Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1891-01-22
THE FIFTY-F|RST CONGRESS,
The NeUs From the National Capital as i
Effects the interests of the Vest
em Farmer.
The Senate Passes Free Coinage Bill
Sensational Revelations Expect in
the House.
"A FREE COINAGE BILL.

A FREE COINAGE BILL. i
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19-Special Cor
respondence:: The event Of the week in
congress was the passage Of pure and
free coinage bill, on
Thursday afternoon. The fact when an
nounced was surprise to everyone in
terested id legislative matters in Wash,
ington, more particularly owing to the
manner H3which it was brought about.
The senate had been considering the re-
publicansAnance bill, which is practical
ly the bin introduced by Senator Far
we'll, Of Illinois, to purpetuate the nation
banks and to refund the national debt Of
the United States. Just before the vote
on this biNwas to be taken, though after
numbehof free coinage amendments
had passed, Senator Vest, Of Missouri,
moved asa substitute for the entire bill
a purely Zee coinage measure, which
providesd bat the unite of value shall be
the doll4 Ito be coined of standard silver,
4l2a grai or of standard gold, 25 8 10
grains, lid that the coinage of both
metals aRll be free and unlimited.
Though Seemingly great surprise to the
senate, tbe Vest substitute passed by a
vote of so to ~. This practically kills
the FarwSll finance bill so far as this ses
sion is concerned, and the silver bill
goes tobhe house to meet it's fate there.
The friends of silver in the senate have
been accfsed Of treachery in connection
with the free coinage bill. Senator Tel
Ter and others declar upon their honor
that the charges profered against Senator
Stanford, said to have been intrumental
in forming combine with the democrats
to secure the passage of the free coinage
substitute are entirely untrue, and that
if any further proof is needed it would be
forthcoming.
The REPUBLICAN leaders are determined
that the pfesent shall be continuous
night and day session Of the senate until
the elections bill shall have been voted
upon, or the fact shall have been made
plain that it is impossible to thus force a
vote upon it. There is now no
division in the republican ranks and if all
of the absent republican senator will re-
turn at once, it is generally believed that
the bill can be brought to a vote and
passed this week, although the demo-
Gratis have one advantage in the contest
Of endurance they can divide their men
into squads while the republicans are
compelled to remain on the floor, or at
least within reach, in order to show a
quorum when the democrats make mo-
ton calling for vote.
The free coinage bill is now in the
hands of the house committee ON coinage,
weights and measures, and is not likely
to be reported to the house before next
week, and in it's present shape it is hardly
possible to be reported at ALL although, OF
course the present bill will be offered as
an amendment by the free coinage men
to any modified bill that the committee
may report. It may be we'll in this con.
nection to state that there is no founda.
ton for the statement purporting to tell
what action Speaker Reed will take, re.
grading the bill.
| Mr.. Reed has not told any newspaper
man what he proposes boing; on the con.
trary he has positively declined to answer
any and all questions on the subject.
While the friends of the silver dollar are
much eleated over the free coinage in the
senate, no one believes that the bill, in its
present from, will even If it should pass
the house, not receive the approval OF
the president. Mr.. Haraison's recent mes
sage to congress was too pronounced on
this subject to expect any favors from
him and there is practically no hope of
fairness toward the white metal as long
as Benjamin Harrison occupies the white
house.
If the first session of the house commit
tee engaged in investigating the alleged
silver pool, stands for anything, some
sensational testimony may be expected
from that direction in few days. A
number of names, including those of
senators, representatives and outsiders,
have been given to the committee and
they are to be summoned to testify. The
committe will hold its next session
on Wednesday of this week.
A big delegation of Sioux Indians is
expected here this week, the president
having given them permission to come
and present their grievances to him per-
sonally. PAUL HARPER.
WORLDS FAIR.