The Indianapolis journal., 1892-07-10
STARTED ON ITS JOURNEY
Silver Men Launch Their Metal Bark on
the Stormy Seas of the House.
Amendment, and Secures an Order for
Its Consideration This Week.


The Stewart Silver Bill to he Considered
This Week If the Antis VIII Allow It.
WASHINGTON, July 9.-After being in
session about half IN hour this morning,
the coinage committee, by a vote of s to 5.
ordered the Stewart silver bill reported to
the House without amendment. The dis
senting votes were: Tracey, G. F. Will
Jams. Abner Tay lor Stone and Johnston.
Chairman Bland subsequently, reported
the bill to the House without any request
for special order to consider or vote
upon il. but later he introduced resolu-
tion, which was referred to the rules COM
gmittee. making the silver bill special order
for consideration Monday next, TO be con-
tinued until finally disposed OF. During
the afternoon the committee on rules
adopted the following resolution. which
will be reported to the House next w ednes-
day:
That Immediately upon the adoption OF this
or senate bill 81 (the free-cOinage bill), and II
said bill shall not be disposed OF on said day tnen
consideration thereof shall be continued during
the next legislative body.
Should the rule for consideration of the
bill be voted down the advocates OF the
measure will surrender. Should it be
adopted they will expect their opponents
to move that the whole question be post
to postpone Is defeated the snti-silver men
will resort to filibustering motions, and then
the good offices of the committee on rules
will again be invoked to bring In cloture
rule. All the Democrats of that committee
are adverse TO bringing in such
o rule and will do 80 only when they are
absolutely compelled to do SO by force of
circumstances. such as q request from a
majority OF the total Democratic member
ship of the House. The Republicans are
no
question, as Mr.. Pierce of Tennessee. ex-
pressed it to-day. is an unknown quantity.
Ii they see chance of defeating the bill
they will improve 1t, but they will not
agree in advance to help either faction OF
the Democrats.
A careful poll of the House made to-day
by Mr. Williams, of Massachusetts,, con-
vlnces him that If the bill comes to di.
rect vote on its merits it will be defeated
by majority from to 8. but the arrival
of absentees may change this estimate.
The opponents of the bill believe. how
ever that there will be much larger ma
jority against its consideration.
Mr.. Kilgore, of Texas, q member OF the
coinage committee, to-day voted in COM
mittee against demand for the previous
question on motion to report the bill as
1t came from the Senate. he voted In this
way, he says because he believes that the
bill is defective in at least three particulars:
and ought to be amended. The most
important defects are that 1t repeals
the law making about one hundred million
dollars of the treasury notes redeem
able in coin and q legal-tender as WELL"
voted to report the bill without amend
ment Mr.. KilgoIe recorded his vote in the
Affirmative, stating that he had been IN
wiling to take the responsibility of the re-
port of q bill carrying on its face defects
which would justify its veto without refer
ence to the main question"
In the House Mr.. Bland presented q re-
port to accompany the silver bill. In this
report the committee says that whatever
may be the effect of the bill as it relates
to the treasury notes issued under the act
OF July Ia. 1880. which act is repealed by
this bill, there is no diversity of opinion
that the notes are redeemable in coin de-
rived from the coinage of the bullion pur-
chased under the repealed act. The
The notes being, therefore. redeemable In
coin, are necessarily as good as the coin.
| The bill, says this report. prescr,bes rs the
sole reqnirement upon the owner of silver
any mint" and defines the whole
duty of the proper officers as to
his deposit for coinage to be upon
the terms and conditions which are
onass Of These officers s ssUs sfs to oon an
silver into the standard silver dollar au-
thorized by the act of Feb. 23 1878. 1t this
bill should pass silver bullion would be
paid for at the mints. on deposit of the
same. in money appropriated by Congress
and kept there by the Secretary of the
| Treasury, as Is now provided for gold.
The capacity of the nints is limited prac.
tically by appropriations. The mints al
Phlladelphia, New Orleans. San Francisco
and Carson City, are run to their full ca.
pacity, and with two changes of workmen
or shifts day. can coin largely in excess
of all silver bullion produced from the
mines from year to year. Silver certif
| Gates authorized by the act of 1873 and su b.
sequent legislation can be issued on the
COINS provided for in the act OF Oct. IL.