The Portland daily press., 1900-09-26
SENATOR ALLISON'S DEMON
STRATION.
Bryan's Election Would Mean Both
Houses OfcOngress for Free silver.
(From speech by Senator Allison at
Clinton, Ia.)

(From speech by Senator Allison at
Clinton, Ia.)
Mr.. Bryan is a positive character in
some respects. With Presidential NOM
inat1on far in the future, he had influ.
ence enough with his party in 1899 to
force a number OF the Senators of that
party to vote for the ratification of the
treaty of peace with Spain-a number
sufficient to secure the ratification of the
treaty. He showed his power with his
party at Kansas City when, against the
Judgment of mai GRITTY of It's delegates
from the great producing states of the
country, he forced upon them the silver
plank as a condition of his nomination.
Such man is not without a win when
he has purpose to achieve. That he has
a purpose respecting the free coinage of
silver no one doubts.
In order to be elected there are certain
states that he musti carry, and in some
of these United States Senators are to
be elected. There is one Senator to be
elected this winter in each of the states
OF Kansas, Nebraska. Wyoming. Colora-
do, Montana, Utah ana Idaho. Republi-
cans hope to carry all OF these states, and
/ believe win carry most of them, but
Mr.. Bryan carried them all in 1885, and
must carry them this year to give him
feven a chance of success, and the same
votes that will give him these Electoral
votes Will also elect Democratic legisla-
lures.
The currency law of the last session
was passed by eighteen majority. Sena-
tor Kyle OF South Dakota, being absent
and impaired, did not vote, though hav-
ing a consistent free silver record in the
Senate. Senator Lindsay of Kentucky
and Gallery Of Louisiana go out of the
Senate on the 4th OF March, and both
their places have already been filled by
Senators who favor free silver. SO that
by that process the majority of eighteen
would he reduced on a similar vote to
fourteen, and, standing OIL Utah against
Pennsylvania (both these states having q
seat vacant), IL the six Senators from the
states here named except Utah shall be
Democratic, the Republican majority in
the Senate will be reduced to two, and
If SenatOry Kyle should vote for free sill
yer, as he has always done heretofore, the
Senate would be a tie on that question,
! leaving the NieC-President to cast the
deciding vote, which he is pledged by his
record, by the platform, and by speech to
cast in favor OF free silver. The Demo
I n
free silver, and If the Democrats shall
carry that state, where there is now one
vacancy, 1t is fair to suppose that the
/ Senator would be for free silver also.
Thus, without discussing the question
whether Mr.. Bryan could or could not,
through his Secretary of Treasury, force
upon the country the silver standard, II
is plain to me that II he is elected, wi til
the power he viii WELD in his party al
President, there will be a majority IL
the House Of Representatives. and a large
majority for free silver, and with tn,
force and power that lie behind free sill
yer majority In the Senate viii be Sc
cured for the repeal OF the law passed a
the last session. With that law repealed
without affirmative legislation for fre
silver, it Is possible, In my belief, for
/ President hostile to our present stand
ard OF money to force the silver STANDARD
upon the people. But 1t may be predict
ed that the same forces that would repea
the law OF last session would be brough
to the point OF passing free silver law
All the machinery of the two house
would be In the hands OF the free silve
men.
But these votes for free silver in th,
Senate are as essential to Mr.. Bryan /
he Is to carry out what he calls his Phil
ippine policy. He must have these sam
votes In the Senate or that policy VII
fail. lie must have at least a change o
the nr Der Of votes 1 have described IN
order Dat his policy as respects the Phil
ippines shall have the slightest chance o
success In the Senate during his admins
tration; and assert Il as my belier tha
the chances are much better for him Il
secure with his election a majority in tn
Senate for free silver than to secure a ma
jority for the plans and purposes he has
marked out with reference to the Philip
pine islands. Therefore It Is plain that ]
tree silver Is not an issue in this cam
paign, because OF the political complex.
ion OF the Senate, it IS also true tha
imperialism, as defined by Mr.. Bryan
! cannot be an issue. and 81 one Is not I.