The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-01


voted against the coinage of silver in
any one form. No one disputed the
law, he said. No one denied it, Silver
was a full legal tender. But every
republican vote against the resolution
would declare that silver was not fit To
pay the public debt WITH silver would
then, in truth, become subsidiary coin.
Mr.. Bland created great applause on
the democratic side by reading from
the record the votes of Messrs Hop
kins. Grosyeror and other prominent
republicans against the bill to pay the
bonds of the United States in gold,
which was voted on in the last congress
at the time the last administration ne
gotiated the $3.50. 900 loan Mr..
Grosvenor. on that occasion. he said.
had stated on the floor that he was
glad to pay $1s,00o,oo0 for the privilege
to pay silver in the redemption of the
bonds.
Mr.. Hopkins, rep. Ill., said that this
resolution had clearly shown that the
senate was clearly not republican
body. but was controlled by the silver
element. BY decisive vote in the last
election the people had refused to have
free coinage of silver Yet the senate.
no longer representing the people,
passed this resolution in defiance and
misrepresentation of the public will.
He commented on the UNEQUAL influ-
ence exerted by the scantiiy populated
state of Nevada and the great state
of Illinois in shaping results in the
senate.
Mr.. Clayton, dem. Ala. asserted that
the defeat of this resolution was die
tated by the masters of the republican
party. who gathered at New York
banquet table the other night at 500 a
plate, which meant in Alabama stand
ards, that every man ate a bale of
cotton and a couple of mules.
Mr.. Grosvenor. rep, Ohio, in opposi-
tion to the resolution. said that
throughout all the changes and mutila-
tions of the money question in this
country. the republican party had
maintained its unvarying devotion to
what was denominated honest mon
ey" He reviewed the record and
position of the party from the time Of
the passage of the resumption act in
proof of this proposition.
Mr.. Wheeler, dem. Ky, followed
with a review of the same history that
Mr.. Grosvenor had invoked To prove
that the republican party on the money
question had ''somersaulted like cir
Gus tumbler."
Committed to Gold.
Mr.. Pearce dem, Tenn, declared
that the mist had Mt last been cleared
away. The republican party was firm
ly committed to the gold standard.
Mr.. Grow, rep. Penn. contended that
the creditor had the right to demand
the payment of his debt in whatever
legal tender he elected. For the gov
ernment to exercise the option would
be dishonest and in bad faith. Others
wise the government could set Its
printing presses at work and soon turn
out enough legal tender to discharge
the government debt
Mr.. Brumm, rep, Penn, said he
would have voted for the resolution
had it not contained the latter clause,
declaring that the free coinage of sii-
Yer was not consistent with the pub
lie faith.
Mr.. Baird. dem, La. asserted that
in voting against the pending resolu-
tions, the republicans would simply
obey the commands of their masters in
Wall street
Mr.. Bailey yielded IA minutes to Mr.
Bell pop. Col, and that gentleman
parceled the time out TO the populist
members, giving each of them a couple
of minutes.
Mr.. Johnson. rep. Ind. got ten min
utes from Mr.. Steele, rep. Ind, with
which to oppose the resolution He
said the resolution was adroitly word
ed. 1t was, in his opinion. nothing
more nor less than a reaffirmation of
the Chicago platform. While the ad-
under free coinage silver would be at
n parity with gold. he declared they
knew otherwise, and charged that the
purpose of this resolution was to en-
able the government to pay in de-
preciated dollar after gold had been
driven out of circulation.
Mr.. Evans, rep. Ky. said he con-
strued the resolution as a declaration
for free silver, and as such he op-
posed it.
Mr.. Walker. rep, Mass. chairman of
the banking and currency committee, in
opposing the resolution asked IL MEM
bers had ever stopped to calculate the
commercial value of undoubted honor,
whether among nations or individuals.
Mr. Bartlett. dem. Ga. declared that
the present attempt to vitiate the con-
tract between the bondhoIders and the
taxpayers was made in pursuance Of
the demand Of the financial reformers
one of whom. at Indianapolis, declared
that the business men would force the
gold standard on the country, in spite
Of the law. if necessary.
After some brief remarks i'm support
of the resolution by Messrs. Brucker
dem. Mich: Norton. dem. Ohio, and
Cochran, dem. Mo. Mr.. Doiliver. rep,
Iowa. made a stirring speech of ten
against it.
ShyIock and Anton,
Mr.. Mcguire. dem, Cal. said he
agreed with Mr.. Dingley that there
were but two sides of this question
justice and distortion. the creditor and
debtor and concentrated wealth and
the bondholder and the peo-
pie. 1t was, he said, the old story of
Shylock and Antonio over again, with
Shylock demanding more than was
in the bond.
Mr.. Cannon, rep. H.. whose record
had been attacked during the debate.
said. in speaking of his former votes
for free coinage and for the Matthews
resolution. that the difference between
silver and gold then was but few
cents; it was now 30 cents. The re-
publican party had always been for
honest. sound money. the democratic
party since the war for cheap. unsound
money.
Mr.. Hepburn. rep. Iowa. in opposing
the resolution. which he said was eouiY-
alent 10 free coinage decla ration re-
II