Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-19
VERY INGENIOUS TACTICS.
The Plan Devised by the Democratic
Leaders in the Senate.
How . Test Vote Can he Secured
Without Bringing Up the Cues
tiOn Of Unc0nditional Repeal.

The plan which has been devised by tn,
democratic leaders in the Senate who ar,
opposed to the unconditional repeal Of tn,
Sherman law is regarded as one OF th'
most ingenious examples Of parliamentar
tactics which has been exhibited In tina
body. 1t is one that will permit the sil
yer men to make a test Of their strength
without the risk of a vote on the reoea
bill. The program appears to have beer
very skillfully contrived and carried out
UP to the present stage. with great fore
thought and accuracy.
The bill to permit banks to issue currency
to the full face value of the bonds depositet
In the treasury is one which is favored b,
the anti-silver men and one which they
would hardly expect to have pressed to ths
front by the silver advocates. Therefore
they saw no objection whatever to the
prompt report of the measure from the com
mtttee on finance and no danger In its get
ting on the calendar of the Senate before
the repeal bill was reported.
They are gratified moreover by the action
or the finance committee in reporting q bill
for the unconditional repeal of the Sherman
law, with the attachment Of what appears
to be merely an empty declaration in favor
Of bimetallism. There appears, however, TO
be deeper depth than that to which they
have penetrated The silver men are said
to have a pledge from members OF the
finance committee that the banking bill
first reported shall be disposed OF before the
repeal bill is taken up for consideration.
This opens the way to the development OF a
situation not apparent at first glance.
What May Happen.
In the first place a great deal OF time
may be consumed in the discussion OF the
bank bill. and in the second place. that
bill is subject to amendments Indefinitely.
As has been stated in The Star. the silver
t,sia N~e. 1nl tn mob
a way as to develop II into a broad and
general financial measure. With siN er out
OF the question the amen irnents likely to
be adopted are such as will either meet
with the approval OF the anti-silver men
or not be violently opposed by them. II
no silver amendment is attached to the bill.
1t IL likely to come out OF the Senate IN q
shape not to excite the antagon SIN OF the
to pass the House But 1t is understood to
be a part Of the plan of The silver men to
have an amendment offered providing for
the free coinage OF silver at ratio OF 70
to l. or for any other silver proposition
which may develop the greatest strength
In the House.
To Get q Test Vote.
On this amendment the silver men in the
Senate can get a test vote without involv-
Ing the consideration of the Sherman re-
peal bill. II the amendment is carried. 1t
disposes Of the repeal bill in itself, and they
are confident that this composite financial
measure. silver and all, could be got
through the House. If the silver men. how
ever. prove not to be strong enough to
adopt this amendment the Sherman law
will still be on the statute books. and. by
preventing Q vote op. 1t, they can keep II
there. I. =
In the meanwhile the calculations are that
the bank bill as a measure of relief will
become a law. This would relieve the sit
ua ton from one point of view and leave
the silver question just where ii is. In
other words. they propose either to adopt
such silver legislation they are willing
should take the place of the sherman law
in the form Of an amendment to the bank
BILL or else to preserve the Sherman law
itself
By this plan they avoid the danger,
should they be in the minority. of being
defeated in a vote on the repeal bill. They
propose to get their test vote before the
repeal bill Is up for consideration.