Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-26
CAUCUS ON SILVER.
Democrats in Congress Talk
the Matter Over.
FREE OOINERs HAVE THE MAJORITY

But the Caucus Reaches No Decision and
Adjourns After Long Debate-Gen.
Dyrenfurth, the Rainmaker, Reports
the Success of His Experim ents-The
Scheme of Practical yalue-A Senate
Committee Agrees n Favorable Re-
port as to Popular Election of Sem
ators.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-The unusual in
terest manifested in the silver question as
party issue was evidenced last night by
the large attendance of Democratic mem
bers of the house who attended the caucus.
OF the 236 Democratic members of the
lower house fully $50 were present. The
Democratic senators had also been invited
to attend, but Senator Butler, of South
Carolina, was the single representative OF
his party colleagues. The caucus was
called 10 order at O'Clock by Holman, and
after the call had been read Bland submit.
ted a substitute resolution providing that
the Democratic members on rules be in.
structed TO bring in a resolution setting
apart time not later.than March % for the
continuous consideration of the Bland free
coinage bill, until final action.
The call for the caucus stated that it was
for the purpose of considering two resolu.
tions stating that the Democratic mem.
bers were in favor of the continued use OF
gold and silver as money, and were op.
posed to any legislation which would drive
either metal out of circulation, and that
the Democratic members, with due con-
sideration for the general business of the
country, deemed it their duty to defer any
definite action on the subject of free coin.
age until after the elections of 1892 Hartef
of Ohio Immediately raised point OF
order against BANDS resolution on the
ground that only the resolutions to dis
cuss which the caucus was called could be
considered.
Harter Ovcrruled and Another Point
Holman Overruled Harter's point of on
der, holding that anything connected with
the silver question was admissible. War.
ner of New York then raised another point
of order against the Bland resolution. He
held that it was not germane to the pur.
pose for which the caucus was called. The
discussion then took the form of general
debate on the silver question, the good OF
the party being the burden of the larger
number of speeches made Bland indulg.
ed in some criticism of Harter's course in
endeavOring to sidetrack the free coinage
bill, and urged the adoption of his resolu.
ton of instruction to the committee on
rules.
Holman Wants to Hear Argument.
Holman expressed desire to hear de-
bate on the point of order, and Bland was
recognized after the caucus had decided
to limit the time of speakers to five min
utes each. Bland contended that his reso-
luton was perfectly proper and should be
put to fair vote. The members were
there, he said, to do what the majority
thought to be best for the party, and he
hoped the resolution would be adopted
The point of order was overruled, and no
appeal was taken from the decision,
Pierce of Tennessee made strong appeal
from political standpoint in favor of the
resolution.
Talked for Two Hours.
The debate ran on for two hours Fowler
commended that New Jersey would be safer
for the Democracy with free coinage
plank in the platform. Williams of Massa.
chusetts led the assault on the Bland res
olution declaring that action of the kind
proposed meant disaster to the Democracy,
and Wilcox of Connecticut, Herbert of
Alabama, Mckinney of New Hampshire
and English of New Jersey supporte1
Williams.
Adjourned without Action.
Finally Oates of Alabama obtained recog-
milton, and said that it was obvious that
the free coinage men were in the majority,
but that no results could be had because
the ants would not be bound by caucus
action. He therefore moved that the caucus
adjourn. The question was put, and
Pierce of Tennessee, Bland's principal lieu
tenant in the coinage committee, called
for the yeas and nays, but almost immedi-
ately withdrew it. A standing ballot was
then taken, and the caucus adjourned sine
die by vote Of so 70 50, many free coinage
men voting for adjournment.
RAIM-MAKING EXPERIMENTS.