Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-11

1 OIHkR NATIONAL BANK FAILURES An "'H
MANS PRESIDENTIAL AsPIRATIoSs-IF FoRcEI
TO 1T SENATOR HILL WILL VOTE FOB IHf
BLAND BILL
The committee on agriculture has tempo
rarily suspended operations on the anti-option
bill and it will be several days yet before they
again take it up. They laid the matter aside
Immediately after the closing Of the hearings
more than a week ago. and since have been
waiting for the printed testimony. This sesti-
mony is now in type and will probably be
ready to submit to the members Of the commit
tee within day two. There is great mass OF
and it will take some time for the committee to
read 1t over and make up their minds as to
what action on their part is desirable They
have concluded already that the Hatch bill
must be amended in some parts, Mr.. Hatch
| himself being in favor of that. The various
exchanges in New York aud other large cities
have made suggestions for amendments to the
! bill, some of which will be adopted. The
most earnest advocates Of the measure acknowl-
edge that there is considerable danger IN going
too far while attempting to correct an evil
They profess to have no desire to Interfere with
any sort of legitimate business. ard agree that
transactions In futures may be entirely legitl-
mate They propose to 50 amend the Dill as TO
make it effective. if possible. to stop the gam
futures. The phraseology Of the measure which
will accomplish this has not vet boon decided
upon, and it will probably give the committee
great deal of trouble. One thing that may be
relied upon is that the committee will do their
best to correct anything in the bill which might
interfere with legitimate business, though, In
endeavoring to do this, they might detract
from the effectiveness Of the measure.
INVESTIGATING BANK FAILURES.
The banking and currency committee has
never yet done anything in connection with the
Investigation Of the Keystone and other national
bank failures which authorized by the
House. MIR. Mutchler has been ready to pro-
coed with the investigation at any time and the
greater part of the testimony is easily accessi-
bic, but the chairman of the committee, Mr..
Bacon, has been in poor health and has been in
Florida for about two weeks. He is expected
back today to take part in the meeting of his
committee to hear an argument by Repre-
sentative Walker of Massachusetts, in favor of
his general banking bill 1t is expected that
Mr.. Bacon will be able to take hold of the work
OF the committee again now and that the in
yestigation will be begun within a few days
Some very interesting disclosures are expected
to result from this Investigation, and if nothing
else comes Of it it will probably lead to some
| amendments to the laws regulating national
| banks which will perfect the system of govern
ment scrutiny and control 80 as to make the
long continuation of peculations and frauds
more difficult than at present. There may be
| some attempt made to get political capital ont
of the Keystone failure, but the question ID one
OF too much seriousness to admit of much side
play OF that sort The number of bank failures
during the past twelve months has been so large
and some Of them of such serious character that
1t Is felt to be matter of the greatest i'm
portance that the controller of the currency
should be empowered to exercise closer super
vision over the banks.
HoLMAN's PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS
The illness which Judge Holman has been
suffering from is not Of q serious nature at all.
and, In fact, amounts to no more than a slight
indisposition, which his age warrants him in
attending to. Mr.. Holman is past seventy
years old and is not as strong he was a few
years ago, but be is still q very active man and
his ambition ID vet unsatisfied. 1t is not gen.
orally known, but Mr.. Holman has presidential
aspirations which he has suddenly come to the
conclusion may be gratlfied. In other words,
he is q candidate for the presidential nominal
ton. and his friends are at work trying to
secure for him the support Of the Indiana dele
cation. He has made no public declaration on
the subject, but some of his intimate friends in
Congress know what his hopes are and expect
to see his name 60 before the Chicago conyen-
ton.
HILL AND FREE SILVER
Certain OF the ti-Hill men under the leader
ship of the uncomfortable Mr. Harter of Ohio
| are trying to make it very uncomfortable for
Mr.. Hill by forcing from him utterances on
public questions which might injure his
chances for the presidency. The open letter
| which Mr.. Harter published yesterday morning,
| challenging the expression of opinion from the
| New York Senator on the silver question, failed
| to elicit the response desired and is regarded
by Mr.. Hill as very great impertinence. AT
| the same time the question there propounded
| Is one which q very large number of active
democratic politicians would like Mr.. Hill to
| answer. None but Mr.. Harter has had the
| temerIty to put the question directly, but q
great many have sought information from men
| who are known to be closely associated with
Mr.. Hill The responses from these gentlemen
have been varied and contradictory. There Is
| excellent authority for the statement that il
| compelled to face the question in the Senate
Mr.. Hill will vote for the Bland bill. But
| II Is probable that in this matter he
| Is trying to keep in touch with pre-
/ vailing popular sentiment, and his vote will
| depend upon what that sentiment seems to be
/ when the bill comes before the Senate The
radical silver men are not disposed to be too
exactng. and the effect of his not fav oring free
| coinage would not weigh much in the balance
| against him If they could receive some assur-
ance that, though opposed TO the measure, he
| would not. II President, veto free Coinage
bill which bad the approval of the democratic
party in Congress. There have been some
| soundings made and some Of Mr.. Hills friends
| declare that he would not veto any measure in
| volving principle approved by democratic
/ House and a democratic Senate. The silver
/ men would be psrfectly content with a pledge
| to his effect from Mr.. Hill, even If he should
/ vote against the Bland bill when ii reaches thu
Senate.