The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-03-14
THE BLAND Bill
And Its chances Far Consideration in
the Snate.
LOOKS AS THOUGH IT MAY PASS


The Changes in the Senate since
Senator Vests Free Coinagc Bfll
Passed Are Favorable 10 the bland
Bill. Which Would Take the Issue
70 the President.
WASHINGTON, March ALI begins to
look very much as if hepresident would
have to decide before long whether he
win veto freessilver bill OF not. If the
senate committee on finance could speak
the final word, there is no doubt that
the Bland bill, after its receipt from the
house, would sleep the sleep that knows
no waking on the committee files. There
seems to be no possibility of this, how
ever, The President is said to be most
DESTROYS that the bill shall reach him be-
fore the Minneapolis convention meets.
The legislative condition of the silver
question in the senate is such as to rem
der it an easy matter to secure consider
alton for the Bland bill 1t Is true that
the finance committee reported adversely
all the bills referred to Il relating to an
crease of the currency and to free coin
age. But these bills, after they had
been thus reported, were not indefinitely
postponed, but were placed on the cal
endar, where they can be reached at any
time.
Chances OF tho Bland Bill.
As Senator Teller said few days ago:
ut does not make any difference to ms
what kind Of report is submitted II
the bills are on the calen lar" Conse-
quently, when the proper time comes,
and it does not seem that it Is to be very
long delayed, these adversely no
ported measures can be taken up fol
consideration, and if none Of them Is
satisfactory to the silver men, as L
likely to be the case, the Bland bill
from the house, will be substituted.
Can the bill pass the senatel This
question can best be answered BY q care
full review Of the personnel OF the sen
ate.
In January, 1891, after senate had dis
cussed for some days the financial bill
at . caucus Of Republican senators, Sen
ator Vest, of Missouri, suddenly moved
as q substitute free coinage bill, pure
and simple. Confronted with the issue
| in this unexpected way the senators did
not shirk it, but proceeded at once to !
vote. The bill was passed by q vote o.
80 TO ~, with twenty-five senators MOI
voting.
Changes Fayoring Free Coinage.
Since that vote was taken there hav'
| been number of changes In the senate
OF those who voted in the affirmative
Messrs. Hampton, Ingalls,, Mcconnell
| and Reagan are no longer senators
| They have been succeeded respectively
by Messrs. Irby. PETER, Dubois ans
Chiffon. As these new senators will al
1 vote for free coinage there is no loss II
| the affirmative vote by the change
With the negative vote it is different
| Messrs. Edmunds, Evarts, Spooner an(
| Wilson, of Maryland, who voted no, arr
| not now in the senate.
| The successors to Edmunds ani
Spooner, Messrs. Proctor and Villas, vii
1 vote against free coinage. Mr.. Gibson
| of Maryland, differs with his predeces
sor, and viii vote affirmatively. This i
l a gain of one. Evarts' successor is Davil
B. Fill. 1t is confidently predicted By
| the southern senators that Hill will yot.
with them for free coinage. Senator
| Hill himself says he will not cross tn,
bridge until he comes to It.
In brief, on direct vote in thessenate
with every body voting, and with the
| position, Of the senators who voted las
year unchanged, there would be fifty
votes cast for free coinage to thirty
four votes against it, not including
| Senators Hill, Palmer, Perkins anG
Brice, whS are placed in the doubtful
column.