Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-14
A FREE SILVER CROWD.
COMPLEXION OF THE HOUSE COIN
AGE COMMITTEE.
A Large Majority in Favor of Reporting
Bill for Free and Unlimited Coinage
of Silver at the Earliest Convenient
Moment.

WAsHINGToN, Jan. 13.-Immediately
after the house committee on coinage,
weights and measures effected organza-
tion this morning, Pierce, of Tennessee,
offered resolution to report free silver
bill without delay. The discussion that
arose on the resolution showed that the
committee is free coinage committee,
though both free silver men and anti
free silver men opposed the adoption of
the resolution on the ground that it was
too precipitate. The resolution is as
follows:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
this committee that bill for the free
and unlimited coinage of silver should
be reported to the house without de-
lay"
The resolution was unexpected by
most of the other members of the COM
mittee and WAS rather irregular; but it
had the desired effect OF pressing the
question to the front. Kilgore, of
Texas, said he had no doubt the COM
mittee would report a free coinage bill,
but he saw no necessity tor adopting such
resolution at the first committee meet
ing.
Bartine, leader of the Republican
silver men in the last congress, said he
was heartily in favor of free coinage as
any man, but as it was the first meeting
of the committee and two members op-
posed to free coinage were absent it
looked like snap judgment to pass the
resolution.
Williams of Massachusetts protested
against the resolution in quite long
speech. He warned the majority that
if they sincerely believed they had
just cause, hasty and oppressive meth
DDS in forwarding that cause would be
the best argument that could be used
against them and against their cause.
Stone of Pennsylvania opposed the
resolution as being verdict taken be-
fore any evidence was put in. He said
he was elected on free silver platform,
but did not wish to have the question
forced until he had little more light.
Robertson of Louisiana came out
strongly for free coinage and against
unnecessary delay, but thought the
resolution should not be adopted Just
yet.
Chairman Bland also thought the
resolution might 60 over, but suggested
that change in its form might make
it unobjectionable. He thought it
should be modified go as to simply aii-
nounce it to be the purpose of the COM
mittee to take up the coinage question
at once. No opposition was manifested
to this modification.
Pierce finally withdrew his resolution
for the present, and by common con-
nr.f bn
meeting.
The meeting closed after Williams
brought to the attention of the com
mittee the question of the adoption OF
the metric system. Bland proposed to
refer the subject to subcommittee,
and this will be done.
The sentiment of the committee seems
to be averse to any prolonged hearings
that will prevent consideration of the
subject by the house till the session is
well advanced, though the members are
willing to hear arguments to the point
and not unusually lengthy.
The roll call showed that ten out of
thirteen members were present, the ab-
sentees being: Tracy (Dem.), New
York; Taylor (Rep.), Illinois; McKeig-
han (Ind.), Nebraska.
After the meeting Chairman Bland
said to an Associated Press reporter:
"There is no doubt that the senee OF the
committee is in favor of a free coinage
bill. The resolution which Pierce today
introduced was merely to test the sense
Of the committee upon the silver ques-
tion. There is evidently majority of
the committee favorable to the resolu-
ton, but we thought there should be
fair opportunity for full discussion.
"You think resolution for Tree
coinage bill will be adopted? ?"
II think the temper of the committee
is to take up the subject without delay,
and report free coinage bill to the
house at an early date"
"Will the bill be strictly free coin
age bill, or will coinage be limited to
American product?"
There will be no American product
about it, .or any other limitations;
it will be general free coinage bill.