New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-14
TBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TKBUyE.r

afternoon without fail Like too many other an
tfcipaions. this happy prospect failed most dismnly
az realization. The silver debate is unfinished. and
the Senate has had 10 confess its mournfu inability 10
stem by any Of the antquacd articles known 20 It's
present code Of rules the fatal tide Of Senatorial ora
tory under which for many weeks the real leEiN-
latve business OF the session has been unhappy sub
merged "UnanimOus consent" was given last Tues
day the general discussion the pending bills
should be cut OF at O'Clock today, but this pleasing
agreement turned out in the end to be nothing but an
empty form of words. The presiding officer has 10
power 10 enforce any order made by unanimous
consent against a senator who IS determined to con-
time his deadly assaults upon the columns Of Tho
Congressional Record" and as two abebodicd aSsall
ants promptly stepped forward this afternoon and as
serted their right 10 go when the formal agreement
about the stoppace OF debate read from the desk,
the Senate had nothing TO do but submit with sigh
Of pair the prolongation of the discussion until
p. m. Monday.
This enforced postponemen is, Of course the rdeNt
kind Of shock to public confidence in the ability of
the Senate to escape by sort OF common concession
and courtesy from the natural consequences OF It's
extremely lax mpractcable methods Of procedure
1t will be difficult after to-days exhibition Of helpless
ness the part OF the Senate control its own bs
10 restore well grounded belief in It's capa'lN
for handling successfully. in the face of persistent
obstruction, the important measures Of political leslN-
aton which are come up for action before the Close
OF the session Some reform in the rules oil the SUI
ate seems to be imperatively demanded
The two offenders to-day against the "unders'a"'
ing" BY which action Of the Silver bill was 10 De
facilitated were senators stewart of Nevada ana
Reagan, Of Texas. Mr.. Stewart was perhaps inc
more directly to blame for violating the agreement
Of last Tuesday. for he had the floor when O'Clock
arrived and failed to yield it on notice from inc
Chair that the time had come for the hve-mlnute
rule TO go into effect lie had been talking III
desultOry way issue suggested by senator
Aldrlch. and there was no reason in the world for
bis continuing the obstruction Of tic business before
the Senate He had already spoken two three
times during the general debate, and had consumed
vast space in "The Record" His views were
familiar u every senator on the floor. and he WIS
simply repeating what he had said before More
over. il at his own suggestion that the unit
had been put upon general debate. The friends OF
silver evidently not keen for vote on their
favorite proposition Mr.. stewart had represented
them to be last Tuesday. As for Mr. REAGAN he had
Let slip fifteen twenty good opportunities 10 say
what he had to in the interests Of Tire dScu'S"n
and he scared, entitled 10 ask the "oW'c'}
Of the Senate to be stretched still further t"cij
II Is no exaggcration 10 say that today'S perform
ance caused intense disgust generally at the capitol
much time has been wasted by the senate thi> SeS
sion IN wearlsome debate that finds itself now almost
overwhelmed with the mass Of work put upon IFS
shoulders in the last few weeks by the House and there
growing apprehension that unless some radical
fhanPc or melnOd Is aIopeC, part OF Inc leSlNIoIl
upon the Republican programme Will have to be aban
doned The senate rules. AZ present constructed.
place premium upon tediouSnesS and prolNity III de-
bate and IL used for purposes 81 delay ,fcr almost
psupelablc obstacles to the passage Of any meas
ure 10 which minority may seriously object There
Is Of course opposition among Republican senators u
radical Transformation Of the rules as the adoption
and enforcement of the "previOus question But the
necessity for restriction discussion Is becoming
and apparent daily, and the fasco this after
noon will have done gooC II IL brings home in
striking way tho futy of trying 10 do business In such
an irresponsible and haphazard fashion.
One step forward was taken In spite Of the unfortc
innate violation OF the understanding for O'Clock
BY unanimous consent the Jones bill and all the
amendments offered to IL wore laid upon the table,
and tho House bill. amended, was substituted As the
"unfnisned business The Finance Committees
amendments will therefore up for consideration
under the five minute rule early next week, and ae?
they are disposed Of the Issue be made directly
free coinage.
The striking feature Of to-day's debate prior TO
O'Clock was an exceedingly clear and vigorous speech
against free coinage by senator Aldrich, of Rhode
Island. IL was at admirable presentation OF
the evils that are sure TO follow a recourse by the
United States 10 this hazardous and unCOnsdered cX
pertinent and a convincing argument for the senate
bill as safe and deserving measure IN the direction
Of rehabilitating silver money. Mr. Aldrics higi
authority in the senate all financial questions Is
freely recognized, and MS speech To-Day VIII Deh "u'
the enviabe reputation which he has won as clear
headed and sagacous legislator. Ills criticism of tie
view Of the silver extremists was good hunoTch but
destructive and it in futile attempt TO recover
some Of the ground lost by the friends OF silver that
Mr. Stewart carried away to the violation OF the
timelmit " understanding"
When the bill taken up today Mr. Morgan
took the moor. lie complained that the Finance Com
mittees amendment To the House bill did not require
the coinage Of the silver bullion TO be purchased BY
the Treasury except at the discretion of the Secretary
of the Treasury. 1t did that the Secretary shoud
coin enough Of ii 10 pay the cost of the bullion at It's
market price when purchased but it did not say in
what denomination it should be coined-wbethcr IN
dollars or in subsidiary coin. This meant really, hC
said the decentralization OF silver. lie also objected
TO the provision limiting the continuance Of the act
10 ten years
Mr. Aldrlch spoke next. There could be no clearer
indication, he said Of the inherent weakness Of
cause than the fact that its advocates found nece
sary 10 appeal 20 passion and prejudice rather than
intelligence. In spite Of appearances, however thf
cause of silver did not belong TO that class grea
monetary problem ought IN be discussed he said, II
a dispassionate manner and with sole reference u
reaching a wise decision. lie recognized the dis
asrous effects that had resulted from a contraction
of the currency, but said that an abnormal initiation
of the currency would be equally injurious. There
was no substantial difference among Senators Is u
the evil effects resulting from the Outlawry of silver
the only question was as 10 Iho reheuS tHat "olI'
be found effective. A complete remedy could onl!
be found he believed, in such action would opei
the minis Of all nations TO the free coinage Of silver
BY that means silver would be added TO the permanen
fund OF the worlds money
Mr. Aldrich went 10 state and to defend TN
amendments reported by the Finance Committee q
the House Silver bill, and asserted that, instea'
of demonetizng silver, the system proposed by tn
committee would eTectually monetlze it thai
the system now in force. under the law Of 1873
lie willing that the experiment should be tried
lie used the word advsedly for it experiment
whether Senator'S thought 81 not. Congress
could not pass act that would be fnality on IN
great question. II had - be tentative and eNper
mental. 1t had TO be liable to iepea
and modification in much wider sense than usus
Its final object 70 establish legal equalit
between gold and silver. Gold today un