Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-01
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
1t Will Probably Be Held Next
Saturday Evening.
REPRESENTATIVE FELLOWS OPINION.
Candidates for Office and Their
Probable Chances.
SEN ATE A ND BIMETALLISM

IL IS expected that the House democratic
caucus will be held at o'clock Saturday even
ing. There is considerable disappointment
among those interested in the matter on account
Of Mr.. Holman's neglect to issue the call
for the caucus before this. Representative
Robertson Of Louisiana. who is one of the sec
retaries Of the caucus. telegraphed Mr.. Holman
today for authority to issue the call at once for
Saturday evening.
The candidates for the two places under dis
pute are very active in their canvass. though
they have but little material here to work on at
present, and they are still more active in circu-
lating reports of their strength and their great
expectations. Turner's friends claim that he
has at this time. as a dead sure thing, 116 votes
for the doorkeepership.
His rivals do not grant any such claims how
ever and are outspOken in the opinion that
they have him beaten. Turner claims that he
will have more votes from the south than the
other two candidates together will have.
What Mr.. Fellows Says.
The impression still prevails that there is
trouble for the New York man in his own dele
cation. The only Tammany representative in
the city today Representative Fellows,
who expects to return to New York to-
night and may not be back here
to attend the caucus. He told Star repre-
no conference yet, and therefore was not GER
tain what they would do. He said that
he supposed that If most of the members
from that state got here in time they
would hold a conference Friday evening. He
did not know what they would do. but had no
doubt they would indorse Turner for the door
keepership. Speaking of the approaching ses-
sion Mr.. Fellows said that the success Of the
session defended chiefly upon the spirit with
which the Congressman came together.
t~o~o 4.
the right thing. though they might differ
as to what the right thing is, the
prospects would be good for an I'M
derstandlng and for prompt action. II they
came in an ugly and intolerant mood, with
the determine ton to fight whether or no. it
would cause a great deal Of trouble. His judg-
ment was that the business of the session would
be taken up seriously and sobery, with view
to comine to settlement Of differences. On the
subject Of the offices he had no more to say
than he said at first that he supposed the
NewYork delegation would declare for Turner
Candidates for Doorkeeper.
Felix McClosky. who has been in the employ
Of the House for forty years, more OR less, has
an idea that the New York delegation may give
him their support for the doorkeepership. in
place of Turner. His friends say that he has
eight or nine Of the New York men for him
and that he is liable to have majority in the
conference, especially if there are any absentees
among the Turner men.
The friends Of Mr.. Hurt and Mr. Hurt him.
self speak with great confidence OF Hurts can
didacv. They say that he has great strength
in the south and southwest and that they believe
he Is a winner.
Smith. who has been rather favorite from
the start, is said to be gaining strength. and it
is said that il the claim that the place ought to
go to the South counts for anything he ought
to be successful. The Texas people. who are
the chief champions of his cause, are expected
here in a day or two to take up the canvass in
earnest. and very favorable assurances are
claimed for him from various parts Of the south.
The Sergeant-at-Arms.
The question as to whether johnson or Yoder
is to have the support of the Ohio delegation
is still unsettled, and that, OF course leaves the
situation as to the sergeant-at-arms greatly in
doubt. 1t is expected that one or the other of
them will be retired by the action OF the Ohio
folks and this will leave the fight in the caucus
between the one who is left aud ex-Representa-
tive Snow of Illinois. Snow has opened his
headquarters at the Metropolitan, where most
Of the candidates will have headquarters within
a day or two
In the absence of the members whose votes
are going to decide the question the canvass
Of the situation as to all the candidates is more
or less speculative.
The south and B!metalism.
It has become evident from the talk with the
southern members who are coming In that the
people in that section are more concerned in
preserving bimetalism than they are in MAIN
tanning the present ratio between gold and
silver for coinage purposes 1t is quite evident
that there is a determination among the
southern members not to permit the
decentralization of silver. for the reason that
they believe that both silver and gold are
needed as the basis of a national currency but
they appear to have very little interest in sill
yer from the mine owners point Of view.
and they have. rs rule. no objection
to considerable increase in the ratio
upon which free coinage Of gold and silver
shall he established What they want, appa-
rently. is the free coinage of silver. on the
theory that it will give more money. but they
are perfectly willing that the silver dollar
would be placed on parity with gold by in
creasIng the amount of silver in the coin.
The more the matter is talked over
the stronger is the indication that,
under the leadership of the con-
servative men, it will not be difficult
to secure the appeal OF the Sherman law
and to settle the silver question by coinage at an
increased ratio. The most radical silver men
and the radical gold men may not be expected
to assent to this at once. but there is an
impression that both parties to the contro-
settled by as convenient a compromise as the
! coinage of silver at a ratio of 20 to l.
The rally seems to be around the proposition
to repeal the Sherman law. repeal the state
bank tax and coin silver at about 20 to /.