Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-02-26
THE HOUSE MEMBERS
MayVote as They Please
on Silver.
ARTIFICIAL RAIN MAKING
Report Does Not Indicate That Much
II Has Been Accomplished.


tercst manifested in the silver question as
u party issue was evidenced last night by
the large attendance Of Democratic mem.
bers of the house who attended the caucus
| of the majority, which took place in the
hail of the house. Of the 2}6 Demo.
! cratic members Of the lower house,
fully $50 were present. The Democratic
| senators had also been invited Ia attend,
but Senator Butler OF South Carolina was
! the single representative of his party col.
| leagues
The caucus was called To order at S
o'clock by Mr.. Holman, the chairman of
Democratic conferences, and after tho call
had been read Mr. Bland submitted sub
sttute resolution providing that Demo
cratic members of the committee on rules
he instructed to bring in IA resolution set.
ting apart time, not later than March
%, for the continuous consideration of the
Bland free coinage bill until final action.
The call for the caucus stated that il
was for the purpose OF considering two
rcsOlutions, stating that Democratic mem
beiy were i'm favor of the continued use of
gold and silver rs money. and were op-
posed 10 any legislation which would
drive either metal ont of circulation. and
that the Democratic members. with due
consideration for the general business Of
the country, deemed 1t their duty to
Defer Any Definite Action
OH the subject of free coinage until after
the elcc ton OF 1892
Mr.. Ilarter Of Ohio, VINO circulated the
petition for the caucus Immediately
raised point Of order against Mr. Bland's
resolution, on the ground that only the re-
solutions for which the caucus WAS called
to discuss, could be Considered He
urged his fellow members not to take any
hasty action on so important a matter,
one OF such vital interest to the party, and
hoped that the Bland resolution would
not not be permitted to have precedence.
Chairman Holman overruled Mr. Har-
ter's point of order, holding that anything
connected with the silver question was
admissible
Mr.. Warner then raised another point OF
order against the bill and resolution He
held that it was not germane to the pur-
pose for which the caucus was called.
Mr.. Holman expressed desire 10 hear
debate on the point cf order, and Mr..
Bland was recognized after the caucus
had decided TO limit the time OF speakers
TO five minutes each.
Mr.. Bland contendcd that his resolution
was perfectly proper ana
should Be Pat to Vote.
The members were there, he said, to do
what the majority thought 10 be best for
the party, aud he hoped the resolution
would be adopted ~. The point OF order was
ovcrruled and no appeal was taken from
the decision The discussion then took
the form OF general debate on the silver
question. the good of the party being the
bur.en of the larger number Of speeches
made.
Mr.. Bland indulged in some criticism of
Mr.. iIartcr's course in rnjcavoring TO
side track the free coinage bill and urged
the adoption Of bis resolution of instruc.
tion TO the committee on rules. Speeches
were also made by Messrs. Bryan, Fowler
and Hooker In favor of Mr.. BANDS rcso.
luton.
Mr.. Pierce made strong appeal from a
political standpoint in favor OF the 1880
luton. lie contended that Mr.. Cleveland
was elected president when he Il ad lib
cral silver plank in his platform, while In
1855, when he ran In opposition TO free
coinage, he was defeated. Mr.. Fowler
contended that New Jersey would be
stronger to the Democracy. with a free
silver plank in the next national plat
form, and that II such a plank were Ia.
serted the state would go Democratic by
an increased majority.
Mr.. Williams of Massachusetts, "A mem
ber Of the committee on coinage weights
aud measures, led the assault OH the reso-
luton, contending that the passage Of u
free coinage bill
Meant Political Disaster
to the Democratic party in the east.
Messrs Wilcox Of Connecticut, Herbert
Of Alabama, Mckinney Of New Hamp-
shire and English of New Jersey, sup
ported Mr.. Williams IN bis stand. Most Of
the speeches of the anti-fr coinage men
were protests against the free cJ' lagc bill,
based on the belief that 1t wouli cause dis
ruption in the party and bring ignoininious
defeat In thc uraj general election. Sew
eral ol the aniis stated that they would
not I've bound b. any action the caucus
might take in the ~ ,tter
The discussion continued for two hours
and then Mr. Oates obtaining recogni-
tion, said j, was obvious TINT tho free
coinage iucu N,rc In the ma jorty, but
that nJ1c- | ponld bc tipi because the
au,i~ v"uid me- ~ hound 10y caucus ac-
tiou H. 81, r,.irir. Wuyed that the eau.
Gus al journ
The question was put, anil Mr.. Pierce,
Mr. Bland's principal lieutenant on the
coinage committee. called for the yeas and
nays, but almost Immediately withdrew
Il. A standing ballot was then taken and
the caucus adjourned sine die by vote of
30 to IS, many free coinsge men voting for
adjournment.