Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-15
CURRENCY REFORM DEBATED
Discussion in the House Yesterday After.
noon and Last Night.
Representative Overstreet Predicts n
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS stand.

The debate on the currency bill continued
in the House yesterday afternoon and last
night.
Mr.. McCieary fMinn.) remarked upon the
change which had come over the demo-
Gratis. In past Congresses they had always
seemed eager and anxious to offer free
silver proposition as a substitute for almost
anything that happened to be pending. Dur
ing the debate not a democrat had come
forward with free silver substitute.
Mr.. McCleary made himself the target of
a fusillade of questions from the democrats
by the assertion of the proposition that
during the whole century not single silver
dollar had been coined on private account.
During passage at arms with Mr. Sui
Ger IN. ". Mr.. McCleary said that neither
Mr.. Suffers father nor grandfather had
ever seen a silver dollar except as curl
osity.
And If you and your party associates
keep on retorted Mr.. Sulzer, neither will
my grandchildren" daughter)
That depends upon the grandfather.
observed Mr.. McCieary, amid renewed
laughter.
Mr.. Boutelle OlI) In his remarks devoted
considerable time to showing that both JEFF
ferson and Jackson were directly opposed
to the present democratic theories OF
Mr.. Gilbert Ky) in opposing the bill read
a letter from the controller of the currency
in answer to an inquiry of his saying that
the tax on capital. surplus and circulation
of national banks If the circulat ton were re-
duced to the minimum under the pending
bill would be 81. 900. The total tax col
iected from national banks last year was
So. $4,000.
Mr. Berry Ky) said if the republicans
had declared for the pending bill when they
got together to fool the people at st. Louis
there would not be enough republicans in
the House today to get a roll call. He pre-
dicted that the bill would yet unhorse the
republican party.
Mr.. Thayer Leaves His Associates.
After some further remarks by Mr. Lewis
(Ga.), Smith (Ky.) and Jet Qll) against
the bilk and Mr.. Graft Qll) for it, Mr..
Thayer (Mass.) concluded the debate for
the afternoon with a ten-minute speech in
favor of the bill. He said he regretted to
differ from his colleagues, but his conscience
compelled him to dissent.
He spoke of the Chicago platform Of 1896
as a great mistake made by portion Of
the democratic party created by Jefferson.
defended by Jackson and protected by the
immortal Russell of Massachusetts,, at the
sacrifice of life itself He said he believed
that If the question of silver at 1G to / could
be left to the democratic voters unaccom-
panied by Industrious names they would re-
ject it by an overwhelming majority The
time had come, he said, when the financial
interests should be relieved from continued
agitation of the financial question which
had been hanging over the country for the
past eight years like funeral pail. Mr..
Thayer declared that the republicans would
not have had the courage to bring in this
bill if the little band of heroic democrats
in 1896 in the spirit of self-sacrifice had
not declared for the gold standard. Mr..
Thayer was literally applauded by the re-
publcans.
At o'clock the House took recess I'M
til o'clock.
The Night Session.
At the night session the following MEM
bers made speeches: Messrs. H. c. Smith
~, os
bill. and Messrs. Sheppard CTexas), Shackle-
ford MOI W. E. Wilson dn). Burnett
(Ala9, Allen KyD McLain (Miss.), Ridg-
ley (Kan.) Breazeale a.a), Little tArk.},
Talbert Is. CO, Stokes Is. c., against the
bill
At 1915 the House adjourned.
The Probable Majority.
Representative Overstreet of Indiana, in
charge of the BILL says that the informal
canvasses thus far made showed that the
Ia az, wo.,5 pose CT. tne mai vote next Mon
day by majority of about thirty-six, in
case the full strength of both sides was
present. This is based on the calculation
that the full republican, vote 1s5, and eight
democratic votes will be recorded for the
bill, and that seven other democratic men,
bers will refrain from voting. Mr.. Over
street says it is Established beyond question
that not one republican vote will be re-
corded against the bill. There will be no
amendment to the present form of the bill,
except the substitution of July for
June, in designating a statute referred to
in the bill.
Representative Richardson of Tennessee,
the democratic floor leader, says it cannot
be definitely stated yet whether substf-
tute or amendments will be offered by the
democratic side. There has been some sug-
gestion that a substitute or amendments,
embodying an affirmative position, should
be presented, but there are parliamentary
governing the debate will not permit
changes outside the committee of the
whole, so that no record vote could be Sc
cured The matter of a democratic caucus
on the bill is also open, with the indicati