Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-02-25
Free Coinage Defeated.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE VOTES TO REPORT
1T ADVERSELY.


1T ADVERSELY.
WASHINGTON Feb, 20.-Within ten min
utes from the time the hearings were clos
ed on the silver question at noon to dav the
members of the House coinage committee
had left the room of the ways and means
committee, in which latterly the hearings
have been conducted, and assembled in the
regular meeting room of the committee.
There was practically no discussion in COM
mittee and the members proceeded prompt
ly to voting.
The first vote taken was on the Senate
bill for the free and unlimited coinage of
silver. On yea and-nsy vote it was de-
cided by majority of 8 to to report this
bill to the House adversely, with recon-
mendation that it do not pass.
The four members in the minority were
the old free coinage contingent of the com
mittee, Messrs. Carter, of Montana, and
Bartine, of Nevada, republicans, and Bland,
of Missouri, and Williams, of Illinois,
democrats. The eight members of the COM
mittee who composed the majority we're:
Mr.. Wickham, of Ohio, the chairman of the
committee, and Messrs. Walker, of Massa
chusette, Comstock, of Minnesota, Knapp, of
New York, Taylor, of Illinois, republicans,
and Messrs. Tracey, of New York, Wilcox,
of Connecticut, and Vaux,o Pennsylvania,
democrats. Mr.. Knapp, of New York, was
not actually present, but he had given Mr.
Walker a written proxy authorizing the
latter. to represent him, and his vote was
cast against the bill according to his wishes.
After the free coinage men found that
they were defeated on the Senate bill, Mr.
Carter, of Montana, moved as a substitute
for the Senate bill measure providing for
free. coinage of the American product. This
was also defeated-only Messrs. Carter and
Bartine actually favoriHg it, though MIR.
BANDS vote was recorded in favor of it. In
casting his vote Mr.. Bland stated that he
would vote to report favorably bill for the
free-coinage of the American product, but
that he would do so solely for the purpose
of getting it on the calendar of the House
with favorable recommendation, and that
be would reserve the right to oppose it on
the floor with bill providing free and un
limited coinage of silver, and did not intend
finally to vote in favor of Mr.. Carter's prop
position.
Mr.. Carter next moved another substitute
for the Senate bill. That provided that for
the first three months after tie passage Of
the act the Secretary Of the Treasury shall
purchase monthly in the open market ten
million ounces Of silver, and that thereafter
ne 6Qall putcnds0 moutuly Blk milliOu
ounces Of silver, instead of four and a-half
millions, as is authorized under the present
law. This last motion also failed, securing
only two votes-those of Messrs. Carter
and Bartine-the two democratic free COIN
age men, Messrs Bland and Williams: vot-
ing against it.
While Mr.. Bartine voted for the compro
mise proposition he stated that he did so
with reluctance and only for the purpose of
getting a favorable report to the House,
and that he should feel at liberty to vote
on the floor for some other silver measure.
1t was then arranged that the chairman
of the committee, Mr.. Wiokham, of Ohio,
should draw up the report in behalf of the
majority of the committee and present it to
the House az promptly as possible. The
report will be brief. A resolution was
agreed to giving the minority authority to
submit their views to the House in the
shape Of minority report if they see fit to
do So
Nothing was said in committee about
bringing the bill before the House, and it
now goes to the foot of the already over
burdened House calendar, with the recon-
mendation of the committee that it do not
pass.