New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-01

ami a IN
,ns This resolution is not presented Tor TOE p''.
,,oso &c occurring an EXPRESSION by Congress As 10
,be mower Of the Government, either AS 10 'ho pa!
nent o. is obligations or as 10 "hat may w "'O
legal tender. II is throwing dust IN 'he eyes Va W.
own reople and OF the world 10 assume ''a' W
are determining question OF power OF e'en Va
technical legal right. No one denies tha' this VI
any other Nation has The power 10 pay in iu'l ol
In mart or none OF It's obligations TO pay IN gou
or silver or paper or copper, accoroihs % ''S P
ur, Payment cannot be enforced against eo''
eisp nation. Its obligations are measrre' ny i''
own sense OF and good faith But oven Il VIZ,
sease OF honor is any time blun'eo. AS VIZ
sbv,ock's bv dwelling on a narrow view OF the let
ter rather than the spirit OF tho obligation the IN
tenieent selhshness OF Nation wAlch If 20 "'e
not simply .or goHoratlon but for centuries ous J.
10 lead it-and whenever n nation IS wisely eoVeiio'
does lead $50 scrupulousiy TO maintain us p'eue
IA Roth letter an3 sp!r; 10 preserve II 'Feol'
nntarn,shed and thereby not only make II 1'oss'ple
20 borrow at the lowest rate OF Interest o"' a'so 10
mako g easy 10 obtain loans IN exigencies wh'cA
are sure sooner or later to come TO every nation
DISTRIBUTING THE NATION.
~ nations honor and credit may say : the
gentlemen the other side. who app2u>od 80
iub.lantly when the pending resolution was brought
into this hai.-are among its most priceless posses
sons; aye its title deed TO porrnanence ana pros
pcrity. Gentlemen the other side, who so eA-
uitinrly applauded under the impression that they
were hitting the hated holder Of bonds Issued by
the Government TO fund the debt incurred In de-
Tending and saving the Union IN rts years OF adj
yersity and peril. In fact hitting and dis
creditng the credit Of the Nation. which stands for
ever citizen. high low, rich or poor, and whose
nag is the emblem OF freedom and civilization.
Mr. Speaker the sting and dishonor Of the pend
ing resolution Ike the sting Of the deadly snake Is
IN its tail And that sting. well-n!gh harmless
twenty years ago. under conditions then existing.
f. made deadly by the changed conditions OF to-
DAY. The deadly tail o, this resolution reads as
follows.
ha, 10 restore It's coinage such silver coins as
a leeal-tender in the payment OF said bonds (mean-
inr practically all the bonds OF The United states
now outstanding - not In violation OF tne puptc
faith nor in derogaton OF the rights OF the pubic
creditor
"rhe declarations OF the movers and supporters
OF THE resolution in the Senate during its recent
consideration IN that body throw food OF light
on what is meant rcw by the phrase 10 restore 10
its coinage such silver coins-a phrase which IN
1878 was with good reason interpreted by many VINO
supported a similar resolution TO mean something
vitality different from what It must mean row
THE MORAL QUESTION INVOLVED.
'~-his brings me-" proceeded Mr.. Dingley, 'to the
consideration OF the vital question as 10 whether
the Government has tho moral right; IN other
words. whether Il would be an act which the moral
sense OF the world would regard In accordance
with honor and good faith for the United States to
pay its outstanding bonded Indebtedness IN doiafe
of 40 materially less value than the dollar whlch
has been the practical standard OF value since
1851 barring the war and reconstruction period
and which has beea the legal and practical stand
ard OF value since 1879 and the dollar In which our
,onSeh Indebtedness has been paid thus far,
paid by every Administration from Lincoln TO
NcKinley-to wit the dollar equal In value 70 Zo-S
grains Of standard gold. Applause)
"Bear IN mind that we ere discussing this ques-
ton from the point Of honor and good falth ana
not from the point Of power or technical iegAi
right; for have already said that the Govern
ynent can do as It pleases. More than three
fourths of the outstanding bonds were, as matter
Of fact issued and sold after 1873. when the silver
dollar was dropped from the list Of coins Now,
In view of these facts would 1t he good f2ith for
Congress. now that silver has go greatly defeSi-
ated 70 restore its free and unlimited coinage al
the ratio Of 70 70 by this country alone when the
market ratio is SO TO !. and then use such dollars
TO nav the bonds which We had sold for gold
under such circumstances 10 not think u
would ! fear that many OF YOU are resting on
the expectation which you have that nothing OF
this kind Will be done and are excusng your vote
for II on the unworthy idea that you are playing
politics
NO TINE FOR THRILLING WITH HONOR.
IF so. beg Of you not to tribe vita the honor
and good faith OF the Nation for any such misera-
BILE end: for. rest assured such al expression Of
opinion as 10 the sense OF honor of the people Of
this country contemplated by this resolution under
existing conditions would seriously njure the credit
of the country and tend 10 weaken reviyng conf
dence. 1t is because believe las does every scien-
tac blmetallist In the world outside OF politics.
that is 70 / free and unlimited silver BY this
country alone would make the United States sill
yer rnonometallic country. like Mexico and China.
md would give us silver basis that would OBJ
etruct our trade vita gold standard countries that
now take 90 per cent OF our exports. ana prove
a serious menace 10 our progress and because /
believe that II would seriously injure our credit
and standing a Nation, that appeal 10 gentle
men on this side # the House TO maintain the
,ledge which tho Republican party made at ST..
Louis 20 keep all our currency, whether silver or
paper good gold and preserve invoiably the
public faith and credit, and 10 gentlemen on the
otter side O, the House 10 maintain the standard
Of value which Jackson's Administration gave the
country slxty-four years ago, and the honor and
good faith Of the Nation carefully preserved by
the fathers Of the Democratic party and TO take
the opportunity offered by the resolution now be-
fore the House to show 10 the country and world
,ha, the good name OF the Nation is safe In our
hands" prolonged Republican applause
After the outburst OF applause which greeted the
close OF Mr. Dngleys speech had subsidized Mr..
Bailey was recognized for an hour. He first yield
Cd twenty minutes TO Mr. Wheeler Dem.. AlG.). a
member OF the Ways and Means Committee. who
submitted an argument IN support Of the resolution.
Before closing Mr.. Wheeler yielded minute each
10 half dozen members on the Democratic side.
zach of whom as Mr. Cowherd Dem, Mo- said.
erected a hook on which 10 hang speech In The
Congressional Record"
Mr. Dockrry Dem. MOI declared that tho efforts
- the President and Secretary Of the Treasury TO
establish the gold standard more firmly would va
cate many seats on ,he Republican side.
REMARKS BY Mr.. BLAND
The appearance OF Mr. Bland Dem. Mo-. of
giand dollar fame. 10 whom Mr.. Bailey yielded ten
-,iuuf.s vas greeted with applause The course Of
the Pre- sident and Secretary Gage. Mr.. Bland said
N messing the gold standard on the country had
driven the bimetalis,s in Congress TO Introduce and
usist on the passage Of this resolution. Yet Mr.
rnir vii rla .irr