prevented from doing so by a
Senate that was against US and which pre-
vented any action on the currency ques-
tiOn''
The speaker gave some attention to the
Democratic argument that wheat and silver
rise and fall together, and showed that
every argument advanced by them in 1896
had been proven false by the conditions
that have arisen since then.
DID TALK ON MONEY QUESTION.
New questions arose." continued Mr.
Overstreet, (which prevented us from TAX
ing any action on our second great prom
ise My opponent has criticised me be-
cause he claims that, while l spoke on other
subjects in the House, 1 did not speak on
the money question. In reply to that l
want to say that did speak on the money
question, and that my speech was delivered
on April 20, when the war tariff bill was
under consideration The only reason that
did not speak on the money question be-
fore was because the rise of new and press
ing questions forced a. p0stponement of the
consideration of the money question. In
that speech / stated that our next duty
was a reform in the currency system At
no time did forget the principles on which
i was elected, and our foreign war was all
that prevented action on that point.
I'm 1896 movement was started in bust
ness circles in this city which from a small
beginning became of national Importance
1t was worth more to this city than any
advertising that could have been done
through usual channels. No one In Indian
apolis need feel ashamed over this move
ment having originated here and from it
Indianapolis has advanced more rapidly
than any other city in the country in the
estimation of business men. As the result
Of that movement two national conventions
were held here and the eyes of the entire
country and of the President We're turned
ferred to this meeting in his annual message,
ne commended the report and the recon-
mendations and urged Congress to take &C
ton at the special session and not await
the regular session. No action was taken
by Congress by reason of the attitude of the
Senate and then these same business men
took the matter up themselves. They Sc
lected the best and ablest commission that
could have been chosen and after months of
study ana research they framed DILL 1t
was not their intentiorl to force this bill
down the throats of the people, but to give
Congress a basis TO work on. They gave
the measure to me to introduce and thus
/ became the link between that great meet
ing and Congress. | did so, not to force 1t
on them but to get the attention of Con-
Of my connection and my humble part in
it. In 1896 we believed that silver legisla-
ton would be dangerous and we believed
in the gold standard If were right then,
question of a gold standard beyond de-
bate or controversy. This bill was referred
to the proper committee and many hearings
We're held. There was difference in
opinions and another bill was drawn. en-
bodying some of the features of the bill
which / introduced and some features from
other bills. That bill was reported to the
House and my bill never was. That bill de-
cares for the single gold. standard and We
must make 1t law. THE majority so de-
cided in 1896.
THE SENTINEI.'S INCONSISTENCY.
THE Sentinel. in one line says that / have
no influence in Washington and in another
charges me with acts or failure to do acts
which would make me the greatest man in
the United States. That paper now has
standing at the head of one of it's columns
charges against what they term. The
Overstreet BILL One charge is that this
bill forbids the coinage of silver dollars.
None are coined now and none have been
since the Sherman law was repealed, except
the bullion purchased under that law. These
secure the silver certificates which have
been issued on the bullion so purchased.
The Sentinel also charges that this bill pro-
videS that silver dollars shall be redeemable
in gold The bill does not, but 1t does pro-
vide that silver dollars shall be inter-
changeable with gold. They ought to be,
as all our money is sound. My connection
with that bill was simply following our
mandate as expressed two years ago, and
the bill was approved by the President If
my conduct in advocating that bill is APP
ashamed to stand before you this EVENING""
Mr.. Overstreet then read extracts from
President Mckinley's message and from his
address to the New York business men in
dorsing the bill. He then took up Mr..
Baileys charges against him. Said he: II
see by speech of Mr.. Baileys, which APP
peared in the Sentinel and which / am told
was undelivered a kind of stocsin.' as it
were. that he makes a great deal of my abb
sences from roll calls. That is nothing but
a great bugaboo. To explain, let me say
that a roll call in the lower house takes
nearly an hour. Under the rules of the
House few can demand a roll call, or q
stubborn minority can use them for fill
clustering purposes and delay action on inn
portant questions for days. During such
tactics which were pursued by the minority
under the leadership of that stubborn man
who bears the same name my opponent,
was 1t the duty of your representative to
elf idlV N hts chair nd q IN ne