New-York tribune., 1891-02-07
PRICE THREE CENTS.
A BAD DAY FOR FREE SILVER.
UNLIMITED COINAGE SET BACK IN THE
HOUSE AND IN COMMITTEE.
LATTER BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T RULE
THE MAJORITY - THE FREECoIyAGE
/" RIDER" DROPPED FROM THE
PENDING CIVIL BILL-THE
COMING CAUCUS.
!BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TKBUyE.I

foremost in the minds of members of the House
to-day and the advocates of free and unlimited
coinage do not feel jubilant as they did this
morning. Then they felt perfectly confident OF
aucc;Ts and extremely aggressive. The
ball was opened at the morning session OF the
Committee on Coinage. which was marked by
the peaccable secession of two of its members
because a minority of four not permitted
to overrule a majority of eight members The
seceders were Messrs. Bland and Bartine The
latter explained that he did not desire to impugn
the motives of members who disagreed with him,
but it was apparent to him that the policy Of
the majority would postpone the reporting Of the
Free Coinage bill to so late date TO prevent
any action by this Congress. He therefore would
waste no more time in listening to hearings and
should exercise his right Of doing everything in
his power to force action in the House without
regard to the wishes or proceedings of the com.
mittee. Mr. Bland declared that the committee
has already smOthered the BILL and then he
seized his coat and hat and bounced out of the
commitcc-room. The secession of The ardent
Bartine and the contentious Bland failed to
any excitement in the committee, which calmly
proceeded with the business before it.
All of the time before the hour of adjournment
was occupied by parliamentary, or unpariamen-
tary, fencing and skirmishing, and little was ac-
cOnDllSleu OnP tnlnp WHICH COnllhlottt
unanimously agreed to was to hear the Committee
| of the NewYorlS Chamber Of Commerce, consisting
of Abram 5. Hewitt Carl Schurz and others, next
Thursday in opposition to free coinage. 1t was
also agreed to hold sessions on the evenings of
Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday, instead of
day sessions and that an effort should be made
to obtain authority for the committee to sit 10
hear argument and testimony only, during the
sttincs of the House
1t was apparent, however, that the free-coinage
members had determined to do everything in their
power to force action in the House regardless OF
the committee to which they belong, as we'll as
of the pending investigation 10 discover whether
the silver LEGISLATION OF last year was tainted by
corrupt or improper influences. OF course Bland
knew that his proposed amendment 10 fasten
free-coinagc rider t. an appropriation bill was
obrOxious to the rules Of the House, and that
Chairman Pay,on of the Committee of tie Whole,
would be compelled to rule, but the Missouri
stateSman was so confident Of victory on appeal
that he was eager to test the strength OF free
coinage in that way. The result OF the vote WIS
\ cruel disappointment to him and his friends
TIE ruling sustained by n majority o.
in total vote of pol. As this vote was in Conf
| mittee Of the Whole the names were not recorded
but hundreds Of anxious eyes scanned the face OF
| each member as he passed between the tellers to
| be counted, and when the latter made their first
| report-l23 to l26-the free-conage men conld
| hardly restrain their JOY II was well that they
did so. however. for the last report showed that
they mustered only 1917, while the ant freecoinaee
men numbered 134. 1t was the turn of the latter
TO express their JOY and they did so with will
when the result announced.
Tie Republicans who followed Bland and voted
10 violate the rules of the House were Kelly and
\
Conne Nebraska: Townsend. Colorado; Carter.
Montana: Clark. Wyoming: Bartne. Nevada;
Sweet, dlaho and Hermann. OreSon-eleyen in all.
The Democrats who voted TO sustain the rules ard
against free coinage were: VauX and Mutchler.
Pennsylvania; Clancy, Dunphy. Spinola and
Wiley. New-York, and Andrew Massachusetts, II
Mcs,rs. Tracey. of New-York. and McAdoo, OF
New-Jcrspv. had voted. they would have stood
with the seven Democrats mentioned. and several
other Democrats who were absent might have
done the same thing. While the vote cannot be
REGARDED as perfect test of the strength OF either
side on the question of free coinage the result
was grieyous disappointment to the free-colnage
men: if they had not been Over-conident, they
probably would not have made an attempt winch
was in defiance of parliamentary law. precedents
and rrlcs as well as a direct challenge 10 the op-
poncnts Of free and unlimited coinage hut. max
ING all proper allowance for that blnnder, the re-
suit is one which ought TO encourage and
strengthen the hands of the men who desire To
rive the present law fair trial and who are
unwilling to aid in the passage OF more silver
legislation until the integrity of the legislation
Of last session has been fully vindlcated.
The views now held by many Western Re
publicans were fairly outlined to-day by Mr.
Anderson. Of Kansas. in a conversation with
Trib onrrpsnondpnt. Among other tnligS Alf
Anderson said
When rassed between the telIers some Of my friends
who know tha l friend of silver money showed
,urpl ,c and d,approhlton | am binetalist fleho
of silver money - well Of the silverminng industry
OF the Cnicd states but do not propose TO be used az
, c,,paw by the owners silver mines mining shares
or the owners Of spectators in silver bullion Last
year | voted FOR tariff law which contained provision
&, potc, the miners who engaged IN the sihere~i
industry and also bill which provides for the pur
cl,sa and coinage OF So 600 900 Of silver each year
am not now disposed 10 vote for coinage law when WIZ
invite every and producer of silver coin or DIIoh
IN the world to bring the United states Mint to 10
coined into dollars the expense OF the United states
Only Yesterday the Government bought more than million
ounce, Of silver the mraket atcs-not an ounce Of which
cost A. much ~ o. IL /, now calmly proposed thai
the United shall take all silver bullion Offered and
coin II dollars the rate Of ~ 30 per ounce 20
no, believe that the people Of this country want that done
There another why opposed TO free consse
AZ mi, tine. have been IN Congress :weve years and
tu OF 4. free nom stain OF SUSPICION Inc
House recently ordered an Investigation 70 ascertain
whether IMPROPER coupt motives had Influenced mcIn'
cr, who part silver legislation OF last
That has been concluded. and until the
committee La, pc:ed and submitted report
which will remove all suspicion shall not vote for ans
more silver bills IL my opinion. the plain people VI this
county feel deeper interest in that Investigation than
many persons In Washington realize and they VIII
make themselves heard and felt I'm due :ime
Mr. Anderson is one Of the Western Republicans
,nop ,vbose aid the free-coinage men have be-.
lieved that they could safely count, and there l.
reoson 10 believe that his views are shared by
many other Republican Representatives from the
West 1t is expected that the next attempt OF
thc "free.svcr" men will not be made untL
fter the Democratic caucus, which Is to he calico
for tomorrow night and that when made it VIII
,ake tho form of q motion to discharge the Coin.