National Republican., 1877-11-10
The silver Bill in the Senate.

The Senate Committee on Finance has
had the House silver bill under considera-
tion, with the development that Mcssrs.
DAWES and MORRILL,, both Republicans,
are In opposition to it, as are also Messrs.
BAYARD and HERMAN, Democrats This
committee consists of Messrs. MORRILL,,
(chairman,) DAWES, FERRY, JONES of Ne
vnda, ALLISON, HOWE, BAYARD, HERMAN,
and WALLACE. We are of opinion that all
the Republican members of the committee
except the chairman and Mr.. DAWES, to-
gether with Mr.. WALLACE, of the minority
will favor the measure. So far as Senator
DAWES is concerned, we are not disap.
pointed in his position. He represents a
state Of capital in which there are no silver
es, whose people are enterprising and
grasping, and, who like the grave, takes all
that comes but never gives back 1t is the
natural tendency of all money centres
where Nammon rules to hold to every spe-
cial advantage with strong grasp, which
does not relax except under an imperious
necessity. Massachusetts is opposed to the
silver bill because it is measure of finan-
cial relief and may interfere with money
centre, and Senator DAWES, being loyal to
his State, will, of course, in view of his own
political interest, antagonize it. For this he
is entitled to no censure, though il seems as
If q statesman of his broad and catholic
views on most public questions should favor
the general interest on this occasion, rather
than confne Lis vision and action to the
narrow policy of the money speculators oI
his own State.
Senator BAYARD's opposition arises more
from chronic disposition to antagonize
everything not peculiarly democratic thar
from any higher motive, though he is re.
puted to have advanced an argument in the
sommittee something like this, after call.
Sng attention to the provision providing fol
the free coinage Of silver bullion. Mr.
BAYARD showed, at the present marke,
rates, the holder Of silver bullion who takes
it to the mint and has it coined free of cx.
which 10 worth only Ninety two cents. He
held that If anything is to be made, the Gov
ernment should receive the benefit of it, aut
therefore, If silver is to be made the currenc,
Of the country, let the Government buy tn.
bullion as needed from time to time and pay
the market rates for it, If the creditor is to
be cheated out of eight cents on the dollar
let the government profit by the dishones,
transaction and not the bullion owner. Il
silver is coined at the rate of twenty million
dollars per annum only the silver mine
owners Of Nevada and Utah will cleaI
$l,6OO,OOO at the present market price.
How much force there is in the argument
that this measure will bring benefit to the
mining interest, while at the same time the
general interests Of the country are to be
advanced thereby, we leave for our readers
TO decide. To our untutorcd vision it wears
very thin appearance. 1t is the hope Of
the money power that this measure will re.
eeive its quietus in the Senate, if it is not
defeated in the committee. 1t will be an.
tagonized with much vigor, but we have
confidence to believe that it will pass the
Senate and be approved by the executive
thus becoming ultimately the law of tn,
Land.