Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-17

HENRY WILLARD STILL LABoRrNG WITH SILVER
DEMOCRATS IN THE HoUsE-THE REPUBLICANS
NOT DISPOSED TO ENBsRR.ss THE NEW Ap-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or The SENATE II
NANCE COMMITTEE THIS MORNING.
The anti-silver men profess to be greatly en-
couraged by the present outlook for the repeal
Of the silver-purchasing clause of the Sherman
law. Henry Willard is still here hard at work,
and he appears to be about the best parliament
tary manager who has appeared on that side
OF the question up to date. The
present policy, recently developed. is not to
make any more noise about the matter than
necessary and not to provoke aatagonisms
unnecessarily. 1t is not the desire of Mr..
Cleveland nor of any of those who are now
undertaking the management of the question
to bring the matter mp in the House merely
for demonstration. They do not propose To
try to get consideration fer the repeal bill I'M
less they feel that they have the strength 20
carry it through. Thev do not want TO provoke
lot OF discord and then accomplish nothing. Mr..
Willard has talked with great many members
on the subject since he has beep here and to-
day had another conference vita the Speaker
and the committee ON rules. The only
democratic member of the committee on
rules who is not silver man is
on the other side of the question. but the anti
silver men, well the silver men. feel that
they can get absolutely fair treatment from the
committee. 1t is not likely that a day for the
consideration Of the repeal bill will
be asked for unless there are
enough changes in the silver ranks to make it
reasonably certain that the bill could go
through if vote were had, and there is not
the least probability of cloture rule
being reported from the committee
on rules. This committee have refused
to bring in such rule at any time unless asked
for by majority of the democrats of the House.
and IL is obvious that such request will not
be made. The anti-silver men may. however.
learn something from the experience of the sill
yer men last session. when the attempt was made
in the House to amend a report from the rules
committee by adding cloture provision The
attempt failed then because a majority of the
House did not favor 1t, and free coinage failed
because of that failure. If the anti-silver mer
have a majority in the House in favor of
forcing vote on the rePearof the Sherman law
1t ought to be a simple thing to get cloture
amendment to any report from the committee
on rules put on by the House itself. The prob
abilities are, however, that Najority in favor
of cloture cannot be had in the House, even
should there be a ajority in favor of the re-
peal of the sherman law
THE HOUSE CANVASS IMPERFECT
The canvass that is being made Of the House
on the repeal bill is very imperfect as yet,
but the anti-silver men claim that there
are great many silver men who want the
Sherman law repealed and will vote for such
measure. The influence of Mr.. Cleveland is of
course, very strong and great deal of de-
pendence is put in that. great many demo-
cratic partisans who are in favor of the coinage
of silver, but whose. partnership is stronger
than their convictions on the financial
question, are tired of the constant
irritation growing out of the silver agitation
and are ready TO go long way in most any
direction they are convinced is most to the
party interest.
There is somewhat of complication as to the
republican policy. Some republicans who are
opposed to silver think that the question ought
to be left open to annoy the incoming admins
tration. but it appears that most Of them will
vote their convictions IL the question is pressed
and will not be disturbed by the consideration
Of what will most perp!ex Mr.. Cleveland.
WHAT MR. E. r. TAYLOR SAYS.
Mr.. Z. B. Taylor said to a STAR reporter to-
day: 1T is an outrage to charge the republicans
with trying TO prevent the suspension of silver
purchase in order to perplex the incoming ad-
ministraton Every republican who believes that
the purchase Of silver should be suspended will
vote to suspend it if the opportunity is given
them to do so. Eight or nine republicans. who
are silver men, will vote the other way. Every
one will vote as he thinks"
THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The Senate finance committee at their meet
ing today discussed the silver question in all its
various phases. They all agreed that the pres
ent Sherman act shoald be repealed
without delay, but to the method
of accomplishing this there was much
diversity of opinion. 1t was finally decided
by vote Of TO 2. TO report bill TO repeal the
silver act of 1890 for the purchase of 4 500 900
ounces of bullion per month, to take effect on
January I, 1894. and also TO allow the national
banks to issue circulation up TO the
par value OF their bonds. This measure is
somewhat similar to the Andrews bill reported in
the House. Senator Carlisle, in speaking Of this
proposition. said il was in the nature of a COM
promise and was the best they could get out of
the committee. He has great hopes of secur-
ing its passage in the Senate. He thinks that
he will be able to secure at least fifteen demo-
cratic Senators who will support this meas
ure. Senator Sherman said that he could not
tell exactly the number of Senators on his side
of the chamber who would vote for 1t. A con-
ference of republican Senators has been called
for this evening for the purpose of determining,
if possible, the attitude of his party
on the question. The silver Senator's
under the lead of Teller and Stewart saw they
do not care What the caucus may do concerning
the matter but that the committees bill shall
never reach a vote in the Senate. They are
prepared to talk the proposed bill to death.