The weekly tribune., 1891-09-05
SATURDAY. SEPT. 5. 1891.
NOT ENOUGH VOTES.

The opinion frequently expressed by
the TRIBUNE that while the house can
and would pass free silver coinage bill
over the presidents veto there are not
enough free coinage votes in the senate
to do It. is borne out by an analysis of the
senate vote by the New York Evening
Post. According to that analysis the
vote upon free coinage in the senate at
the last session stood 30 for to - against.
TWENTY-FIVE senators were paired, but
two pairs were against silver men, Moody
and Pettigrew. who were absent. having
standing pairs with Hearst and Ransom.
The two latter were for free coinage and
the standing pairs made the two former
appear as against it, although both of
them had declared in it's favor on test
vote some weeks previously. If every
one of the eighty-eight senators had
been present the vote would have stood
- yeas to 3G nays.
To pass bill over the presidents veto
in a senate of eighty-eight members re-
quires tifty-nine votes, so that, if the
question had come to this issue in the
last congress the free-coinage men would
have fallen seven short of the necessary
number. The free coinage men have
gained in the senate since last winter,
but not enough to pass bill over the
presidents veto. This is the way the
situation stands as put up by the Even
ing Post. THE terms Of twenty
senators expired on the ith of March.
Sixteen have been reelected and may
be presumed to stand now as they did
then. Three free-coinage democrats
Brown. Eustis, and Hampton) have sue
cessors who will yote as they did. The
same is true of three republicans on the
same side Gngalls, Mcconnell, and
Moody One anti-coinage republican
blair is succeeded 10y another Of the
same faith. Another pierce has re-
publican successor who may be counted
for free coinage. Two other anti-coinage
republicans (Spooner and Evarts) are re-
placed by Villas and Hill. The former
has been against free coinage here
tofore. but is something of a demagogue
and would probably dodge and pair
with an anti-coinage republican. Far
well of Illinois, who voted against free
coinage, has been succeeded by Palmer,
who is in about the same position as
Villas. Wilson of Maryland, anti-coin-
age democrat is succeeded by man
whose position has not been pronounced,
but who may be allowed to the free
coinage men. Payne of Ohio favored
free coinage. so that if his successor,
Brice. should go the same way, it would
not make the situation worse Count
ing all the democrats for sree coinage,
the vote would stand - to 81, two less
than two-thlrds.
II is probable that some of the repub-
licans who voted for free coinage last
winter will hesitate at the next session
before voting in the face of the declared
policy Of their party, as expressed in the
Ohio and other republican platforms Of
the season. to pass bill over the presi-
dents veto. This. together with the alb
sOlute impossibility Of success, would
probably reduce the free coinage vote
far below the figures given above. The
two Montana frauds cannot be counted
for free coinage in any event. The Post
doubtless overlooked this fact in its cal
culations or it would have found the
senate lacks more than two votes to pass
free coinage bill over the presidents s
veto. 1t cannot be done this winter.
Silver men have not enough votes.