The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-14

that the committee would report a free
coinage bill. but he saw no necessity for
adopting such a resolution at the first
committee meeting. Bartine of Nevada.
leader OF the Republican free coinage sill
yer men in the last congress, said he was
as heartily in favor of free coinage as anv
man, but 1t was the first meeting of the
committee, and two members opposed TO
free coinage were absent. Ii might look
IKE snap Judgment TO pass the resolution.
Williams of Massachusetts protested
against the resolution in a long speech.
lie warned the majority that if they sin
cerely believed they had Just cause.
nasty and oppressive methods in
forwarding that cause would be the
oest argument that could be used
against them and against their cause.
stone OF Pennsylvania opposed the reso-
luton as being verdict taken before any
evidence had been put in Epes of Vir-
gina said he had been elected on silver
Platform, but did not wish to have the
question forced until he had little more
hght. Robertson of Louisiana came out
strongly for free coinage and against un-
necessary delay but thought the resolu-
ton should not be adopted Just vet. Chair
man Bland thought the resolution might
go over. but suggested that a change in
form might make it unobjectionabie. He
suggested that the resolution might be
modifled so as to simply announce it to be
the purpose of the committee to take up
the tree coinage question at once. No op-
position was manifested to this modifica
tion
Pierce finally withdrew his resolution
for the present, and by common consent
the subject went over until the next meet
ing. The meeting closed after Williams
had brought the attention of the COM
mlttee to the question of the adoption of
the metric system. Bland proposed to re-
fer the subject to a subcommittee, and
this will be done.
The sentiment OF the committee appears
to be adverse to any prolonged hearings
that will prevent consideration of the sub
Ject by the House until next session, at all
events, though the members are willing to
hear arguments to the point and not of
unusual length. The roll call showed ten
out of the thirteen members present, the
absentees being Tracy, Democrat, of New
York; Taylor, Republican. of Illinois; Nc
Keighan, Independent, of Nebraska. After
the meeting, Chairman Bland said to an
Associated Press reporter:
There is no doubt that the sense of the COM
mittee is in favor of a free coinage bill The
resolution which Pierce today introduced was
merely to test the sense of the committee upon
the silver question. There is evidently ma
lorlty OF the committee favorable to the resou-
ton, but we thought there should be fair op-
portunity for full discussion.
Do you think that the resolution for free
coinage bill will be adopted?
think the temper OF the committee is to take
up the subject without delay and report free
coinage bill to the House at an early date.
Will the bill be strictly coinage bill, or will
coinage be limited to the American product?
There will be no American product about it or
any other limitations. 1t will be general free
coinage bill, and in my opinion such bill will
pass the House.
The action of the committee has sud-
denly revived the movement of prominent
Democrats for joint caucus to determine
the policy to be adopted by the party on
this prominent issue.