Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-10
Silver Legislation Progress
ing Nicely.
The Way Gradually Opening to
Free Coinage.
Speaker Reed About the Only Snag
Now Threatening 1t.
Senator Blackburn Makes an Eloquent
Plea in Behalf Of the White Metal.
Other Topics.
Associated Press Dispatches.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.-It is the gem
eral expectation that the latter part of
next week the senate financial bill will
como over to the house, and members
are awakening to the possibility Of an
other strife over the measure, some
what similar to that preceding the en-
actment of the present silver bill. There
is considerable speculation as to the
shape the bill will take in the senate,
as its features, outside of the free coin
age proposition, which is looked upon
rs inevitable, will to some extent in
huence the members in their views on
this point. The silver men themselves
do not appear united. Some think a
bill should be passed providing for moth
ing whatever save free coinage, as they
fear its consideration would be retarded
if the bill were numbered up with gen.
eral banking legislation. Others are of
the opinion that free coinage would be
strengthened bv association with these
sections, popular in the east.
When the bill comes over to the house
the general impression is that it will be
at once referred to the house committee
on coinage. However, the attitude
which the speaker will assume towards
the bill here becomes of Importance, and
there is good reason to believe that
Reed himself has not determined upon
his course.
A prominent western Republican sill
yer man, a member of the coinage COM
mittee and friend of the speaker, said
the bill would 60 to the coinage commit
tee, and would be reported to the house.
If the bill is not reported within a rea-
sonable time, motion will be made to
discharge the committee, and take the
bill up for action in the house. The
speaker has it in his power to be great
stumbling block in the way of action,
and for this reason his attitude is SUBJ
ject of intense interest.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
In the senate today, several petitions
for and against the Conger lard bill, and
resolutions deprecating any further leg
islation in regard to silver, were pre-
sented.
The house bill for the relief of Major
Wham, army paymaster, and crediting
him with $2S, ,345 government funds, OF
which he was robbed in Arizona in May,
1889, was passed.
Platt gave notice he would ask the
senate on Monday, after the routine
morning business, to consider the house
copyright bill.
The house bill to provide for an addi-
tional associate justice of the supreme
court of Arizona, was passed.
The financial bill was taken up and
l. &c
limiting to $1,000 the compulsory re-
bonds by national banks. This is
not to apply to the deposit of bonds to
secure public moneys in national banks.
Blackburn addressed the senate in ad-
yocacy of Stewards amendments for free
coinage. He was not willing to have
it 90 to the country and the world, that
the amendment was simply an effort by
representatives of the silver states, and
the rest OF the country was Indifferent
to the result. There was not silver
mine within the limits of the great COM
monwealth of Kentucky, and yet he
yentured to assert that her people were
as united, as earnest, as honest and as
clamorous in their demand for the coin
age of silver, as were the people of Col
Orado, California, Idaho or Nevada. The
opponents of free coinage might rely on
the veto power of the president, but
that would prove a vain reliance. He
denounced the anti-silver policy of every
administration for the last twenty years.
It did not matter to him that his own
party was for four years respon-
sible for the enduring wrong.
Cleveland's administration was just
as amenable to criticism and
censure as its predecessors, or as its
successor. The Farmers Alliance was
centralized into national organization,
protesting against class legislation.
Every intelligent man and every honest
man acknowledged that they had a Just
cause of complaint. They asked a re-
dress of grievances, not imaginary, but
real. The mighty west and the rejuven-
ated south had endured the fleeing pro-
cess until their patience was exhausted,
and now they meant that just laws
should be enacted and unjust laws re-
pealed.
Morgan followed Blackburn in advo-
cacy of the amendment. He yielded the
floor without concluding his speech, and
the bill was laid aside.
The senate bill appropriating 500, 200
for public building at Joliet, Illinois,
and the house bill appropriating 100000
for one at Rockford, Illinois, were re-
ported and placed on the calendar. Also
bill creating the office of fourth assist
ant postmaster-general. Adjourned.
IN THE HOUSE.
In the house, today, bill authorizing
Oklahoma City to issue bonds to provide
q right-of-way to the Choctaw Coal and
Railroad company, through the city, was
passed. The house then went into COM
mittee of the whole on the private cal
endar.
The first bill on the calendar was to
refer to the court OF claims the claim of
the Citizens Bank OF Louisiana, grow
ing out of the seizure and covering into
the United States treasury of certain
moneys of the bank, by General Butler.
After long debate the bill went over,
the committee rose and the house took a
recess until 8 o'clock, the evening ses-
sion to be for the consideration of the
private pension bill.
TO ENLARGE THE WHITE HOUSE..
Senator Stanford introduced in the
house today bill for the extension OF
the executive mansion, in accordance
with plan proposed by Mrs. Harrison,
to embrace the present mansion as the
private residence of the executive, en-