The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-02-27
IT WAS a DRAW
but tho Free silver Mon nrc E1atcd Over
tho Caucus Anyhow.

but tuc frcc Silppr hcn hre EIntcu over
tho Caucus Anyhow.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 20.-The FREQ
coinage men OF tho house feel quite
clated to-day over tho action OF last
nights caucus in refusing to consider
any proposition for tho delay OF FREQ
coinage legislation.
Although tho action OF tho caucus in
so far Us results are concerned may bc
termed draw, tho failure OF Mr.. lfar-
ter and the Other pronounced opponents
OF FREQ coinage TO secure any consider
able support for tho proposition OF
postponement Is great comfort to
Chairman Bland and his FREQ silver
colleagues i'll tho house. They state
with considerable emphasis to-day, and
indeed it is not denied by their oppo.
nents in tho Democratic purity
that tho FREQ coinage men could
have developed sufficient strength
last night to have passed n
resolution expressing tho sentiment
OF tho caucus in favor OF an
early and decisive consideration OF tho
Bland free coinage bill. Mr.. Hartcr
and his friends content themselves by
simply announcing that they will op-
poso the Bland bill by every parlia.
'montary tactic in their power when
it comes up in tho house, and that it
will never pass tho lower branch OF
Congress if the generosity OF tho Dem.
ocratic committee on rules has placed
at their disposal tho parliamentary
weapons OF obstruction necessary to
tire out and weary the friends OF the
measure by weeks OF delay.
The free coinage people openly deride
tho pretensions OF Mr.. Hartcr and his
friends that tho passage of the Bland
bill can be defeated when it comes up
for consideration. The Democratic
members who are opposed to free coin
age will, for the most port, merely con-
tent themselves by recording their
votes against it, and that the visionary
and somewhat belligcrent schemes OF
Mr.. Harter and the eastern Democrats
will not find substantial support in
the Democratic party. They also
insist that should the latter call
to their assistance in their
dilatory tactics the aid of the Repub-
licans OF the house, they will thereby
place themselves outside the pale OF the
Democratic party and show, that in Sc
crct their affiliations arc with the mi
noritv party in the house. Oh course,
the gold men quito vehemcntly protest
against any attempt TO rule them out OF
the Democratic party, and say that the
result ofrall tho discussion will bo that
the Democrats OF the nation will come
| to their senses ere.thc date OF the ma
tional convention, and that no plank
favorins FREQ coinageswill find place in
the platform ut Chicago on the 21st Of
June.
PREPARING TIE PETITION.
Chairman Bland, Representative
Pierce, OF Tennessee, and other leaders
OF free coinage in the house are to-day
compiling and arranging tho petitions,
which are to be presented tomorrow to
the committee on rules asking for a day
to be set for the consideration OF free
coinage bill. These petitions have been
freely circulated on the Democratic side
OF the house and contain the signatures
OF all the friends OF free coinage.
Representative Pierce said to-day he
had no doubt in tho world, from the as.
surances that have been made BY the
speaker and Mr.. McNIillin and Mr..
Catchings, that the committee will re-
port an order to take up the free coinage
bills at'an carly day. II think" said
he, "the bill will be made an order Tor
the latter part OF March or, some time
in April and a date will also be set when
the final vote will be taken on the pas
sagcofthe bill. Solar aswe are concern
ed, We do not ask for more than three
or four days debate, certainly not more
than q week"
Mr.. Bland himself says that weeks
debate will be quite satisfactory to him,
but that the matter which he shall in
sist upon is that final action shall be
taken when tho bill comes up. 1--WE
will pass the bill through the house,
send it to tho senate and then if that
body fails to pass free coinage bill,
the responsibility will rest with it. Our
bill has clear majority OF about forty
votes in the house, SO that there is not
the slightest doubt OF its passage. With
tho ten Republicans who are favorable
to free coinage, we will have about two
hundred and ten votes in favor OF tho
passage OF the bill.
About thirty-tive or forty Democrats
and tho entire Republican party, with
the exception of the ten men mention.
ed, will vote against the bill. A thor
ough canvass has been made and this is
just where We stand and the Tree coin
ugc people OF the country can rest easy
with the assurance that we arc all right
in the house. think that blythe mid
die OF April at latest, our bill will have
passed the house and be in the hands OF
those grave and reverend senators who
have so assiduously strivcn in an indi.
rect way to evade the issue and kill the
bill in the house."
Mr.. rARTER's VIEWS.
Mr.. Harter, OF Ohio, who denies that
he is discouraged by tho result OF last
nights caucus, this evening gave his
view Of the situation as follows:
1.-THE result OF the caucus is pleasing
to the opponents OF FREQ silver. 1t
showed that the strength OF the craze is
not SO great as it was supposed to be
and that returning reason is slowly but
surely reasserting itself. Ii now all
classes OF citizens throughout the coun-
try reach their members OF Congress
here with letters and protests demand
ing that they oppose the Bland bill, or
any other measure giving to metal hay
ing marketayalue OF only seventy
cents alegal tender value of 100 cents,
the ultimate defeat OF the outrageous
demands OF the silver people will be
assured" [.
AS a matter OF fact, it is generally