Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-04
TEST OF THE SILVERITES
NO DOUBT OF THEIR POWER IN
THE HOUSE.

Mr. BANDS Request for Information as
to tho Policy of tho Government on
the Coinage Question Sustained by a
Large Majority-An Analysis Of the
Vote.
WASHINGTON, Feb. S.--In the House
to-day Mr.. Bland, from the Committee on
Coinage, Weights and Measures, desired
to report back the resolution offered by
him Monday last calling on the Secretary
Of the Treasury for certain information
relative to silver circulation.
Mr.. Morrison, stating that he wished to
examine the resolution, made the point
that it was not accompanied by report,
as required by the rules,
Mr.. Bland then withdrew the resolution
for the present.
Mr.. Bland having prepared a short re-
port again submitted his preamble and
resolution which as amended by the COM
mittee quotes at greater length from the
speech Of Mr.. Coe of the New York clear
ing house at the Bankers Convention at
Chicago, and concludes the request for
information with the following clause
"Also what amount of the interest bear
ing debt is now subject to call audswillsthe
same policy be pursued in the payment
| OF fsilver thereon, and on other public dues
In the future as In the past"
RECoMNuTTAL DEFEATED.
Mr.. Morrison would not object to the
resolution, but thought it went too far in
asking what was to be the policy OF the
Treasury Department. The debate hav-
ing indicated that the only way to get rid
OF the last clause was by recOmmitting the
resolution with instructions TO the COM
mittee TO strike it out. Mr.. Hewitt ac-
cordingly moved TO recommit the resOlu-
ton with instructions to the committee to
strike out that portion which asks the
Secretary of the Treasury to define the
policy Of the administration. The motion
TO recommit with the Instructions was
lost by vote OF SO yeas to 1853 nays, and
the resolution was adopted.
THE INCIDENT AS A TEST.
The Committee on Coinage showed its
hand rather unexpectedly by reporting
the resolution favorably. While neither
the vote in the committee on report.
ing the resolution or the subse-
| quent vote IN the House on a
motion by MIR. Hewitt TO strike out
the inquiry as to the future silver policy
of the administration gives a satisfactory
test of the strength Of the silver men on a
proposition to suspend the coinage of the
silver dollar. They are interesting as
showing the attitude of both the commit
tee and the House as to the silver dollars
already coined.
THE VOTE COMPLICATED.
The vote in the House, however, was
complicated by the fact that some Of the
anti-silver Republicans voted against Mr.
Hewitts motion because they hoped the
| inquiry as to its future silver policy would
embarrass the administration, and by the
further fact that some of the silver Demo.
Gratis, who are also friendly TO the admin
istration, voted for Mr.. Hewitt's motion.
However, the aye and no vote shows that
the majority of the silver men in the
House on general proposition like that
presented to-day is from 30 TO 100 votes,
and in the Coinage Committee on SINH
lar proposition from 10 3.
MATTER OF DOUBT.
What it would be in either the House or
the committee on a simple proposition to
suspend the coinage Of the silver dollar
temporarily remains to be seen. On Mr..
Hewitt's motion the members Of the Com.
mittee on Coinage voted as follows, AS
they did when similar motion was made
in the committee, and probably as they
did on the motion TO report the resolution
| faVOrably from the committee:
DemOcrats-Mr. Bland Of Missouri, no
| Mr.. Lanham of Texas, no; Mr.. Seymour
| of Connecticut. aye; Mr.. Hemphill OF
South Carolina, aye; Mr.. Norwood OF
Georgia, no; Mr.. Scott of Pennsylvania
absent; Mr.. McCreary of Kentucky, no
Mr.. Bynum of Indiana, no. Republicans
Mr.. James of New York, aye; Mr.. Rock
we'll oil Massachusetts, aye: Mr.. Little of
Ohio, no; Mr.. FELTON, OF California, no;
Mr.. Fuller of Iowa, no.