The Portland daily press., 1891-02-06
SILVER is NOW THE STUMBLING BLOCK
rhe Free Coinage Men Are 8ecom-
Ing Alarmed and Desperate.
the Senate Passes the Pension APP
propHation BilI.
A Proclamation Declaring Reclproc-
lty with Brazil.
Especial b ths Press. |

WAsHiNGToN, February 5. The silver
question Is now uppermost In Congress. The
main battle is taking place In the room Of the
House committee on coinage. weights and
measures. where is the free silver bill which
has come over from the Senate. This COM
mittee is against free coinage, although a
minority Of IL, led by Bland Of Missouri. Is
vociferously demanding that the bill be re-
ported. On the other hand. the hard money
members. led by Walker Of Massachusetts,
are insisting on plenty of time for hearings.
Mr.. Walker and those who t',ink with him.
seem to be as anxious for full deliberation
as the Democrats In the Senate were when
the elections bill was up. The committee Is
not divided on party lines. Democrats like
Vaux Of Pennsylvania, Tracy Of New York,
and Wilcox Of Connecticut. joining with
Mr.. Walker In demanding full deliberatioD.
while Curtis OF Montana and Bartine Of Ne
yada, Republicans, are siding with Bland
and his Democratic supporters. Meanwhile
there Is ferment IN the House. Fearing
that the coinage committee may no yer re-
port the free silver men are trying In every
way TO get the subject before the House In
some other way. Senator Stew art tri ed In
the Senate to put silver rider" on the
pension appropriation bill, but finally has
decided not TO do It since it might imperil
the pension bill and thus ALLEVIATE the soldier
element But 1t will be tried on other bills.
aud this afternoon In the House an attempt
was made TO put silver rider on to the sun
dry civil bill.
The House has rule that no new legisla-
ton snail be attached TO an appropr iatlon
bill, and point Of order is always sustained
againat any such attempt. This afternoon an
attempt was made in committee Of the whole
and the point OF order was made against 1t
by Mr.. Dingley.
Mr.. Payson Of Illinois was chairman of
the committee OF the whole. and had made
no ruling when the time came to adjourn.
He will undoubtedly overrule 1t.
The question then comes on whether the
silver men can muster enough votes to over
rule the Chair. II they can, the rider" will
the President will have to take the altsrna-
tive Of signing free silver bill In an appro-
priation bill or of killing the appropriation
bill and all. 1t is believed that the silver
Men are ready to override anything to carrv
their point. and the fear Is general that they
may succeed.
In the Senate this afternoon, Mr.. Ingalls,
made CHARACTERISTIC speech. justifying
himself by assailing the party associates
whom he has helped TO betray.
At banquet of the Republican Club Of
Baltimore. attended last evening by large
OF Ohio made hit at the expense OF the
Senate. which has created much amusement.
Senator Casey of Wyoming was called on for
a speech, and be- gam 81 feel somewhat eH-
barrassed at being called upon, for am
member Of body where 1t Is an unwritten,
but immutable law. that member shall not
0Den bis mouth until he has been there two
terjected General Grosvenor, amid great
laughter"