The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-02-11
|FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS,
THE SILVER ISSUE IN THE HOUSE
DEFINED.
BANDS Free Coinage Bill Will be Fav
orably Reported by the Committee To-
day-The Agricultural Depression
to be Investigated.

been defined, and the Bland free coin
age bill will be ordered favorably re-
ported to the House by the committee
on coinage, weights and measures to-
morrow morning. This has been
formally decided upon by the free
coinage members of the committee.
AS result of the series of conferences
of the free coinage men which
closed today it has been determined
not only that the Bland bill shall be
tomorrow ordered favorably reported,
but that speedy consideration of
this measure shall be forced in the
House. The men who decided to
vote in the committee as unit for the
| Bland bill tomorrow and who will
promptly vote down all amendments
offered by he opposition are Bland of
Missouri, Pierce of Tennessee, Roberts
of Louisiana, Kilgore Of Texas, Eppes
of Virginia, Williams of Ohio, Bar
| tine of Nevada and McKeighan of
Nebraska.
AS there are but thirteen members
of the committee these eight gentle
men will have their own way. The
free coinage men claim tonight that of
| the 332 members of the House they
will have 200 votes in favor of the
| Bland bill.
Ten or eleven of these, they say,
will be republicans and the remain
| der democrats. Of the opponents to
| free coinage, about 40 will come from
| the democratic side.
"The bill introduced by me and
which the majority of the committee
will tomorrow order to be favorably
reportedu said Bland tonight, "is
different from all other bills intro
duced in one particular. 1t contem-
plates in addition TO absolute free
coinage, the converting of all our sill
yer money, silver certificates and
treasury notes, issued on bullion, and
gold certificates, issued on gold,
into coin notes, releemable in
coin, thus converting our pa
per into bimetal paper in
stead of keeping up the destitution
between gold and silver in our paper
issues. This conforms to the idea
of coming bimetals on an equality
with gold and silver. The free coin
notes are redeemable in coin and of
course in whatever coin it may be
most convenient for the mint to re-
deem them in. The bill also differs
from any other bill that has been in
troduced in providing that when
France may resume the free and un-
limited coinage of silver at the pres
ent ratio Is 1-2 to l and the president
makes proclamation to that effect
that the ratio shall then become ou1
ratio and our coin conform oft.
THE SENATE.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-Adverse re-
ports were made by Senator Morrill,
from the finance committee, on the fol-
lowing bills:
To provide free coinage of gold and
silver bullion; by Senator Stewart.
To increase the circulating medium
by issuing treasury notes, based on
gold and silver coin and bullion; by
Senator PETER.
The retirement of national bank
notes, the free coinage of silver and
the promotion of the International free
coinage of silver; by Senator Plumb
Making certain issues of money a
full legal tender in payment of all
debts; by Senator Kyles.
Loan of money to the farmers of In
diana; by Senator PETER.
The first three bills with adverse
reports were placed on the calendar
and the last two indefinitely post
poned.
Squires reported back the Senate
bill appropriating $300,000 for a mon
ument to General Grant on the ground
belonging to the government in
Washington to the calendar.
Sherman introduced bill to pro-
hibit the coming of Chinese persons
into the United States, and it was re.
ferred to the committee on finance.
| Without disposing of the subject a
short executive session was held, and
then at 3 o'clock. on motion of Harris,
the business of the Senate was sus-
pended in order that a fitting tribute
might be paid to the memory of
Leonidas G. Houk, the late represen-
tative from the state of Tennessee.
Remarks in eulogy of the deceased
were made by Harris, Sherman, Cul-
lom, Gallinger, Higgins and Bate.
The usual resolutions of coincidence
were adopted, and then the Senate,
as further mark of respect, ad-
ljourned.
| THE HOUSE.
Mr.. McMillin of Tennessee, from the
committee on rules, reported back the
Mutchler resoluti, IN, directing the
committee on banking and currency
to make an inquiry as to the failure of
the Keystone and Spring Garden
banks of Philadelphia.
Mr.. O'Neill of Massachusetts offered
an amendment extending the inquiry
to include the failure of the Maverick
bank of Boston. Agreed to. Several
other banking resolutions were offered
and referred.
Mr.. Outhwaite of Ohio, from the
committee on military affairs, report
ed back the bill authorizing details of
army officers for special duty at the
Worlds fair.
Mr.. Gibson of Louisiana, introduced
a joint resolution for the appointment
of comission of five senators, seven
representatives and three experts to
be selected by and associated with
the senators and representatives to
| (take evidence and inquire into the
depressed condition of the agricultu-