The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-14
THE s1LvERouEsT1oN IN CONGRESS.
One-Third of the Republicans Join the Demo-
Gratis Against Suspension.

~ 1AAO vVAs "nS
Gratis Against Suspension.
Washington Special, in New York World.
There is no chance for the suspension of silver
coinage by the present Congress-. It is useless for
the 6naneiers of the East to cherish delusiye hopes.
The real facts of the situation may as well be
recognized. All the speculation about the COM
position of the committee on coinage is secon-
Diary. 1t will make little difference what that
committee may do. The House itself is strongly
against the suspension of the coinage. The
probabilities are that when Congress a~djourns
next August the situation will be precisely The
same as it is to-day. All the agitation of the
question in the interval, whether in Congress or
out. will be without avail. The chances of q free
coinage bill being pushed through the House are
greater than the chances of suspension of the
present coinage. Such a bill would, of course.
be vetoed by the President, and that would leave
matters just as they are.
My reasons for this opinion are rs follows:
l. New York, New Jersey and New England
are emphaticaiy in favor of the suspension OF
silver coinage; but outside of this section the
feeling is either divided or strongly in favor of
silver. The idea seems to have spread through
out the West and South that the anti silver
movement is engineered by Wall street fnan-
ciers; that it is in the interests of the capitalists
as against the debtor classes.
2. 1t is a mistake to suppose that the question
is, strictly speaking, sectional. Even Pennsyl-
vania Is no longer united; / have every reason to
believe that there are both Democratic and Re-
R00~N h0 Va L'soo AASAA EAhS GO
who will vote against suspension.
3. The sentiment is also divided in the four
great middle States-Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Missouri Ohio is certainly closely akin to the
East in her commercial, industrial and educa-
tional development; yet there are among her
representatives both Democrats and Republic
ans who are against suspension of the present
silver coinage. The feeling for silver grows
stronger as ono advances westward through In
diana and Illinois, and reaching Missouri every
one OF the fourteen representatives and two
senators is found arrayed against suspension,
and many of them advocate unlimited coinage.
4 There is probably nota Republican mem
Der from Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa. Minnesota,
Colorado, Nevada, Oregon or California who is
not a silver man. One Of the leaders of the Re-
publican minority, who knows the men well, as
sures me positively that such is the case. The
Democracy west of the Mississippi is absolutely
solid in favor Of the silver dollar.
8. A careful canyess of the House fully justi-
6es these statements, and leaves no reasonable
doubt that about one third of the Republican
members with at least thirds of the Demo
cratic members, will vote against suspension.
having a majority of at least sixty votes against
suspension
6. The situation in the Senate is not very
different. Mr.. Evarts appears to be on the
fence, if not already committed against suspen-
sion. Mr.. Sherman, also. is believed to be I'M
certain as to his course. The Republican sena-
tors from Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota,
California, Colorado and Nevada are solid against
suspension, and there are strong indications that
Logan and Cullom, of Illinois, and several of
the Republican senators from Michigan
and Wisconsin will side with them. The
great majority of the Democratic senators
from the South, including Mr.. Lamar's sue
cessor from Mississippi. and Mr.. Garland's sue
cessor from Arkansas, are opposed to suspen-
sion. In the Senate the least majority against
suspension is estimated at six. Even the ma
jority of the Senate finance committee is said by
anti silver senators to be either against them. or
to be at least doubtful.
Z. The silver question is not a party ques-
ton. Neither party is united upon it. A DEM
ocratic administration strongly advocates sus-
pension. Two thirds of the Democratic repre-
sentativesa and senators are as strongly opposed
to it. The Republicans are also clearly divided.
Nor. as | have said, is it, strictly speaking, a
sectional question. Only eight States, and
most of those comparatively small
ones, in the northeast corner of the coun-
try. are pronounced in their opposition to
silver, while of the thirty other States, consti-
tuting the greater part of the country, some are
divided on the question, but most of them
strongly in favor of silver. This widespread
silver feeling is largely the outgrowth of a preiu-
dice or suspicion that the money centers of the
East are endeavoring to control the government
for selfish ends-an unfounded suspicion, per-
haps, but yet one that existsin this rural republic,
and it must be taken into consideration.
s. 1t is certainly desirable that the business
men of the East, as we'll as the West, should
recognize the facts of the situation and not de-
ceive themselves with wrong conclusions. No
bill suspending silver coinage can pass the House.
ANY bill providing for free or more extended
coinage, If passed. would certainly be killed by
the Presidents veto. Therefore, it is far from
probability that during the present session of
Congress there will be any change in the law re-
garding the coinage Of silver.