The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-17
THE H0N()RS WERE EVEN
In a Debate on The Silver Purch sing
Let In Congress.
THE WORK OF ORGANIZATION
still Being Pushed by House Steering
Committees -Pcnor's schsmc--A Test
OF strenetb-arr. Harter Doubts About
the 20 to Scheme.

WASHINGTON, Aug. lt.--Ihe debate In
the house yesterday was characterized by
the ebb and flow of eloquence and by the
abscuce of interest. 1t was started by Nc
Call (Rep. of Massachusetts, in favor of
the repeal of the purchasing clause of the
Sherman bill, aud was closed by Moses
(Dem. of Georgia) in opposition thereto.
Sandwiched between these two speeches
were remarks by Coombs Dem. of New
York;. Bryan (Dcm. of Nebraska), and
Henderson QRep of Iowa.. The first
named made an address from a business
standpoint in favor of the Sherman law.
Bryan was the apostle Of bi-metallism.
Taken altogether the days debate might
be put down as q drawn battle.
The senate spent only three hours in
session, but that time was well filled up.
Mr.. Vests Bill appropriating $500, 900 for
D site and building I'm Washington to be
known as the Hall of Records" was
passed. The bill to increase the circula-
tion of national banks was postponed for
day, but before IL was so laid aside an
important amendment proposed to it by
Mr.. Cockrell-to authorize the redemption
(at par and accrued interest) of such per
cent bonds Tor SIS, ,000, 900 in alb as may be
offered, and to authorize the issue of new
treasury legal tender notes in payment
thereof
This produced considerable discussion
Another amendment to the bill was
offered later on by Mr.. Allen OF Nebraska
for the cessation of interest oh the bonds
on which the increased national bank cir
culation should be based. After that
there were two speeches delivered, one by
Mr.. Berry i'm favor of bi-metalism, and
one by Mr.. Gallinger against tariff legis-
lation before 1897.
Senator PETERS Scheme.
Senator PETER of Kansas came to the
front yesterday with bill directing the
secretary Of the treasury to coin or print
$600, 900, 900 in aluminium or upon paper
and pay of the entire Indebtedness Of the
country at once. The bill had lot of
whefeases which recited that "A nation
which can make good bonds can make
better money and a nation which can
make dollar OF gold can make another
of aluminium or paper, and a nation which
won't or can't pay its debts has no right
TO exist on this earth"
The two house steering committees, sill
yer and anti-silver, are assidnously at
work organizing their forces and securing
recruits. The free silver advocates claim
that they are gaining every day and that
the debate as rule is helping them. The
friends of the administration, on the
other hand, manifest more confidence in
their ultimate success than at any time
since the contest began. A poll Of the
house has been practically completed by
the canvassers In the interest Of tho anti
silver faction, which is said by one of the
leaders to show an impregnable majority
of "a i'm favor of unconditional repeal OF
the purchasing clause as provided in the
Wilson bill.
The Test OF Strength.
There is substantial agreement of opin-
ion among the silver and anti-silver lead
ers as to what Is to be the real test Of the
strength Of the two parties on the several
questions to be voted on at the close OF the
present debate, but a wide divergence ex-
lists rs TO the number of votes that will be
cast by the two sides thereon. Mr.. Harter
estimates that IL the hou,e successfully
passes what he calls the danger point Of
the vote on free coinage at 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.
are representatives who may vote against
the coinage Of silver at any specific ratio
who will not vote to wholly abolish the
use of silver IA money metal. which
would be the effect, he says, of the pas
sage of the Wilson bill. "If there are any
representatives from silver district who
would thus VOTE" said Mr.. Bland, "they
had better make terms with the admins.
f<.~s k.xr 1.< - .xstfh rhAfr
people"
The Result Doubted.
Mr. Harter's doubt as to the result OF
the vote on the proposition to coin silver
at ratio of 20 TO Ia said to be due To
information conveyed to the anti-silver
executive committee that there are up.
wards Of 40 Republicans who will vote for
establishing coinage at that ratio Mr..
Bland, however, believes that the ratio OF
IL to will be stronger in the house than
any other, despite the reported ~ Repub-
lican votes for % to 1.
The members OF the senate finance COM
mittee hold their first meeting today, and
will continue In session daily with view
of trying to reach an agreement upon
some measure that will be satisfactory To
the two extremes. They admit that they
have very difficult task before them, but
they are in hopes that some compromise
will he effected.
Senator voorhees, said yesterday that he
intended at the earliest opportunity 10
press the bill reported from the finance
committee To allow the national banks to
issue circulation up to the par value of
their bonds. He has the assurance OF both
the Democrats and Republicans that they
will support him in his efforts TO secure
an early passage of the measure