The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-24
THE SILVER QUESTION.

The final decision of the contest over
the disposition of the silver bill in the
house Saturday, that is, its reference to
the committee on coinage, weights and
measures, is a disappointment to the
friends of silver, the people, in that it
necessarily delays action on that most
important measure of relief to the whole
country. We say disappointment, be-
cause every body who had kept the run
of the house proceedings was led to be-
heve from the action of the house on
Friday that the measure would come be-
fore the house and be acted ON Saturday
What the result of its reference to the
coinage committee is matter
of much speculation. Our hope
in that this last action will prove to have
been simply a pro forma proceeding;
that the committee viii report the bill to
the house without delay and that it will
be promptly passed. There seems to be
no reason for the bill being held by the
committee, since the shape in which it
passed is understood to be the senate's
ultimatum and also known to be in
exact form to meet the popular demand.
With these facts standing out so plain
before congress it is difficult to under
stand what sort of excuse that body
could set up for refusing or failing to
pass the Plumb bill, and pass it at once.
The Kansas City Gazette thinks the
contest in the house is simply to decide
which party shall have the credit of
passing the bill. The Leavenworth
Times remarks: 1--WE may be mistaken,
but to us it looks to us Like a straight
fight between the silver and gold men"
Which of these suspicious is correct, if
either. is difficult to determined. There
is certainly ground for both in the action
of the house. Says the Times further:
There need be no question about who
shall have the credit of passing the bill.
Let the Republicans go right in with the
Democrats and adopt the senate amend
ment and they will have due credit The
people of the country, and of the west
especially. want free silver coinage and
they want it bad. They have little pa
thence with this parliamentary monkey
work. This is a business and not a po-
itical question. If the bill is passed the
persons voting for it viii get due credit
for their votes. But if, in this squabble,
the passage of the bill should be defeat
ed, there is no question as to who viii be
held responsible. The Republicans in
congress can not afford to continue this
tomfoolery. The members from Kansas
can not afford 10 longer obey the dictates
of the caucus on this question. They
want to scramble right over into the sill
yer camp and stay there. 1t IS a little
hard to consort with Democrats. but on
such questions as this no politics should
be known
1t has been given out that the presi-
dent viii veto the bill if passed by the
house as it came from the senate. !
but we think this is simply a trick of the
anti-silver people, resorted 10 to influence
the house in its action on the bill. The
recent declaration of the president in re
gard to a second term is quoted to
strengthen the statement that he viii
veto the measure. As to his views on
the succession we quite agree with the /
Emporia Republican that whether Mr. |
Harrison wants another term or not, the /
Republican party does. and he must look |
out for his party as well as for himself 4
The country Is very much in earnest /
about this money question. If the Re I
publican party, having control of all the /
departments of government, does not /
give the desired relief il might as well !.
make up its mind TO turn over the KEYS /
at the end of its present lease. Mr.. Har- /
rison is a good Republican; he can not be |
indifferent TO the welfare of the party |
which has SO highly honored him and he /
surely viii not jeoparyiize It's success. /
The free coinage bill viii be passed by /
the house and it will receive the presi- /
dents signature.