The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-21
Tho Silver Question.

WASHINGTON CITY. Feb. 20-A meeting look
ing to a monetary conference will be held at
Secretary Fosters residence in this city on
Monday morning. Secretary Foster. Senator
Teller, Senator Aldrich and perhaps other
prominent public men, representing both sides
of the silver question, will attend. 1t is under
stood that the meeting is for the purpose of
effecting u compromise by which the admins
tration will lend its efforts to calling an inter-
national monetary conference if tie Republi-
can senators who favor the free coinage idea
will agree to prevent the passage of the free
coinage bill at this session.
There is a feeling of uueasiness on the part of
the Democratic members of the House over the
condition OF business in the House, and there is
a disposition to get together and agree upon a
programme of business. At present matters are
simply drifting along, a1d it is desired to bring
order out of the confusion which prevails
The silver question is the most dis
couraging element The tariff bills and
the regular annual appropriation bills
will soon command a great deal OF attention,
and il is agreed that there must shortly come a
time when the programme OF business for some
months TO come must be settled upon If any,
thing is to be accomplished. The absence of
Catchings has delayed a meeting OF the rules
committee for some DAYS past, and the health of
Speaker Crisp has made it necessary that he
should seek respite from public affairs, while
the House is temporarily in recess on account of
the visit OF a number of its members at Chicago
1t probable the whole Democratic policy will
be considered at the caucus, and programme
OF action outlined as far as possible. The silver
men say they have no intention OF antagouizing
the tariff and ether measures and taat they are
SIS good tariff reforIners as any other members Of
the House. They say, however, that they vii
not consent that the tariff and other measures
shall be used TO prevent consideration of the
silver BILL and it, as they do not believe it to be
the case, they should ascertain that this is the
policy OF the promoters OF the tariff bill, they
will insist in season and out OF season on taking
up the silver question. Chairman Bland OF the
coinage committee, voiced the sentiments of his
associates today. He said:
Before We take up the tariff bills and appro-
priation bills there must be an agreement on
just what we are going to do. There must be
understanding from the beginning or else the
silver question will be here as long the tariff
and appropriations questions and will be talked
OF as much as anything else. favor tariff reform
and the consideration of tariff bills, but If their
programme is to keep the tariff here always and
not to do anything on the silver question. then
we will consider them altogether There
is no disposition against taxing up the
tariff, provided that we can understand that II
is not TO be run as q machine 70 knock out sill
yer I have heGrt reports that the tariff is to be
Kept here not for the purpose Of passing a tar
III bill but 20 Kill silver. | want it understood
that do not think there is any such intention
But il such intentions should De disclosed we
will take every opportunity 10 force silver TO
the front, and talk silver on the tariff and
every other bill | do not believe as
I have said, all these reports and rumors
about knocking out the silver with
the tariff and appropriation bills but
If We ind out that IS tie game, We have a wsy
10 meet ii and the silver bill. as an amendment
will be added 10 every bill which comes Jlu. We
do not intend that the minority shall run over
the majority in that way. We have a majority
in favor of the silver bill. The silver bill will
not be kept down by any tactics OF that kind
silver viii &c Kept forward constantly. All al
tempts 10 keep II down would make il the big
gest issue OF all snail not nbstTueg the tariff
bills. but we must know what IS 10 be done
shout the consideration Of the silver issue
They can paddock a mans mouth aud stop
bringing up the question, hut don't think they
viii attempt 20 Kill silver with the tariff