St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-21
REPORT ADVERSELY,
House Coinage Committee De-
eides to Stand Against
Free Silver.
Soekless Simpson Declares
That the People Demand
More Money.
Senator Davis Opposes the
Nicaragua Canal Mea-
sure.
The Bulwer-Clayton Treaty. a
Large Bone Of Earnest
Contention.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2O.-The house
coinage committee decided to-day, by a
vote of to 4, to report the senate free
coinage bill adversely, with a recon-
mendatiOn that it do not pass. The four
in the minority were Messrs. Carter,
Bartine, Bland and Williams. 1t was
found that no compromise could be ar
ranged in committee. Two compromises
were proposed in the coinage committee
by Mr.. Carter. The first was for free
coinage of American product; and
second for purchases of $10,000,000 of
silver for three months and $6,000,000
each month thereafter. Both PROPOSE
tons were defeated, not getting as much
support as unlimited free coinage.
The adverse report on the senate
free coinage bill will be made by
Mr.. Wickham, chairman of the commit
tee, either late to-day or tomorrow.
While Mr.. Bartine voted for the com
promise proposition to make larger
monthly purchases of silver, he stated
that he did so will 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. The silver
bill was not
Reported TO the House
during the day. but Mr.. Wickham will
submit the report of the majority to
morrow. The report will not go into
an argument of the question. Congress
man-elect Jerry Simpson, of Kansas,
Representing the Farmers Alliance,
was one of the speakers before the
house coinage committee. He said the
farmers of the country demanded and
would insist on more money.
He advocated free coinage as
one means to this end; also
the sub-treasury scheme and the
issuance of paper money as other meth
DDS whereby more money could be put
into circulation. The people demanded
great deal more money, and it was the
duty of the government to furnish it.
Mr. Simpson said he did not care if free
coinage did cause silver to come TO the
United States; he wished it would
come, and it could not come too soon,
for it would give the people more
money. AlonZo Waddell. Of South Da
kota, who was defeated for congress at
the last election as the candidate of
also spoke in behalf of free coinage,
which, he said, was advocated by all
the members of the Alliance. Pierre
Humbert Jr., of Boston, concluded the
argument begun by him yesterday in
advocacy Of free coinage. e. B.
Bacon, of Milwaukee, representing
the chamber of commerce and
merchants association of that city,
submitted an argument against the
passage Of a free coinage bill. Senator
Stewart closed the hearing with an adj
dress in favor Of free coinage. The
committee received a communication
from Murat HaiStead presenting an al
gument against free coinage, which was
ordered printed. The silver men gen
orally are disposed to regard the action
to-day as practically the end Of silver
legislation for this congress. An effort
Will very likely be made to have the
bill acted on by the house, but its friends
do not express hope Of success for their
efforts.
The Way 1t WAS Done.
Within ten minutes from the time the
hearings were closed on the silver queS-
ton, the members of the houSe-coinage
committee had left the room of the
ways and means committees in which
latterly the hearings have been con-
Quoted. and assembled in the regular
meeting room of the committee. There
was practically no discussion in the
committee, and the members proceeded
promptly to voting. The first vote taken
was on the senate bill for the free and
unlimited coinage of silver. On yea
and nay vote it was decided by ma
jority of to to report this bill to the
house adversely, with recommends
ton that it do not pass. The four men,
bers in the minority were the old
free coinage contingent of the
committee, MeSSrS. Carter, of Montana,
Bartine, of Nevada. Republicans, and
Bland, of Missouri, Williams, of Hi
noiS, Democrats. The eight members
of the committee who compose the
majority were: Mes5rs. Wickham, of
Ohio, chairman of the committee;
Walker, of Massachusetts. ComStock, of
Minnesota, Knapp, OF New York; Will
cox, of Connecticut. and VauX, of Penn
sylvania, Democrats. After the free
coinage men found that they we're de-
feated on the senate bill, Mr.. Carter, of
Montana, moved as a substitute for the
senate bill a measure providing for free
coinage of the American product. This
was also defeated, only Carter and Bar
tine actually favoring it, though Mr..
BANDS vote was IN committee recorded
as in favor of it. In casting his vote
Mr.. Bland stated that he would vote to
report fayorably bill for the free coin
age of the American product, but that
he would do so solely for the purpose of
getting it on the
Calendar of the House
with a favorable recommendation, and
that he would reserve the right to OPP
pose it on the floor with bill providing
free and unlimited coinage of silver,
and did not intend finally to vote in
favor of Mr.. Carter's proposition. MIR.
Carter next moved another substitute
for the senate bill. This provided that
for the first three months after the
passage of the act the secretary of the
treasury shall purchase monthly in the
open market 100000 ounces of silver,
and that thereafter he shall purchase
100000 ounces of silver, instead Of
4,5O0,OOO, as authorized under the
present law. This last motion also
failed, securing only two votes
Carter and Bartine, the two
Democratic free coinage men, MesSrs,
Bland and Williams, voting against it.
1t was then arranged that the chairman
of the committee, Mr.. Wickham, of
Ohio, should draw up the report in be-
half OF the majority of the committee
and present it to the house as promptly
as possible, The report will be brief,
and Mr.. Wickham stated that 1t would
probably be laid before the house late
this afternoon. A resolution was agreed
to, giving the minority authority to sub
nit 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,