The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-27
t ACCOMPl|SHES NOTHING.
The Caucus Held in Washington TO
Sidetrack the Silver
Question.
Brave Bland Still Demands That the
White Metal SCENE
justice.
And Moves That on March ~ il
Shall he CONSid-
cred.

WAsHINGToT. Feb. ~ The demo
cratic members of the house met in con
ference tonight pursuant 10 the call
issued by Representatives Holman, char
man OF the caucus, for the purpose of
considering the following resolutions
which are now published as submitted
TO the caucus, having been revised since
the request for the call Was circulated by
Hartcr of Ohio:
ResOired That we are in favor of the
continued use Of both gold and silver as
money, and that we are unalterably op-
posed to legislation which will drive
either metal out of general circulation
RcSOtced, That in justice to the demo
cratic party and with due consideration
for the general business industrial and
financial interests of the nation We deem
At the duty Of the democratic members
of the Filty-second congress TO defer any
definite action on the subject Of free
coinage until the question Of lis wisdom
and justice is distinctly made in the
elections of 1892.
Tho call continues: We ask you fur
thcr to invite the democratic members Of
1t was a wet. uisarra night for
the cancus. or conference as it was call
ed. and members came 10 the capitol
rather slowly, 80 that it Was 5 o'clock in
stead of 7:.}U when Chairman Holman
called the caucus to order At that
time many more members had arrived and
the caucus was well attended.
If tlartpr thought the invitation to
., 10, ,l
be generally accepted he was mistaken,
for Butler of South Carolina was the
only senator present \ number Of lead
ing democratic senators were asked dur
ing the day if they inrcndrd to attcr d
the conference. Al declared that they
would not do 81 and that thcf bad
enough to occupy them with atTaus on
/ their SIDE OF the capitol. llartcr Of Oh o
/ opened the proceedings with speech IN
! which hr stated the object hr had n
view when he circulated the call for tine
caucus. In accordance with the pre-
gram outlined in the conference hctwct II
/ Bland. Pierce. Lanham, Robertson and
other earnest free silver men. the question
was put to the auti's whether or
not they would agree IT, be bound by
( caucus proceedings. After some little
tlStuFSiblI II NpS tGlt''l ltlul tli' ''ii
| ference should not be regarded as bind
ing upon any one and that members
should be free to vote rs they choose, H.
stating the object 0i the caucus iiartcr
made speech against the ACCESSIBILITY
of passing the free coinage bill.
Bland Of Missouri. then offered IA resO-
luton instructing the committee ON
rules to bring in "A special order fixing
- q,
bill should be taken up. discussed and
kept up before the house until finally
acted on. Against this resolution War
ner, of New York. raised Il point Of order
claiming that under the call in response
to which members were present the reso
luton could not be considered The
point of order was promptly Oyerruled.
Speeches were made by Bland, Bryan,
of Nebraska, Fowler of New Jersey, and
Hooker of Mississippi in favor of the
Bland resolution. Williams Of Massa-
chusetts spoke in opposition of the resD-
luton, declaring disaster to the demo
cratic party in the east. Wilcox of Con
necticut, Lynch of Wisconsin, English of
New Jersey and Mckinney of New
Hampshire made speeches against the
resolution.
The debate grew somewhat tiresome.
and as it was evident any conclusion
reached would not be binding, members
were in favor Of adjournment. Oates OF
| Alabama, free coinage man, therefore
moved to adjourn. A split occurred
among the free coinage men over the mo
ton to adjourn, some favoring the eau
Gus adoption of the Bland resolution. 1t
was, however. finally decided to adjourn,
to 50. The result of the caucus seems
to be that the silver question is left just
about where 1T was before the caucus
was called.
This leaves the matter with the rules
committee to decide whether or not a
special order shall be brought in. Mem
bers of the committee have assured sil,
yer men such order will be made, and
then all members of the house are free
to vote as they see fit on the adoption Of
the report of the rules committee.