Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-16
NO SPEEDY RELIEF
Will Be Had by Legislation Directly
Relating to Silver.
TEE SENATE THE hope OF SILVER MEN
Estimates From the Leaders Of
Opposing House Factions.
A COMPROMISE LIKELY

The impression is growing at the Capitol
that II any speedy relief to the situation Is
to come through action by Congress 1t will
nave to be by legislation not directly re-
lating to silver.
1t Is regarded now as probable that the
Speaker will not wait until the debate now
In progress in the House is over. but will
get a special authorization and announce
the committees by the end Of this week or
the nrst OF next If this is done II Is ex-
pected that the committee on banking and
currency will get at once to work on some
financial measure not relating to silver.
The feature Of the silver debate in the
House today was the speech Of Mr. Bryan
OF Nebraska. the young champion Of the
white metal. When the debate began this
morning the silver men were more than
two hours ahead Of the anti-silver men in
the amount Of time consumed. An effort
was made to balance this up Q little by
getting more anti-silver men to take the
floor. but the effort was not entirely sue
cessful.
The progress Of time toward when q final
vote must be taken in the House on tie
propositions which will be presented Is not
marked by any indication Of a material
change in the situation. The silver men be-
ieve that they are gaining some as the de-
bate progresses. and the anti-silver men
are excited to more systematic efforts to
consolidate their strength: yet 1t appears
probable that whatever gains the silver men
may make 1t Will not amount to enough to
enable them to carry any one Of their pro-
posed amendments through. The vote on
the 70 to ratio. it is believed. win be very
close. yet 1t Is hardly expected by the most
sanSuine silver men to carry. Then when
1t comes to q vote simply for or against the
straight ,a repeal bill it is expected that there
Will be great majority for the repeal.
Therefore: the reliance of the men who
are are, opposed to an unconditional repeal is
stin In the Senate. and their confidence In
mat BODY appears to be warranted.
looking to the Senate.
As has been repeatedly said, It Is appar-
ent that the Senators want to wait until
the House has acted on the bill before
them. The Senate will. then. 1t IL expected,
go at the matter with considerable delib-
GRAFTON. and the silver men are counting on
sufficient Improvement in the general sit
uatfon throughout the country pending the
discussion to relieve the pressure for ac-
ton which comes from distress, they put
1t. rather than from reason. The most ef-
fective arguments in this fight are those
made In private. and not in public debate.
1t IS not expected that a single vote will
De changed by what Is said on the floor
of either House. The talk there is for the
country. In the conferences on both sides
they get down to practical politics. The
long fight is that the demand for the re-
from the fact that that law is in any way
responsible for the present financial strin-
gency. but that the stringency Is being
taken advantage OF as affording an oppor-
tunity for pressing Congress for the re-
peal: They urge that the public generally.
or those who do not already realize It, viii
gency is not due to the Sherman law; and
that they will also come to realize that
the unconditional repeal Of that law
currency at a time when the country Is
already suffering from an insufficiency of
They believe that If they can get the idea
abroad that the repeal of the law is going
to make It still more difficult to get cur
rency for the business OF the country there
will not be the demand for the repeal that
there now appears to be.
Disagreement and Compromise.
The purpose seems to have a disagree
ment between the two houses, II the silver
men cannot amend the bill in the House.
and then to fix up a proposition in confer
ence which will be in the nature Of a COM
promise.
Opposing Estimates.
Mr.. Harter estimates that If the House
successfully passes what he calls the dan
ger point of the vote on free coinage at a
ratio of 20 to 1. the majority for the Wilson
bill. which will present the naked question
of repeal or no repeal. will be 100 or more.
On the other hand. Mr.. Bland says there
are Representatives who may vote against
the coinage of silver at any specified ratio
who will not vote to wholly abolish the use
of silver as a money metal. which would
be the effect, he says. Of the passage Of the
Wilson bill.
IF there are any Representatives from a
silver district who would thus vote" said
Mr.. Bland, they had better make terms
with the administration. for they cannot
do II with their people"
Mr. Harter's doubt as to the result Of the
vote on the proposition to coin silver at a
ratio Of 20 to l is said to be due to informa-
ton conveyed to the anti-silver executive
committee that there are upwards Of forty
republicans who will vote for establishing
coinage at that ratio.
Mr.. Bland. however believes that the ratio
of 16 to l viii be stronger In the House than
any other, despite the reported forty republi-