Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-24
POLL OF CONGRESS,
The Views Of a Majority Of Mem
bers on the Great Issues Of
1892.
No Free Silver Bill Can Become a
Law, Thanks to Republican
Interference.
Democratic House in Condition
to Pass the Free Coinage Bill
Over the Presidents Veto.

The New York Press announces on the
authority of a republican United States
senator, that bill providing for the free
and unlimited coinage of silver cannot
pass the ffty-second congress over the veto
of President Harrison.
The Press has made poll of the entire
congress, that the result announced above
is based on replies to The Press in whiting
from 280 members of the United States
senate and house of representatives.
The poll has occupied several weeks
time. The result indicates that since the
last congress adjourned there has been no
abatement of the free silver craze at the
west and SOUTH and democrats OF the
states where 1t prevails have surrendered
completely to it.
Republicans in the silver states are also,
with few exceptions, victims of the heresy,
but an Overwhelming majority of the re-
publican party in congress as of the nation
is pledged to maintain the single gold
standard at all hazards and limit the out
put of silver, while the democratic party,
In congress and out of it, is equally COM
mitted to the policy of cheap money md
unlimited silver coinage.
In the last congress I01 democratic re-
Ill Ulc IOuSt NOUtu III ldNOT
of the Bland bill, which would have OPEN
ed every United States mint to the silver
of the old and new world to be coined into
five cents each, but calling for 100 cents
in gold from the United States govern
ment when presented by foreign nation.
Therepublicans killed this bill.
The new congress has in the house 236
democrats 81 roo,1 biioapc ap1 9 fary, o,cf
alliance. Of the PA democratic and farm
ers' alliance members, 1852 are in favor Of
and will pass a free coinage bill of the
Bland kind early in the session. The ma
jority is so great that the presidents veto
will be no obstacle to any bill which the
house really desired to make law, for the
democrats, without the farmers alliance,
have more than the two-thirds vote neces.
sary to pass bill over the executive veto.
The senate is the bulwark of safety. 1t
is republican by majority Of 9-not large
enough to prevent the first passage of a
free coinage or a new tariff bill, but
quite large enough to make certain the de-
feat of any bill vetoed by the president.
The two subjects of transcendent impor-
lance before the new congress are the tariff
and silver. Scores of bills concerning both
will be introduced The final passage of
any tariff bill by the present senate has
not been considered possible blythe leaders
of either party, but the result of the free
silver agitation, hardly second IN impor-
lance to the tariff, has been doubtful until
to-day.
The Press poll of congress now practi-
cally removes uncertainty on that question,
too.
The Press gives the result Of its canvass
of the senate by individual members be
nr,.st f.s,.iy Geptna upon that BODY alnna
Of the house of representatives a table by
states is given, showing how democrats
and republicans are now disposed to vote.
A few OF the interesting opinions of sena-
tor and representatives are also given.
Most of the replies to the Press two in
quiries were either yes or mo-" and
the results appear in the table: