The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-06-22


gress from his present district-ths
eighth-and in the following autumn
he began his congressional career at
special session. It was in this
year, also, that Mr.. Bland was
married to Miss Virginia Elizabeth
Mitchell of Rolla, a daughter of
General E. Y. Mitchell of that place.
Mr.. BANDS career in congress has
been a remarkable one. Almost from
his entrance he has been a conspicu-
GUS figure in the proceedings of the
house, and in the councils of his
party he has been one of the receg-
nized giants. His connection with
silver and his unvarying advocacy OF
free coinsge have made him almost
the father of that issue.
When Mr. Bland entered congress
the silver question had not become
prominent. His first vote on finan-
cial question was cast for the infa'
ton bill, which President Grant
vetoed, in 1874. Next he voted
against the act for the resumption
of specie payment, passed in 1875.
It was in the following year that the
treatment of silver began to become
an issue, and, by reason of Mr..
BANDS conspicuous Identification
with this issue, his great reputation
may be said TO have begun its
growth at this time.
In 1876 silver deprecated SO rap
idly as to attract the attention of
financial students the world over.
Many remedies were proposed. Mr.
BANDS being bill which virtually
provided for free and unlimited
coinage of silver. This bill was not
enacted into law, but it served te
direct pablic attention to the new
issue and to prepare lawmakers for
a preparation of the bill which Mr..
Bland introduced in 1877-a meas
ure with which his nameis indissolu
bly, linked; the measure which in the
following year became known as the
Bland act. The measure, when it
reached the White House, was very
materially different from that which
Mr.. Bland introduced As intro
duced it provided simply for the
free and unlimited coinage of gold
and silver. But the senate, under
the leadership of Senator Allison,
amended it so as to conform to the
interests of the contractionisss. As
it was finally passed it was not
wholly satisfactory to Mr.. Bland,
but recognizing that it was the most
liberal measure that could be passed
at that time, he supported it. When
it reached the White House Presi-
dent Hayes vetoed it, but both
houses passed it over his veto, and
in 1878 the bill which has been
known as the Bland Allison act was
written in the statute books and re-
NAMED in force until superseded in
1890 by the Sherman silver purchase
law.
AS is now known, Mr.. Bland never
ceased his efforts for O more liberal
treatment of silver. The personality
OF Mr.. Bland was strikingly unique.
He had never lost any of the rugged
characteristics which were formed
by the struggles of his youth. He
was democratic in thought, word
and deed; student, but net a
scholar, and with convictions so
strong that none could doubt his
sincerity. His life was that of a
simple rustic. He was happiest
when at home on his farm in La.
olede county, surrounded by his
family. This farm, one of the bsst
kept in Missouri, received Mr..
BANDS personal attention. Often
he labored in its fields himself.
IN THE CAMPAIGN OF 90.
1t was the work done by Bland in
congress, his direct and indirect In.
fuence in Missouri, that resulted in
the Pertle Springs convention in
1896, which made the silver question
the dominant issue in the campaign
of that year. The story of the Psrtle
Springs convention and of the cam