Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-12-21
IBAILEY OPPOSES THE BILL.
eS-Democratic Leader Joins In
Currency Debate.
BELIEVES IN FREE COINAGE.
Texas Statesman, In Answer to n Ques-
tion, Says He stin Adheres to the
Ratio of I6 to 1--Payne Of New York
Defends the Measure.

Washington, Dec. 1S.-The closing
day of the general debate on the finan-
| cial bill proved to be one of exceptional
interest.
Mr.. Brosius (Pa.) spoke in favor of
the bill and Mr.. Cooper (Tex.) and Mr..
| Williams (Miss.) against 1t.
Mr.. Bailey (Texas), the floor leader
of the democrats in the last congress,
said a remarkable spectacle was pre-
sented by the debate on this bill. He
recalled that when in the flfty-fourth
congress Mr.. Towne asserted that the
republican party had never declared for
a gold standard, the congressional rec
ord showed that he was interrupted by
many republicans with the exclama-
ton, "and 1t never will"
Mr.. Bailey said the republican side
was so busy studying the trend Of
events that it had no time to study the
science Of money. While the first sec
ton OF this bill purported to establish
the gold standard, the law of 1875 fixed
the gold dollar as the unit of value.
This bill was therefore simply a re-
enactment put forward to make people
believe that something new and wise
was being done.
When Mr.. Bailey referred to the in
creased production of gold, Mr.. Dali
zell interrupted to ask IL in view Of
this increased supply Of gold Mr.. Bailey
still believed in silver at 16 to l. The
Texan responded emphatically in the
affirmative, amid democratic applause.
Mr.. Bailey declared that the logical
outcome of this bill would be to take
the millions of silver impounded in the
treasury into the open market and sell
it, as Germany had done. If the sup
porters of the measure were honest
and consistent they would thus
offer the silver for sale now, as that
would be the inevitable fate Of silver
under this bill.
Mr.. Bailey closed his speech with
stirring tribute to the time-honored
and undying democratic organization,
which evoked applause from the demo-
cratic side.
Following Mr.. Bailey Mr.. Scudder
(dem., N. " said: LAS a democrat
favor the single gold standard and will
vote for this bill"
Mr.. Payne (rep., N. W said Mr..
Bailey had discovered nothing new In
the old law fixing the gold standard.
The trouble had been to have gentle
men on the democratic side accept that
law, and the purpose of the present
bill was to place the subject beyond
further doubt and misconstruction.
Mr.. Dalzell (Pa.) said the republican
party was a progressive party; 1t was
ready to meet the needs and demands
of the present.
Mr.. Bellamy IN. c. spoke against
the bill, and Messrs. Mondell (Wyo.).
Kerr and Bromwen (O.) and Morris
(Minn.) in support of it.
At 5 o'clock the house took recess
until 8 p. m.
At the evening session Mr. Clayton
(dem.) of New York announced his in
tention to vote for the financial bill.
In response to unfavorable references
which had been made to gold demo-
Gratis, Mr.. Clayton said there were
many of that belief in New York, and
the number was growing constantly.
Others who spoke for the bill were
Messrs. Sulloway IN. H., Bingham
(Pa.), Mudd (Md.) and Minor (Wis.).
Those who spoke against the bill
were Robinson (Neb), Thomas IN. c.,
Lloyd (Mo), Snodgrass (Tenn.), Ruck-
er (Mo.), Rob (Mo.), Davenport tPa.),
Lamb (Va), Caldwell Qn), Stephens
(Texas), Gordon (Ohio) and Neville
(Neb0.