St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-06
Not a Particle Of Progress
and No New Develop
ments Yesterday.
(" Ants" Conclude to Let
the Bill GO to BANDS >,
Committee.
Doubt Concerning the Re-
pealing Clause Continues I
to Get in It's Work.
Many Maintain That Silver
Certificates Are Contracts =,
Pure and Simple.

WASHINGTON, July $50 far as the
action of the house is concerned (put-
ting to one side the decision of the COM
mittee on rules. the silver bill is in
exactly the same position tonight that
it was when the speaker laid it before
the house this morning. 1t is SILL upon
the speakers table, subject to any va
rlety of motions for its reference. But
it is in the power of the friends of the
measure at any time-when there is a
quorum present-tO defeat Mr.. Tracey'S
motion to refer it to the committee on
banking and currency and to move its
reference to the committee on coinage,
weights and measures.
1t was said after adjournment today
that the fight over the reference will
not he renewed tomorrow, and that the
enemies of the measure will allow it to
be referred as its friends desire, with
out further obstruction. As near as
can be learned, today's action was taken
by MIR. Tracey on the impulse of the
moment. and more with purpose of
emphasizing the opposition of himself
and his adherents to the bill than from
belief that the manifestation would be
OF any substantial benefit in retarding
consideration or the Dill.
Strong Fight Ahead.
1t is now admitted by the anti-silver
men that the bill must ultimately 20 to
the coinage committee, and it is the
purpose to make strong fight there.
For the reason that the bill was not to-
day referred TO the committee, there
Will be no meeting before the house
meets, for there will be nothing before
the committee for it's action. The silver
men think that there will be no loss of
ground by this delay, as it is extremely
doubtful. in view of the number OF alb
sentees. whether they could secure the
presence of voting quorum in commit
tee to make it.
There has been some talk of postpon-
ing from Thursday until Friday the
order for suspension day. 1t is argued
that the change will insure the attend
ance of larger number of representa-
tveS. The Sergeant-at-armS today sent
out nlnety-Seven kilograms to absent
members urging their speedy return to
Washington; and number of others
are believed to be OH the way. With
this question the committee on rules, or,
at least the Democratic contingent, will
probably deal.
Pierce Is Put Out. :
Representative Culberson, the chair
man of the Judiciary committee, has
discounted his free silver friends by
his statement that the senate bill would
destroy the legal tender character of the
treasury notes issued under the terms
of the act of 1890, which the bill repeats.
The result of that declaration has been
to create division among the free sill
yer men. A number of them, including
E,,tI
sons opinion, and believe that the bin
will have to be amended to cure the de-
feet. u
Even so ultra an advocate as Mr.. Pierce
takes this view, but he is very much
put out that Mr.. Bland should have
made the statement in advance of the
consideration of the bill in committee,
as he thinks it will tend to strengthen
the opposition. On the other hand,
large number, probably a majority of
the Democrats. :and no incOnsiderable
number of Republicans, take ISSUE with
Chairman CulberSon's view, and hold
than the bill does not in any way affect
the legal tender character of the treas
ury note.
The Notes Are Contracts
There are many different methods of
reasoning by which they arrive at this
SoA>AooiOhs ONo VI t1C
simplest and clearest is stated by dis
tinguished Democratic senator, who
says that congress can do nothing to i'm
pair a contract already existing, and
that the notes show on their face they
are contracts, pure and simple. A large
number of Republicans take the position
that the act could not be made retro
active, and therefore no amendment is
necessary.
These opinions do not satisfy Mr..
Bland, who is evidently under the sus-
picion that his political enemies are
digging pit for his feet by facilitating
the passage of bill which the presi-
dent might veto without committing
himself. upon the merits of the silver
question. A Democratic member of the
committee on rules, who takes issue
with Mr.. Bland, said to this objection
that the president would not veto the
bill upon any such indirect ground as a
possible legal construction of one of its
provisions, but with his usual direct
ness, would stamp it with his disap-
prevail because it was free coinage
bill.
The broaching of this legal question
has had the effect to cause some mem
bers to talk of referring that feature of
the bill to the judiciary committee for
examination and report, but it is prob
able that this will come to nothing, and
the coinage committee will be left 10