Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-09
Seeking Harmony on the Silver
Question.

There is not much foundation probably
TO the story that Mr.. Tilden has under
taken to bring about some sort Of an
agreement among the Democratic Con-
4 gressmen with respect to the silver ques-
ton. tits asserted that there have been
several conferences of Democratic leaders
lately at MIR. Tilden's residence, but the
/ subjects Of these conferences have not
been made public.
! There does not appear TO be any doubt,
however, that efforts are being made by
| leading Democrats TO settle upon some
plan Tor dealing with the silver coinage
problem before Congress meets. II these
efforts are not successful it is pretty GER
tain that the discussion of the silver
question Will be renewed next winter,
and will be carried on with much greater
feeling than it was last winter.
1t is said that Gen. A. j. Warner has a
plan that he believes will be generally ac-
ceptable. It'll to stop the further coinage Of
silver and to issue silver certificates based
on silver bars, having their value
stamped on them. Gen. Warmers plan
provides for the purchase by the govern
mont of all the silver produced in the
country.
The silver advocates would no doubt
accept this plan. There is not any reason
why they should not. If the government
issued certificates on all the silver it
bought the country would soon be pretty
thoroughly supplied with silver certifi-
Gates. Unless the supply of silver should
decline very considerably, however, the
government would have to continue the
purchase Of the entire silver output of the
country for an indefinite period in order
to prevent the silver certificates from be-
coming greatly deprecated. It is hardly
probable that Congress is ready to 90 into
the silver business quite so extensively
as Gen. Warner proposes.
There are increasing indications that
public sentiment in the South relative to
silver is either undergoing very great
change or is becoming more aggressive.
We have always insisted that. the South
does not favor the compulsory silver coin
age law. Petitions are being sent to the
Treasury Department at Washington
from various parts Of the South fayoring
suspension Of the coinage of silver. 1t
was reported day or two ago that
petition was sent from South Carolina,
which was signed by all the bankers and
other leading business men of that State.
1t would be easy no doubt to get the bust
ness men Of this State to sign a similar
petition.
While there was no appropriation made
by last Congress for the purchase Of sill
yer it is not probable that the Secretary
Of the Treasury will stop buying it be-
cause he believes that the law which di-
reefs the coinage of so many silver dol
lars per month authorizes the purchase Of
the necessary silver. The petitions which
are now being sent to the Treasury De
partment, however, will be sent to Con-
gress when that body meets.
There is reason to think that the num-
Der Of silver advocates in next Congress
will be much smaller than it was in the
last Congress. If Southern Congressman
take the trouble to inform themselves of
the sentiment respecting silver in their
respective districts fewer of them will be
found on the side of silver than there
were last winter.