Money: Speech of Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada, on the Free Coinage of Silver; in the United States Senate, May 12 and 13, 1890

A senator addresses national economic distress, arguing that widespread falling prices and hardship across agriculture, manufacturing, and commerce stem from a contraction of the money supply caused by the demonetization of silver. He marshals production and wealth statistics to show the nation's material capacity and contends that restoring silver to monetary use—or at least issuing Treasury notes against silver deposits—would stabilize prices, relieve indebted producers and workers, and restore confidence. While endorsing free and unlimited coinage of silver in principle, he explains his support for the reported bill as a practical, ameliorative measure and expresses openness to amendments that better align it with full bimetallic policy.