Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-24

What 1t win DO in Case of Obstruction
Three Weeks Discussion of Springer's
Tariff Bill ProbabIe-Estimate on the
Chances of the Passage of Bland's Bill
A Report on Salt and Tin Plate Draw
baeks-CapitaI City Notes.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24-The question
whether the tariff bills or the silver bill
shall be disposed of in the house first has
been the subject of much discussion
among the Democrats The silver men,
1t is said. viii not oppose the giving of the
precedence to the tariff measure, provided
too much time is not occupied, and that
the tariff is not used as means of side
tracking the silver bill The tariff men
claim that no such idea is entertained by
them, and an easy and early settlement of
the conflicting claims of tariff and silver
is looked for.
BANDS Bill Must Bide It's Time.
1t Is quite probable that the free silver
bill will come before the house immedi-
ately after the passage of the wool bill,
which Springer has reported from the ways
and means committee Speaker Crisp was
unable to reach the capital yesterday, and
no meeting of the committee on rules will
the committee is opposed to pushing the
silver question ahead of the tariff. What
ever course is adopted will be decided by
the vote of the three Democratic members
of the committee on rules. They will not
allow the Republicans on the committee
to give the decisive votes through division
in the Democratic ranks.
Three Weeks on Free Wool.
The expectation of the members of the
committee on rules is that general debate
on the free wool measure will run alorC
for two or three weeks. and that after ii
short debate under the five-minute rule it
will pass The tariff issue having thus
been made, the committee Will report
rule for the consideration of the silver
bill. If the opponents of free coinage at
tempt to prevent a vote by filibustering
the committee on rules will bring in a
special order providing for vote at a Civ
en- time, and Speaker Crisp, with his sym
pathy for free coinage, would enforce the
order III such way as to put a stop to
delay.
Bynum will not obstruct.
Bland, the champion of the bill, says
that it will undoubtedly pass the house by
a clear majority, but does not give the
figures. Bynum of Indiana has aband-
of the measure until December The local
feeling in Indiana is in favor of free coin
age, and Bynum is disposed to respect it
sufficiently to vote for immediate consid-
Grafton and the passage of a free coinage
bill His estimate of the opposition in
both parties is $50 votes. which would
leave lS2 i'll favor of free coinage. 1t will
not be surprising, however. if there are
sixteen more members who are opposed to
action at this time and will so vote.
Prospects in the Senate.
Those who fear that a free coinage bill
will pass the house are discussing the
probability of its passage by the senate
The Republican vote for free coinage viii
probably be considerably narrowed in com.
parisou with the vote of last winter. The
Republican votes which are considered sure
for free coinage are those of Cameron Of
Pennsylvania. Dubois and Shoup of Idaho,
Jones and Stewart of Nevada, Mitchell Of
Oregon. Power and Sanders of Montana,
Stanford Of California, Teller and Wolcott
of Colorado-eleven in all. This leaves
thirty-eight Republicans opposed to free
coinage.
Democratic Opposition.
The Democrats who oppose free coinage
are Blodgett of New Jersey, Brice Of
Ohio, Carlisle of kentucky, Gray of Del
aware. Mcpherson of New Jersey, Pal
mer of Illinois, and Villas of Wisconsin,
seven in all. This does not include Sena-
tor Hill, of New York, whose position no
body pretends to know, nor German Of
Maryland, who would like to see the ques-
ton thrust aside, but will probably vote
for free coinage. The seven Democrats
who are sure to oppose the bill are.enough
with thirty-eight Republicans to defeat ii
by a majority Of two.