Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-11
THE SILVER QUESTION.
Mr.. Springer Had No Authority to Speak for
the House.

Mr. Springer Had No Authority to Speak for
the House.
One Of the amable forefathers Of Puritan
persuasion innocently relates that being in
this new country" he discovered a strange
gray-colored fruit az big as half q bushel
measure pendent to q tree, and that when he
piucked it great swarm of singing insects
came from it and gave him great pain by their
vicious attacks
Mr. Springer finds that he has been trying to
pluck some of this same sort of fruit in the
House, and the hornets are sounding their
music about his ears. There is undoubt-
edly q growing sentiment in the House in
favor OF some mutual understanding by
which fight over the silver ques-
ton may be avoided, but it has not
taken any tangible form as yet. Whatever is
done Will not be done in antagonism TO the sill
ver men, but will be with their consent and
chieny by their action. II free coinage agita-
ton is avoided in this Congress it will not be
upon the argument that silver coinage is an evil
70 DC summed. but upon the grounds
tnat there Is another work to be done
Just now which will require about all the at
'ention OF the democratic party until it is dis
posed OF, and that the silver question should
walt TO come up in the order of its importance.
In other words they want to finish saving their
wood before they begin splitting it.
Az TINS time this IS merely a sentiment, the
extent OF which has not been measured, and
no definite policy has been formed. The
speaker being ill. there has been no con-
ference between him and the leaders on
the floor. In time there will prob
aoly DO caucus, and as to tho
general democratic policy in national affairs
leading democrats of both houses will probably
confer. Until that time, it is insisted by those
VINO would naturally lie informed to such
matters, no one can speak for the House with
any authority.
Mr. sPRINdERs WORDS RESENTED.
1t is said that Mr.. Springer may be entirely
correct in his surmise that there will be no free
coinage legislation, but there is a general dis
position among the democrats to resent Mr.
springer speaking as If with authority for the
whole House.
some very good silver men, as well as some
VINO 40 not want an agitation of that question
at THIS time, express the opinion that works are
more 10 the purpose than words, and that the
ways and means committee will abundantly
perform their duty if they buckle down
to 1t and endeavor to present to the House
such tariff measures as will meet with the ap-
Proval OF the popular democratic sentiment.
Inc best way to have the tariff question to the
front they think. is to keep it there by active
work on that subject.
1t Is urged that no one is disposed to discuss
win Mr.. Springer the merit of his PROPOSE
ton, but the implication that that or any other
plan has been decided on by the majority in
tine House Is resented by many men,
bers who are among the best in
formed in party affairs. The silver
men especially are disposed to assume that they
have the interests of their party at heart, and
that they may be relied upon TO do what is right
without being forced. 1t is thought too, TO be
rather early to begin the silver agitation while
the House is still but drifting along and tariff
is still tagging.
1t is considered probable that free coinage
Dill Will get through the House very much
quicker II agltated by the ways and means
committee than it will if left to the committee