Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-26
SILVER MEN READY
TO Cast Their Votes Against Closure
and the Force Bill.
THE FIGHT NEARING A CLOSE.
1t Has Been o Remarkable One and Will
End This Week.
REPUBLICAN SENATORS UNDER COVER
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !


7 rrRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENCE
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-One of the lead
ing Senators in promoting the passage of
the closure amendment and the elections
bill, said to the correspondent of The Dis
PATCH this evening thathe believed the end
of this week would see the end of the closure
rule and the bill which depends upon its
passage. If the first should pass, the second
will follow without delay. If the first were
defeated the second would be laid aside at
once and for all time. He was convinced
that both would pass.
The fight for these measures has been one
of the most remarkable in the history of the
Senate, and the most remarkable feature of
it has been the opposition to them of several
members of the Republican party, with
whose leaders they originated. National
Republican conventions, State conventions,
and State Legislatures, in which there were
Republican majorities, declared for the en-
actment of legislation which would secure
to the negroes of the South the franchise, of
which, it is asserted, they mad been de-
prived, and also promote honest elections in
cities where it was said the suffrage had
been outrageously abused.
Looked On as Necessary.
Henry Cabot Lodge, at the very opening
of the long session of the current Congress,
introduced the elections bill. Other bills of
a similar character were introduced bv
other Republicans. The young men of the
party tumbled over each other tor the honor
of presenting a measure which they looked
upon as second only in the cause OF freedom
A. i
Fifteenth Amendment, both of which they
held to be rendered null and void by the
wholesale Intimidation and disfranchlse-
ment of the negro of the South, while the
old masters OF the negro took advantage Of
his numbers to swell their representation in
the House and Senate of the National Leg
islature.
Each one introducing bill fought for his
own measure, as though he felt its accept
ance and passage would immortalize him.
The Lodge bill was materially altered by
its passage, but it retained the name of the
author of the original bill, who is chairman
of the Committee on the election of Presi-
dent and Vice President, which had the
matter in charge.
Hoar Jealous of Lodge.
Passed by the House, in the Senate, the
bill again met those who were ambitious to
say, ''This is mine and must be known by
my name" Senator Hoar feared the grow
ing popularity of Lodge, and saw him loom
ing up as an opponent for the Senate. He
must modify the bill and make it the Hoar
instead of the Lodge bill.
The tariff bill once up, the Democrats
seized upon it as a means of defeating the
elections bill, and used it so efectually that
Senator Quay, seeing the tariff bill itself
endangered, arranged with the Democrats
that if they would permit the tariff bill to
come to vote, the elections bill should not
be called up for consideration until the fol-
lowing session, that is the present session.
The Republican leaders were forced to agree
to this.
Meantime. however, attempts had been
made 20 secure consideration of the'elections
bill. Amendments to the rules were also
prepared. which would give the Republicans
the power TO call the previous question at
any time they desired. Caucus after caucus
was held, at which nothing definite was
done. At that time, if the leaders had
shown half the enthusiasm they do now,
they could have adopted the closure amend
ment and promptly passed both the tariff
and elections bills. Months of time wasted
in debate might have been saved.
Timidity of the Leaders.
The faltering of the leaders is one of the
most Amazing incidents of Senatorial annals.
Had they been firm they might have crushed
out the last vestige of the opposition within
their party, which was at that time too timid to
assert itself. Not Republican would have
dared to vote against the bill had it been
forced to a vote, as it nigh; have been, be-
fore the November elections.
When it was brought up this session. al
most on the first day, with notice from Mr..
Hoar that it would hold its place until
passed or defeated. the Democrats were
greatly disturbed. Immediately the willy
German set about to make as sure as possi-
Bile the defeat of the bill. His arrangement
with the free-coinage Senators was as bold a
deal as was ever made in legislative body.
1t was given out that several Democrats
were opposed to free coinage, but that they
would vote for it provided the silver men
would vote in sufficient number with the
Democrats to set aside the elections bill
This caught the free coinage men, and
the arrangement was made and carried out
but it was not possible to get all of the silver
men to agree to vote against taking up the
elections bill second time. Whether they
have pledged themselves to defeat the bill,
should it be pressed to vote, will not be
known till that time comes.
Deal With Silver Senator's.
A story, which, 1T is claimed, comes from
the INSIDE" is that Stewart, Teller, Jones
and WoIcott agreed to oppose the closure
and elections measures at all points
and prevent their reaching a vote,
if possible, and that three or tour other tree
coinage men, who wish to keep themselves
under cover if they can, have agreed to vote
against the closure rule aud the elections
bill, if they be forced to final vote. 1t is
certainly significant that all who have
stood with the Democrats in this remarkable
contest are free silver coinage men.
No Democrats heve been more bitter
against closure and the elections bill that
Stewart, Teller and Wolcott, and the per-
sistent opposition of these Senators has
baffied the Republican leaders, confused the
Vice President and kept the fate of the rule
and bill always in the balance. Had it not
been for this schsm within the party vote
would have been forced weeks ago. Now
the limit of time has been reached. The
Republican leaders know that to persist
more than few days longer will be to force
ain extra session, and that they do not want.
The action of Southern Legislatures in re-
gard to the Worlds Fair has no effect ON
them. LIGHTNER,
NEXT Sunday THE DISPATCH will be-
gin publication of a series of South Sea Let
ters by Robert Louis Stevenson, the novelist.