Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-08
especially towards the Committee on Coin
age. WEIGHTS, and Measures. having charge
OF tho frce-coinnQe bill.

especially towards the Committee on Coin
age. Weights, and Measures. having charge
OF the free-coinnge bill.
Mr.. Morrill,. OF Kansas, submitted TO the
House to-day the report OF the Raum in-
vestigating COMMITTEE. II was ordered
printed aud recommitted. A minority re-
port was also presented by Messrs. Lewis
and Goodnight, tho Democratic members
OF the committee. The views contained
in il are the same ~ those drawn up by
them at the end OF the last session OF Con-
gress and published at that time. 1t bears
nard upon Raum, and concludes by pre-
senting the following reeolution:
ReSoioed. That the evidence herein estab-
fishes that the present Commissioner of
Pensions degraded the public service bv
using his official position to promote his
private enterprises and that wise, effi-
cent, and faithful administration OF the
bureau demands his removal.
In the House to-day Mr.. Evans. OF Ten
nessee, reintroduced bill heretofore Of
fcred by him TO establish limited postal
telegraph service. The. section in the
former bill making it unlawful for con-
tracing telegraph company to engage, di-
rectly or indirectly, OF be interested in the
| sale OF press or other reports, market quo
tations, etc. beyond the service of trans
uniting them at rates uniform to any one
is stricken out Of the present bill.
II. n.
duced bill to-day authorizing the Post
master.General 10 contract with any per-
sons orr companies operating telegraph
| lines for the transmission of telegraphic
correspondence at rates to be agreed upon.
The opponents Of the free-coinage bill
are fearful that the friends of that mea-
| sures are prepared TO press the question
| upon the House by some motion which
may be regarded as privileged or by tack
A.
appropriation bill. They are somewhat
| anxious over the close vote of yesterday
and will resort to every available means TO
secure the attendance of absentees who
are known to be opposed to free-silver
coinage.
Secretary Noble to-day issued instruc-
| tions TO the Commissioner of the General
Land-O Office under the recent railroad land
forfeiture act in the case of the Mobile
and Girard railroad of Alabama.
The silver-pool investigating committee
! met to-day, but no witnesses were present,
| so nothing was done. Since the defeat of
| the plan to have a free-coinage amend
ment attached as rider" to the sundry
civil appropriation bill the silver-men
have been busy devising other schemes by
means of which to compel vote by the
House on the question OF free coinage.
The vote Yesterday was not regarded by
reason that it was complicated with ques-
ton OF parliamentary practice on which
they did not regard their position as
strongly fortified, and they arc therefore
anxious to bring the matter up in some
new form. The Townsend resolution de-
scribed elsewhere was the first effort IN a
new plan of campaign. 1t docs not OF IT.
self constitute question OF privilege, put
it is believed by Mr.. Townsend and other
I'd advocates
affords basis on which to base future
resolution that will fairly be a matter of
privilege under the rules. The proposition
is that in case the Rules Committee fails to
make report on the resolution offered to-day
another resolution shall be presented, re-
citing that q measure (perhaps naming the
Senate silver bilD has been suppressed in
the committee and directing that it be
forthwith reported to the House. 1t is
thought that by this means the question
NAV perhaps be brought up free from the
objection which presented itself to some
members of passing measure by the es-
Enlistment of a precedent that might
hereafter operate injuriously.
The Democrats hold caucus tonight
on the silver question and Representative
Walker, of Massachusetts, IS urging upon
the Republicans the ACCESSIBILITY of doing
the same early next week.
The Star tonight says 1t ls threatened
by the Republicans of the House that II
the Senate attach free-colnage amend
ment to any appropriation bill they Will
amend it by putting on the force bill as
rider. If this were done and the bill sent
to the President it Is said that he would
probably sign the conglomerate bill, taking
free coinage rather than veto an appro-
priation bill and the force bill. This may
deter the Democrats from entering upon
the plan of putting free-coinage rider on
an APPROPRIATION bill.