Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-22
To Be Heard in the House of Rep
resentatives To-Day, When the
DEBATE on BLAND'S BILL BEGINS.
Practical Politics Very Likely to Compli-
cate the Situation.
POLICY OF THE REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION
ESPECIAL TELEGRAPHIC LETTER.
BUREAU OF THE DIsrAruH,
WASHINGTON. ID. c.. March

or tndt Will occur during tn1s session OF
Congress, will begin tomorrow, at once
after the opening of the session. The point
of interest is not in the identity of the
orators, nor in any possible display or un-
usual eloquence. nor in any new complexion
that will be put.upon the financial question,
but in the course of the opposition by what
is assumed to be the Democratic minority,
led bv Harter and Tracey and Williams.
If those gentlemen have decided what policy
they will pursue they are keeping it we'll
within their own faction. 1t is reported
that they have determined to filibuster,
but the report is simply an inference from
their impotent attack on the rule fixing
time for consideration, and not upon any
announced line of action. The chances are
that they Will engage in the most elaborate
of fiibustering exploits.
Following In Bland's Footsteps.
No matter what the merits of the ques-
tion, great deal of practical and personal
politics enter into the processes of the anti
silver as well as the tree coinage faction,
and Mr. Harter, Mr.. Tracey and Mr. Will
Jams are no less open to the charge of dem
agogism that Mr.. Bland or any other advo-
cate of the unlimited coinage side of the
question. Let them claim what they will
In the way of independence and reform,
they are simply doing as Mr.. Bland and his
colleagues are doing, and that is to trench
nearest on what they think is the sentiment
of the people of their districts, regardless,
at least to a great extent, of the vital fnan
cial principle involved. Therefore, it must
naturally be inferred that the leaders of
what is now admitted to be the party minor
ity on this question will take the course
that will make their opposition to the ma
jority most conspicuous and that could only
be scheme of, systematic flibustering
which, while it would add novelty and pos
sibly excitement to the contest, would GER
tainly tail in the end.
The Eloquence of Youth.
Interest in the oratory will center largely
in the efforts of the young men from the
East who have put themselves in the fore
front of the opposition. Mr.. Harter, Mr..
Sherman Hoar, Mr.. Williams and Mr. An
drews, all save Harter being from Massa-
lentlv and unchangeably opposed to the
Bland bill. Messrs Tracey and Fitch, the
New York leaders on that side, have had
several years of experience, and at best are
not interesting. On the other side the
leaders are mostly old wheel-horses of the
party who will say little that is new.
Bryan, of Nebraska, and Pierce, of Ten
nessee, may offer some useful diversion from
the track long ago blazed out by Bland and
and his colleagues
The discussion will doubtless have a
greater interest on account of its being
crowded into three days than it would have
if the time were unlimited. The speeches
will be shorter and spicier. The colloquies
will be sharper and more frequent.
Probable Republican Policy.
The Republicans will, of course, with the |
exception of few Western members, put |
themselves on record in opposition to the |
bill. They will do nothing, however, to |
break the force of the fight between the |
Democratic factions. They will encourage |
acrimony, and will place no obStacle in the |
way of filibustering. Whether. they will |
generally join in the final vote is yet |
mooted question. They may record their |
opposition in speeches, and refuse so vote |
in the ultimate 'roll-call, if that be neces-
sary to accomplish the passage of the bill. |
They want to place upon the big Democratic |
majority the burden of passing the measure.
knowing that if its career be not stopped in |
the Senate, it will be stopped in the Execu- |
tive Mansion. Therefore their policy will |
be not to obstruct the course of the bill |
through the House, but to make its progress |
as disastrous for the Democrats as possible.
Bering See Shrouded in Secrecy.
While it is admitted that an important |
note has Just been received from Lord Sails |
bury on the Bering Sea controversy, never |
was more care taken to conceal the char |
acter of diplomatic missive. 1t is not in |
ferred that this is so much on account of its |
gravity, as of a complaint from the Senate,
the court of last resort in treaty |
Of that of the
was given out from the State |
Department or the Executive Mansion |
which should have first reposed for time |
in the deliberate and sagacious bosom of the |
Senate Where two or three persons are,
however, possessed of such news, it is diff |
cult to maintain entire secrecy. The man. |
ner, if not the matter of replies, often sug- |
gests the nature OF the thing inquired about, |
and from this it is assumed generally by |
correspondents who have been probing the |
matter to-day that the latest Communication |
from Salisbury is of a temporizing character,
and not of kind to warrant an increase of |
alarm or anxiety.
Several theories are advanced to show
why His Lordship should wish delay and |
refuse renewal of the modus vivendi, such
as desire to further discuss his PROPOSE
tlon for 40-mile prohibited radius aronnd
the Pribylov Islands, a desire partially |
hinging on this to permit the Canadian seal
ing vessels to get out to sea and at work on
the seals pending an adjustment; and a de-
termination once tor all to force an admis-
sion (or leave to possible favorable arbi-
tration, with seal killing constantly in
progress) that the theory of the United
States Government of the Bering Sea being
a closed one is untenable
No Imminent Danger of War.
So long as the Premiers' purpose is not
understood-and it does not seem to be
understood anywhere-any one reasonable
theory may be as well entertained as any
other, but one thing is very certain in
regard to the whole question, and that Is
that Great Britain does not seek war with
the United States any more than the United
States seeks war with Great Britain.
Much that is sensational has been written
on this subject by theorists protesting mill
tary and naval expert knowledge. Thrilling
fanciful descriptions have been given of the
entrance into our harbors of British war
ships and of the impotency of our coast de-
fenses and naval vessels The clever but
well-worn "Battle of Dorking' has been
worked over,in a dozen different forms. This
may be interesting reading, but it does not
change the fact that the highest authori-
ties who are forced to deal with
this question have not the least fear of
the country's becoming involved in war
with Great Britain; and the ground source
of security is that the first gun of such awar
would open thousand batteries in other
parts of the world, land elsewhere give Brit
ish cannon possibly more than they could do
for the protection of interests and the main
tenance of principles vastly more important
L s-~vn tx-A1 IN . 1