Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-06
THE FREE COINAGE AMENDMENT.
II WAS TEST VOTE AND NE BLAND WAS DE-
FKATxD-A HOPE THAT AN OPPORTUNITY NAY
BE HAD TO TAKE An uNrRANNELKD vorE-BAp
OUTLOOK FOR Mr.. CLEVELAND.

The action Of the House today in sustainins
| the decision of the chair, by which Mr.. Bland's
free-coinage amendment was ruled out Of order
In the sundry civil bill. probably settles the
chances for the passage Of free coinage bill
by this Congress. There we're probably some
republicans who voted to sustain the
decision Of the chair, who himself is q silver
man, because they believed that the decision
was in accordance with the rules. A direct
| vote ON free coinage bill might result diff
ferenty, but 1t Ii not clear how q direct vote
on such a bill can be had during this Congress
| The majority Of the coinage committee have
be acquired through hearings, before they car
vote intelligently on the reporting OF any silver
bill. and the vote today will probably strengthen
| them III their position.
| The silver men have given up all hope Of
getting any sort of report from the committee
To-day Mr.. Bland ard Mr.. Bartine left the com
mittee. refusing to take any further part in the
proceedings. since 1t was eviden. to them that
i II was not the purpose of the committee thai
anything should be done. In doing this they
placed all their faith in their ability
to force the issue before the House by attach
ing the provision for free coinage to an ap
preparation bill To do this it was necessary
| as they oil appreciated, to oyerrule the deci
sion Of the chair, which necessarily would bt
In accordance with the rules.
| A TEST OF TIE SILVER STRENGTH.
Today's vote was test of their strength OF
this sort of motion, and the result makes il
evident that no attempt to attach free silver t.
an appropriation bill in the House can carry
The silver men still hope to have such al
amendment sent over as rider from the Sen
! ate but they have no more certainty OF sue
cess there than they seemed to have when tbey
| first made the move in the House.
But even il the amendment were sent to TIT
House by the Senate it is probable that thu
House committee on appropriations would de
DO that there is a majority in the House in favol
OF free coinage of silver, but it is not bold
determined majority, with the earnestness noe
essary 10 force the issue.
The leaders of the republicans do not pro
pose TO let a free coinage bill go to the Presi
help it, as this would make his position par
| ticularly embarrassing and would prob
| ably result In the failure OF an appropriation
bill, making an extra session necessary. 1t Ii
asserted with positiveness which indicate
| knowledge that the President has made up hi
mind that he will veto any bill which carries
| free coinage, even If it should be one OF tn,
regular appropriation bills.
| CHANCE FOR A FREE VOTE TO BE GIVEN.
| 1t is probable that if the republican manager
were satisfied that free coinage could carr,
they would give it q chance on a direct vot
rather than have it go on an appropriation
bill. This idea has given rise to the sug
| gestiOn that some votes against Mr.
| BANDS amendment were secured toda,
| by the assurance that some chance to vote OF
| the question. freed from ENHANCEMENT witt
any other measure, would be given before tn
4th of March. II this be true, it is probabi
that the chance will not be given much befor
| the 4th, unless the coinage committee is con
WINGED by the vote today that they can defea
the proposition.
The situation is anything but encouraging I.
| the advocates of free coinage, and the prevail
| ing opinion is that there il not the least chanc
Of a free coinage law going on the statute book
during this Congress.
From partisan point Of view this is q seri
Gus matter for the democrats especially for tn
friends Of Mr.. Cleveland, who want this aues
ton of silver settled now, SO that it may not b
an issue in the next campaign.
Mr.. Cleveland's views on the silver question
would probably weaken him as a candidat
should that issue enter into the canvass. For thi
reason the democrats. without much regard t
their views on silver, want the matter to be 20
out Of the way during this Congress.
The uitra-siiver men, however. caring NOR
for that than anything else in polite, get com
fort from the belief that nothing can proven
the enactment Of free coinage law by tn
next Congress.