The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-06

Every oouJ III tHo HOUSE THIS morning
was discussing the prospects of the sill.
yer bill. 1t is clear that Representative
Cn.cerson, chairman OF tie judiciary
committee, has discounted his free sill
yer friends by his statement that the
Senate bill would destroy the legal
tender character Of the treasury notes
issued under the terms of the act of
1890, which the hill repeats. The result
OF that declaration has been to create a
division among free silver men. A
number OF them, including Bland him.
self, accepts Culberson's opinion and
believe that the bill will have to be-
amended to cure the defect.
Even so ultra an advocate as Pierce
takes this view, but he is very much
put out that Bland should have made
this statement in advance of the con-
sideration Of the bill in the committee.
as he thinks it will tend to strengthen
the opposition. On the other hand n
large number, probably q majority, of
the Democrats and no inconsiderable
number of Republicans take issue with
Culberson's view and hold that the bill
does not, in any way, affect tho legal
tender character of the Treasury notes.
There are many different methods of
reasoning by which they arrive at this
conclusion, but probably one Of the SIM
plest and clearest is that stated by
distinguished Democratic Senator, who
says that Congress can do nothing to
impair the contract already existing,
and that rs tho notes show on their
face, they are contracts pure and simple.
largo number of Republicans take
the position that the act could not be
made retroactive, and that, therefore,
no amendment is necessary. These
opinions do not satisfy Bland, who is
evidently under the suspicion that his
political enemies are digging pit for
his feet by facilitating the passage of
the bill, which the President might veto
without committing himself upon the
merits OF the silver question. Demo-
cratic members of the committee on
rules, who takes issue with Bland, said
as to this objection that the President
would not veto the bill upon any such
indirect ground as possible legal con-
struction OF one of Its provisions, but
with his usual directness, would stamp
it with his disapproval because it was
free coinage bill.
The broaching Of this legal question
has had the effect to cause some mem-
bers to talk Of referring that feature of
the bill to the judiciary committee for
examination and report, but it Is prob
able that this will come to nothing and
that the coinage committee will be left
20 deal with the matter in its own fash
ion. Bland, the chairman, has called q
special meeting OF the committee for to-
morrow at 10 o'clock, and he will try to
force the fighting. Anti.silver Demo.
Gratis will not wait to make the fight in
the committee, but have already begun
TO obstruct the bill by having it referred
to various committees supposed TO be
hostile to tho measure.
They have not been able, as vet. to
get any assurances OF support from the
Republicans and are extremely anxious
as TO the outcome. With the aid OF the
Republicans. in refusal to vote, a
quorum could probably DO broken and
action upon the bill be indie tinitely post
poned.
But the Republicans are maintaining
an air OF reserve and are not giving any
comfort to the anti-silver Democrats.
There has been no conference among
them, but many Of them say this morn
ing that in tho absence of any pro-
gramme they shall vote against the bill
SO as to go on record and will not assist
in any obstructive movement.
An amendment OF tho bill by the
House is not likely to be so serious in
its effects upon tho final passage of the
measure as has been generally supposed
II the present programme OF the silver
men is carried out. They intend to
pass the bill and an amendment, il the
latter is found to be necessary, and send
it back to the Senate with the request
for conference. BY so doing they saw
they will avoid tho danger OF having
the bill smothered in the finance COM
mittee, which is constituted with ma
jority adverse to free silver coinage.
The Senate has rarely refused to accede
to such request and the presumption
is that there would be but one test vote
upon the adoption Of the motion to ac-
cedo to the request OF the House and
that as conference report bill it would
be so privileged as to be sure OF speedy
action.
The committee on rules of the House
did not meet this morning, but will try
to get together tomorrow Catchinrs
says that so far majority OF the COM
mittee has not had any conference re-
speeding the treatment OF tho silver bill
and he is not prepared now to say
whether tho committee will require
petition signed by majority of the
Democrats before they will report
special order for its consideration. He
says that, and the remark may have
some significance, the status OF the bill
is materially different from that OF the
bill reported by the House coinage COM
mittee, in which case q petition was re-
CURED.
There is now pending before tho rules
committee a resolution introduced by
Representative Pierce setting apart
day (left in blank) in July when 1t shall
be in order to move to suspend the rules
of the House and pass any bill. The
ordinary rules of suspension day, which