The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-08-01
NEWS AND GOSSIP
The Outlook for the Extra Session
The Fight for the Free Coinage OF

The Outlook for the Extra Session
The Fight for the Free Coinage oi
Silver.
In the special session of Congress
called to meet on August 7th, finance
will be the main question discussed
The special session was called by the
President for the purpose of repeating
the Sherman law.
Everybody favors that and, of course,
it will be done, but over the question
of substitute legislation there will be a
fight. The free coinage and anti-free
coinage men in both houses are almost
equally divided. The free coinage ad-
vocates, while favoring the repeal of
the Sherman law, declare that it can
not be done unless a free coinage bill
be substituted in it's stead. On the
other hand, the antis seem determined
to repeal the Sherman law without
substitute legislation.
The committee on coinage, weights
and measures will perhaps be made up
on the same lines as the committee of
the last house. The majority of it's
members will be advocates of free coin
age, though, perhaps, there will be no
such rabid member upon it as the
politically late Mr.. Pierce, of Tennes-
see. Notwithstanding the newspaper
gossip to the contrary the indications
are that Mr.. Bland, of Missouri, will
again be chairman. For several years
he has been chairman of the commit
tee. He is perhaps more closely identi-
fled with the fight for free coinage than
any other man in Congress. While there
are ADLER men in the House among the
advocates of free coinage. there are
none who have worked longer or been
more closely identified with the issue.
During the last Congress Mr.. Pierce
the floor. AS Mr.. Pierce is not NOM
ber of this Congress it is probable that
Mr.. Bryan, the bright young man
from Nebraska will assume the lieu
tenacy in the contest, though the plan
of battle for the free coinage men will
perhaps be mapped out and directed by
Judge Culberson, of Texas, the shrewd-
est political leader on the floor of the
House. Though Judge Culberson will
never assume active leadership upon
the floor, it is a we'll known fact that his
plans of contest, when carried out, un-
der his personal directions, rarely fail
of success.
On the other hand, the fight against
free coinage will be led on the floor by
such men as Bourke Cochran, Tracy
and Fitch, of New York. Nearly all
the Northern and New England Demo-
Gratis will be with these mon. There
will also be small following of
Southerners and nearly all the Repub-
licans.
Thus it will be seen that the vote
upon a free coinage bill in the House
will be very close. Indeed no one can
tell now whether the House will be
free coinage or anti, but the fight over
free coinage promises to be just as in
teresting us that in the last House
when the Speakers vote was necessary
to decide.
In the Senate it is believed there
will be a majority in favor of silver
But it is too early to predict with any
degree of certainty the result.
The New York World prints an in
terview with Senator Stewart, of Ne
vada, in which he is credited with say
ing have no doubt the Sherman
silver law will be repealed. The coun-
try is going to hades. had hoped to
help in warding off the catastrophe,
but the Democrats and many Rcpubli-
cannot answer for the consequences
and | am glad | shall not have to share
the responsibility. | am afraid MIR.
Cleveland made a mistake when he at
tributed the present trouble to unwise
legislation. He may have referred to
the mint act of 1872. If so, he was
correct, but if he referred to the Sher-
man act he was mistaken. Its repeal
might give temporary relief by deceiv-
ing the people, thus making them be-
lieve that the evil has been removed
But the evil lies deeper. 1t is a def.
cheney of gold There was too much OF
both gold and silver to furnish an ade.
quate basis of circulation and credit
and leave the United States without
enough gold to sustain confidence.
And the probabilities are that the
trouble will gO on. | hope wise coun
sells will prevail and that the business
community will look the situation ir
the face and devise some scheme where
| by the circulation and credit of the
country will be on u firm foundation.
| have no doubt that the Sherman law
| will be repealed, but if it is repealed
without substitute Of some kind il
seems inevitably certain that time!
will grow worse and continue to grow
worse for a long time to come"
Senator Jones, of Nevada, endorsed
Senator Stewards statement.