The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-03
FREE SILVER FIGHTING.
AN ADVERSE REPORT FROM TIE
SENATE COMMITTEE.


Favor in the Party and Would Be
Suicidal in the Face of the Coming
Election.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-Ths Senate com
mittee on finance has at last resolved to
grapple with the suit ject Of free coinage Of
silver. At meeting OF the committee this
morning it was decided that the issue had
better be met at once SO that the committee
could not be charged with smothering bills
relating to free coinage. Accordingly it
was resolved that at the meeting next Tues
day the Stewart free coinage bill should be
taken up aud reported to the Senate. There
Is little doubt as to the nature OF the report,
for the discussion this morning showed that
two democratic senator's would probably
join with the republican majority in recon-
mending adverse action upon the bill.
FREE SILVER LOSING GROUND.
The democratic caucus which was to have
been called for Friday evening next has
been abandoned, for the present at least.
The democratic caucus Saturday night
passed resolution increasing TO thirty-fiv g
the number Of signatures necessary to secure
the issuance of a caucus call. Mr.. Harter
otiOhie at first thought of securing the num-
Der of additional signatures thus rendered
necessary, but after consultation decided to
abandon the effort for a caucus, as he be-
lle7es the free silver cause Is losing ground.
DEMOCRATIC OPINION CHANGING.
Mr.. Harter, who was the leading spirit in
circulating the call, to-day said: ~ have
decided not to push the silver caucus for the
reason that democratic opinion is changing
very rapidly, not only upon the wisdom OF
passing a silver bill, but upon the merits of
the question. While last Thursday nine
out of ten men would have predicted that a
free silver bill would pass the House, to-
day / venture to express the opinion that no
bill providing for free and Unlimited coiu-
age OF silver will pass this session. The
most intense, honest and earnest Of the free
silver people recognize the fact that a free
silver plank in the platform would break
the party in twain aud that we would have
to say good by to New England, TO the
middle states and to such states as Wiscon-
sin, illinois, Iowa and Michigan.
WARNED BY THE GERMANS.
Leading German papers in the United
States have served notice upon us that the
German vote in body will leave us on that
issue and 90 to the republicans Altogether,
bhe question presents dangers not before con-
sidered, aud from this time on the active
opposition Of the democratic newspapers
will probably increase. The most inf1u-
entail class OF papers in the party are
now opposed to any action at this session,
and they are being recruited in numbers
and influence every day. Under these cir-
cumstances l bslieve the delay in calling the
caucus will prove that all need of il may
pass long before any danger Of such suicidal
legislation as free coinage makes itself felt.
CAUCUS ACTION EXPECTED.
There will be caucus action, but really
believe we have passed the danger line, and
that no considerable body of men in the
party will take the responsibility of forcing
legislation through the House which will
wreck the party. We expect to sweep the
whole country If fight is made on
the tariff, but it would be hard low to
gather seventy-tive men in the House who
would go upon record as believing demo-
crat can be elected President of the United
States in 1899 upon platform which would
give the citizens Of Colorado 100 cents worth
of property or the services of everybody
else in the land for what is supposed to cost
them less than 14sl cents"
BLAND STICKS TO SILVER.
Mr.. Bland, when told Of the decision to
abandon the proposed caucus and Mr. Har>
ters reason therefor. said: "Mr. Harter
was the chief promoter Of this caucus He
has ascertained to his satisfaction that the
Democratic party cannot be bulldozed by
national bankers nor the money power of
this country, and that if the caucus were
called, he wohld be in woeful minority.
The democrats understand that we are
not proposing to build national platform
here. but simply 80 carry out pledges
to our people. Four-fifths of the democrats
who came here came pledged to free silver.
Instead OF there being change against
free coinage bill the changes are all the
other way. The party sees now that if we
do not pass a free silver bill we will be
stultifying ourselves and our record in the
last congress, and that we will be acting the
part of towards.
WOULD HELP THE REPUBLICANS.
1.-THE Republican party will Scharge that
we are incompetent to pass the legislation
that we are sent hero to pass; that they,
the republicans, dared to pass a bill giving
free coinage to nearly all the American
product. The republicans would step in as
the friends of silver and defeat democratic
members in enough congressional districts
10 give the republicans control of the House.
The Democratic party in 1888 ignored
the silver question in the interest of
President Cleveland, who was known to be
hostile to silver and whose administration
had been against it. The Republican party
in their platform denounced President
Cleveland's administration for his hostility
to silver. They courageously announced
themselves as friends OF silver and beat
President Cleveland in mis- own state, so
that what the democrats got by cowardice
on this question was tbs loss of the presi-
dency and the loss Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives. They were driven from power.
MEANS DEFEAT AGAIN.
eff they again act the part of duplicty on
this question and permit the republicans
again to steal in front Of them, they will
lose not only the presidency but, beyond all
question, the House, which is a more i'm
portant body. This House," said Mr. Bland
in conclusion, decsivelv and earnestly,
twill pass a free coinage bill, and the
country can rest assured Of that"
There has been some talk to the effect
that although the coinage committee would
probably report free silver bill TO the
House, no opportunity would be given for
the bill to come up in the House for action.
The silver men say that they believe
that they can get the bill up without
any special rule. but some consideration has
been given TO the question Of the introduce
ton of resolution requesting the rules
committee TO report special rule making
the silver bill special order and setting
apart time for its consideration. Such a
resolution would have certain special privi-
leges on parliamentary procedure.
THE OUTLOOK.
Special to the Morning Neics
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-The free coinage
bill will probably be reported 70 the House
favorably on Wednesday Of next week, and