The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-08-17
w WASHINGTON LETTER.
Poet's Regular Correspondents
WAsarSaroS, Aug. Ia, 1893.

of every ten men you meet, since the
House began the fourteen-day dis
cussion of the silver question, at the
close Of which votes are to be taken
which will leave no shadow of doubt
as to where every member OF the
House stands on this important ques-
ton. If the vote were taken today
upon the bill for the repeal of the
purchasing clause of the Sherman
silver law it would pass the House,
almost to q certainty; but under the
agreement which has been made the
vote upon that bill unamended Will
be the last to be taken, and If any
one of the other propositions, includ-
ing free coinage Of silver at ratios all
way from IS (the PRESENT. to 20 t" !
and the Bland act of 1878, which
will be offered as amendments, be
passed the unamended bill will never
be voted up. The principal element
of doubt is that of the changed ratio.
1t is practically certain now that the
amendment for free coinage at the
present ratio will be defeated by a
small majority, but it is difficult to
predict whether as the amendments
increasing tho ratio at which silver
NAV be coined are offered the total
vote will increase or decrease. The
poupulists have given notice that
they will vote against all OF the
amendments for increasing the ratio,
but inasmuch as that will be prac-
tically voting tor the unconditional
repeal Of the purchasing clause OF
the Sherman law they may change
their minds when the time comes to
vote. If the votes for Increased ra-
ito or for the old Bland law are not
larger than those for free coinage at
the present ratio the bill for the
repeal of the purchasing clause of
the Sherman law will, in the opinion
of your correspondent, pass the
House without amendment; but the
chances now appear about even, not
withstanding claims made by the un-
conditional repeal men, for the adop-
ton of some of the proposed amend
ments.
The elements of doubt are fewer III
the Senate. although it has apparent
" not advanced so far as the House
in dealing with the silver question.
In fact the Finance committee has
not yet considered single one of
the many financial bills which have
been referred to it, and inasmnrh as
the Senate has it's committee and
the matter cannot get before that
body without being reported from
committee. The delay in the Senate
is caused by the efforts of the demo-
Gratis to agree upon something def
mite before starting, some sort OF a
compromise that can he endorsed by
the caucus of that party. The re-
publican Senator's have decided that
when the question shall be taken up
each of them shall be free to follow
his own inclination. There is lot a
Senator, whatever his own preference
may be, who will not concede the i'm
possibility of passing bill for the un-
conditional repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman law, without
amendment. That being the case
the objective point of the anti silver
men is a measure that will be sup
ported by a majority and not be liza
bic to a Presidential veto They
claim to be making progress toward
such a measure. Meanwhile the sill
yer Senators say they have the game
in their own hands and do not pro-
pose to accept any compromise that
is not as favorable to silver as the
present law.
The division in the House is not
upon political lines, but solely upon
silver. The speeches SO far made
have been inclined to be somewhat
radical OH both sides. Mr.. Bland
threatened that the silver men
would withdraw from the democratic
party if Congress did not live up to
the Chicago platform, and Mr.. Ray
nor, of Maryland, retortcd by saying
that he would not be blinded, nor
intimidated by the glittering words
of a convention declaration The
speech that has attracted the most
attention from the members Of the
House was made by Representative
Pence, a new populist member from
Colorado. His language was well
chosen and his sentiments conserva-
tive, but he scored some very strong
points. He quoted from q silver
speech made in the House in 1878
by Secretary Carlisle and contrasted
the position of that gentlemen then
and now. "That speech" he con-