The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-19

Inc SILVER question mas jumped into
prominence as the leading matter OF
public Importance pending before con-
gress, quite overshado the tariff,
election contest. river and harbors
and local woodchucks. In the house
Representative Carter OF Montana is
the ieadlnQ free coinage advocate. He
is q member OF the Republican com.
mittee OF fifteen, which consists OF
Conger, Wickam, Walker, Carter,
Comstock, Bartine, Knapp, Taylor,
Mckinley, Cannon, Henderson OF
Iowa. Bayne, Perkins, McComas and
McKenna. The committee, it is said,
will report to q meeting OF the Repub.
lican caucus next Monday, but they
cannot possibly get ready by that
time. Il Is said that Henderson,
Mckinley and Perkins lean toward
the plan OF Carter as expressed
by him in the caucus, and which plan
is simply free coinage il carried out.
Other members OF the committee are
inclined toward the amended Window
bill as reported from the committee.
The Carter plan to redeem in lawful
currency the silver certificates when
the holders presented them. The
owners OF bullion could deposit their
bullion, reserve their certificates, and
next day present their certificates, do.
manding 'lawful" money In silver or
gold coin, and the government would
be Obliged to accept the conditions
imposed. Opposed to their plan are
the men who claim that certificates
issued for bullion must be redeemable
in bullion.
SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS.
The members Of the senate Republi.
can silver committee have not had
meeting recently and the indications
are they will wait until the house eau.
Gus announces its conclusion upon
the subject. This committee consists
OF senators: Morrill,, Allison, Aldrich,
Sherman, Jones and Hiscock, the six
Republican members on finance, and
Senators Davis, Mitchell, McMilliand,
Henderson, Platt, Pierce and Teller.
The SILVER men on this committee are
contending for free coinage OF bullion
produced in the United States aud of
Mexican ores smelted In United States
reHneries. They say that the
entire amount produced in the
United States and Mexico, as
shown in the statistics OF the treas.
ury department is $4,000 onces
annually, all but 1000, 900 onces be-
ing native production. This entire
amount, they claim, is not as great at
present value as the secretary OF the
treasury is required to perchase by
the terms OF the Jones bill. That bill
requires the perchase monthly OF sill.
yer bullion OF the value Of 81 SOC, 900.
But they admit that the effect OF the
passage Of the bill would be to increase
the value OF silver. In case they are
unable to secure anything from the
committee more favorable to them
than the terms OF the Jones bill, the
silver men will insist on @ substantial
increase OF the paper currency OF the
country. There are several suoges.
tious before the committee respecting
this point.
NO CONCLUSION REACHED.
The Republican caucus committee
having under consideration the ques-
tion OF legislation on the silver ques-
tion had another meeting on the 18th
inst. Secretary Window was before
the committee by invitation, and his
views sought on tho subject. Secre
tary Window remained with the com.
mittee about two hours and engaged
in the discussion. He was not dis
VnanH n tSNa AZ hn ~
original bill, but expressed himself as
willing to accept the terms OF the
measure reported by the house com.
mittse. No vote was taken on any
proposition, and no conclusion has
been reached. The entire time was
consumed in discussion. The delay in
arriving at agreement appears to be
caused by the insistence OF the extreme
silver men upon absolute free coinage.
The conservative element favors the
house bill, and there Is q leaven OF re-
strIctive feeling at work. A section OF
the house bill. which is particularly
attacked by the silver men, is that
making the treasury notes issued in
payment for bullion redeemable in
bullion. They argue that the effect Of
this section would be to pile up bullion
in the treasury and to give some war.
rant for the dema~d OF a radical
farmers element for great government
warehouses in which there agricultural
products may be stored and govern.
ment notes issued thereon. They
want the treasury notes redeemed in
lawful money, which may reproduced
by coming the bullion purchased. On
this poil.t Secretary Window co ontent-
ed himself with rs:terating his prefer
encs for the house committee provi.
sion. And he also expressed regret
that the committee had stricken out
OF his bill the provision giving hIm
discretionary authority to suspend
bullion purchases.