New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-08
HE HOUSE FOR SILVER.

The silver wing demonstrates its power TO con-
troll the Democratic party by repeated votes on
more than two to one. 1t has not only passed
the rule fixing an early date for the action on
the Free Coinage bill hut has done this in a
manner so offensive, and with such disregard
of the rights of the Democratic minority, that
intense feeling was aroused Democratic mcm
bers pasSiOnaey denounced the rulings OF the
Speaker and the conduct of the majority as moIe
tvrannical than ANYTHING witnessed in the last
Congress. But with an overwhelming vote at
his back the Speaker pushed through the order
reported by the Committee on Rules. Two APP
peas from his rulings were voted down. the al
tempt to postpone the whole subject until De
cember was defeated. and the order fixing March
30 for consideration of the bill was passed by
1870 yeas to only 81 nays.
The Republicans sen>ibly declined to help the
Democratic factions. Those who have for weeks
been at times beseeching and at times trying to
bully the Republican minority were distinctly
assured that the question should not be post
poned until after the next election by Repub-
lican votes in order to enable Democrats once
more to deceive the people with false pretences
When Mr. Williams, Of Massachusetts, declared
that his party was breaking the pledges by
which it had gained power in the House, and
predicted the loss of host of voters whose aid
had made Democratic success possible. he was
able to rally only sixty-eight Democratic mem
bcis to vote for postponement Of the bill, and
only sixty four to vote against the adoption Of
the order proposed by the committee. Even Of
this small minority a part was composed OF Dem
ccrats who will vote for free coinage of silver,
1 ,toI rha IN
people on this question. Had every Republican
member consented to help them in this endcavor
and voted with the dodgers and the anti silver
Democrats for postponement, there would yet
have been large majority against delay and in
favor Of the rule, and still larger majority IN
favor Of the bill itself. In no sense or degree
therefore, can responsibility rest with Repub-
licans for the action of the House but what they
did was just what they should have done if their
votes had been enough to turn the scale
The Free Silver bill goes into the House and
will 90 through the House, therefore, is dis
tinctivey Democratic measure Something has
been said already Cf the peculiarly objectionable
features Of the bill II il by no means such
measure as the silver Senator's favored in the
last Congress but decidedly more dangerous.
There will be time to discuss it's provisions here
after, but it is important at the very threshold
10 understand that an Overwhelming Democratic
majority. not content with simple provision
for unlimited coinage Of silver insists also upon
changes of the whole. paper circulation which
would be in the striCeSt sense revolutionary IL
is for this extraordinary bill that fully two hun
dred Democratic members show their determina-
ton 10 vote, and Mr.. Reed of Maine, was quite
right in saying that the Republicans had no
occasion to hinder them.
Nobody imagineS that this measure can be-
come law Since this is clearly net the ex-
pectation of Mr.. Bland himself, or OF others who
acted with him, since they know that the bill
is hardly likely TO pass the Senate, at least with
out great changes. and since they are fully aware
that it would meet veto and could not DO
pas,ed over that obstacle. il may well he asked
why such passionate anxiety is shown to record
barren votes for bill so extreme and so dan
cerolls The only answer is to be found in the
desperate position Of Democratic members, who
are menaced in their districts with defeat in
nominating conventions by Democratic rivals,
and yet more seriously menaced in many districts
with defeat at the polls through the efforts OF
Alliance or Peoples party candidates 1t is to
pacate voters at home, to suppress rivals by
paying the demagogue, that members are IN
haste 10 vote for the worst Silver bill yet ffered.
But this only dscoses the enormous preponder
ance within the Democratic party and in the
districts from which its strength must come, OF
a financial lunaty which endangers the honor
and the prosperity OF the country