Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-12

Immediately after the reading Of the
journal the House under the special or
der went into committee of the whole.
Hepburn Of Iowa. in the chair. ana
entered into the consideration Of the
bill. Ovcrstreet. Rep. Ind. who is t.
be in charge Of the measure on the
floor. opened the general debate with
a set speech.
Shafroth. Silverite. Col, interrupted
to ask if the bill would not result in
contracting the currency to the extent
of $3.50, 900. 900 in silver imported
1T would not" replied Overstreet,
for every dollar which goes into the
treasury a gold dollar will go out in
to circula ton" CRepublican applause)
Maddox, Dem, Ga. was the first
speaker for the opposition. He said he
had analysed the bill correctly No
measure had been presented to Con-
gress in half century fraught with
so much Importance to the country. He
referred to Former Speaker Reed s
New York speech in which he advised
the immediate enactment of the gold
standard legislation before some branch
Of the government got away from the
Republican party. The faithful" said
he understand that this legislation
must he enacted at once or not at all. :"
Maddox then proceeded with de-
tailed analysis Of the bill. The enact
ment of gold standard legislation, he
declared. had never been an issue be-
fore the people. If gold was now the
existing standard as contended it was
so by the unlawful usurpation of the
executive offices Of the government.
Facility for raiding the treasury under
the bill. he said. had never been hither-
to equalled.
He took up the Republican platform
of 1896 to show that every Republican
who now advocated the gold standard
was an apostate. He had read at the
clerks desk the speeches of some of
the Republican leaders in 1897, declar-
ing that the Republicans were for in
ternational bimetallism. The speeches
which We're in support of the bill for
the creation of the commission which
went abroad in the interest of inter
national Di-metallism. We're made by
Messrs. Hepburn. Iowa, Dingley Me.
and GroSVenOr. Ohio.
Maddox summed up by declaring the
measure to be a bill designed to legal
iZe the authority usurped by the secre-
tary Of the treasury to put the coun-
try on a gold basis. to demonetize one
half the final money of redemption. to
try on a gold basis. to demonetize one
alter the obligations Of the people with
out their consent into gold obligations.
to contract the currency at the will of
the banks and To create a gigantic
a..
thousand people.
Dolliver, Ia, poked some fun at the
Democratic leaders for asking an addi-
tional period for incubating speeches
on the gold and silver question. There
was a time, he said. when he had fig
ures and authorities on the financial
question at his finger tips. Now he
was called upon to speak with most Of
his figures at home and his authorities
out of reach. Still he recognized the
fact that at this stage of the contro-
Nersy to hold onto ones figures meant
to lose ones audience daughter and
applause).
Proceeding. Dolliver read from the
speech of Gov Altgeld to the effect
that the Republican Congress would
obey orders and enact gold standard
legislation. For himself, he said, he
was proud to say that he was obcying
"rders-the orders of the people of his
district-trying to put the laws of the
country into harmony with their opin-
ions. The pending bill was compro-
mise representing the united wisdom
Of all. There is something about the
pursuit of the science of money" said
he. that enables every one of it's stu
dents to comprehend his own ideas
without being very hospitable toward
the ideas Of others
This was bin to set at rest all
doubt as to the standard in this coun-
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