The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-18
WASHINGTON.
The Progress Of the Silver Bill
Toward Law.
PRESIDENT HAYES ATTITUDE.
Dissatisfaction of the Extremists
with the Senate Amendments.
POSSIBLE BREAK AIMING ITS SUPPORTERS
Sentiment Of the People as Shown In
Votes Of the States.
FROM OUR sPecIAL CORRESPONDS

WAsdISdTON, r0O ~, 1000
THE AMENDED SILVER BILL-TAcTIcs OF ITS
oPPoNENTs-wHAT THE PRESIDENT rHINKs-
THE COURSE TO BE PURSUED IN THE HOUSE.
Some Of tho opponents Of the Silver bill are in
cned to let the Bland people shape tho bill their
own liking, without further Int erierence or oppos-
ton. and let II 60 to the President In that shape.
Therc has been as yet but little consul
taton on this point but It 10 probable
that this course will be pursued. Tho
attempts In the Senate so TO amend the bill az TO givo
II the character Of an experiment. and TO protect tho
working people from loss were oil vebementiy and
successfully resisted. 1t is known that the extreme
silver men in the House want to lop on even tho
amendment giving the prodls OF coinage to the gov
ernment and itis thought that If the extremists
allowed TO shape the bill according their wishes IL
will have the less chance to pass over the veto.
There is doubt that the President Will voto the
bill All reports to tho contrary false. His posi-
ton Ii understood to be ths:He Is not opposed
silver dollar, 10 considerable large coin.
ago OF silvoE He is not particular TO the size OF
the dollar, though he thinks q four hundred and
twelve and half grain dollar ought TO DO dstincty
subsidiary coin, with very limited legal tender
Junction. Ho 10 not avsrso even to the imitation
which would como from adding silver to
the legal tender currency already out though
posed as amendment In tho Senate, issuing silver
dollars which redeem the legal tender be-
low Ave or perhaps. up TO ten dollars and canceling
the notes so redeemed. But is nexorably opposed
TO making silver Q legal tender Tor the payment Of
the national debt or the interest, or for any pan
transactions whatever. Almost any bill making It
effective legal tender for future transactions alone
would, II IL believed, receive his signature, but
ne considers the attempt to make legal tender for
past transactions, public or private, to be immoral,
dishonest and not 10 be countenanced. This state.
ment OF his position Is made on high authority and
undoubtedly correct II leaves to the silver men
large liberty of action and indeed would enable them
to get q law giving silver to tho country in any
quantity they wish. and making It legal tender to
almost any extent, " they would consent make IL
applicable only to future transactions so as not to
wrong creditors, public or private
The bill will not come up tho House until Tues
DAY, and there appears to be some division In the
ranks OF the silver mon. Mr.. Buokner. a. Chairman
OF the Committee ON Banking and Currency, will
probably have tho management OF It HIS DESIRE as
interview with him sent you tonight shows is 10
pass the bill as 1t comes from the Senate with.
out debate doay, and In this ssvsrai
others understood 70 agree with him. Mr.
Bland. the other hand, Ii opposed to
the Senate amendments ana wants his original
bill Mr.. Springer and some otnors agree with him.
There has boon no decision or agreement to-day
though the silver men have talked together. The
House organisation called the Silver Union, and COM
posed OF 120 members democrats ana republicans
is called meet tomorrow, and will probably decide
then what shape the bill shall be pushed through
the House.
Il 10 understood that the President believes
his veto will kill tho bill He probably
relies good deal upon the tone OF the message to
split up tho silver party and cause the moderate men,
who merely want silver msde part Of the currency
TO separate themselves from the extremists who want
made full legal tender for all past we'll future
transactions II he succeeds In doing this the veto
may kill the BILL and there are, in the Senate at least
a considerable number Of men who are not inclined
to stick for tho odious features Of the Bland BILL II
they were sure Of some other bill providing for an
issue OF silver being brought and passed. The vote
is close In tho Senate that q change OF throo or
four, which might be got such expectations, would
suico carry the veto and deioat tho present bill
II tho bill passes the House as II comes from the
Senate will probably 60 to tho President by Thurs.
day. tho 21sL He viii In that send In the veto
before the Sd Of March, but not much before as he Is
believed TO favor much delay as possible. II will
be impossible TO prevent some debate on yhe veto
in tho House. and the senate will scarcely
receive from the House before the 9th OF March, In
the Senate at least week will DO spent over II, SO
that tho decision scarcely be reached under the
most favorable circumstances before tho middle Of
March, and, II there s delay in tho House, not until
later.
Whether the veto will prevail is O nice question:
which no one here pretends to decide. Tho friends
OF the bill claim that the Senate vote ID de-
cisive, and II certainly Is very formidable. Bat
the other hand tho bill DOCS not we'll in tho
OF but eleven votes the House to prevent It's pas
sage tho veto and q change OF Two votes In tho
Senate would kill u there.
In the Senate twenty-ono States out OF thirty.
eight voted sodly for tho BILL less than two
thirds OF tho States thus being united for
the bill OF thoso ohio, Indiana Illinois,
Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas Colorado ani
Ncbraska-nino-nre Western; Virginia, West tvir-
gina, Kentucky, Missouri Tennessee, Arkansas Louis
lana, Florida, Toxas, Alabama, North Carolina
eevcn--arc southern and one-Pcnnsy lvania--c
with the East Eight States voted soldiy against tho
BILL It will be that less than two-thirds Of
the States which cast . solid vote other way
voted for the bill or eight States tho vote was d.
vided, and In one-Nevada-one Senator 10 perma.
nenty absent. Twentysix republican Senators stood
for ind fourteen against tho BILL and twenty-five
democrats tor and ten against Counting those
either party voted for tho bill The only Senators
who had courage vote for sound money and the
national credit against tho wishes OF their constitu-
onts, wcro Southern domocrats, Lamar and HILL with
whom ought also 10 DO counted Butler,
OF South Carolina. The leaders in tho long
debate on the side OF honest money and the pubic
credit were almost entirely democrats, tho most
effective and leading speeches being those Of Lamar,
Randolph Bayard, Hill. Eaton and Ksrnan-all demo-
OF the Republicans Morrill,, Chrlstancy, sar.
gent and Blaine madc also SGT speeches against the
bill, but somehow they attracted less attention The
OF the debate the ansiiver side was clearly
borne by the democrats.
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, Feb. II, 1878.
COURSE OF THE SUPPORTERS OF THE SILVER