The herald., 1893-08-11
LINES OF BATTLE DRAWN.
Congress About Ready for
Business.
A Mode of Procedure Virtually
Agreed Upon.
The Silver Question to Be Settled in
Open House.
A Bill to Be Presented by Each Faction
and Debated without Reference
TO Committee-Wash-
inYton Notes.

BY the Associated Pfess]
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10.-Slowly but
surely the linea of battle are being
drawn on the financial question, and be-
fore another day passes the country will
probably be acquainted with the full
plan OF procedure. 1t is believed plan
has been finally evolved which is likely
TO win the approval of the majority of
all elements. Tonight all indications
point to drawn battle on the floor of
the house without reference of the ques.
ton to the committee on coinage,
weights and measures. Bland readily
acquiesces in the programme to fight
the battle out on the floor of the house
in committee of the whole, and in this
arrangement the anti-silver men of
course readily agree.
Two bills, on which Is to turn all
| discussion of the financial question were
today fully prepared and are ready for
presentation. The one drawn by the
| anti-silver men ia brief and to the point.
1t tersely provides for the unconditional
repeal of 30 much of the act of July IA,
1890, as directs the monthly purchase of
4,500,000 ounces OF silver bullion and
issuing treasury notes thereon.
The measure drawn by the free coin.
age people is longer and is unique in
being drawn in a manner which will
develop the greatest possible strength
of the free coinage element of the house,
The first portion Of the bill provides
that all holders OF 500 or more of silver
bullion of standard weight shall be en-
titled to have the same coined into
silver dollars at the mints of the United
States. Dollars 80 coined are to be
legal tender for all debts, dues and de.
mands, both public and private, aud
any holder of silver dollars may at his
discretion deposit the same in the
United States treasury and receive silver
certificates for the game. The number
OF grains OF silver to be contained in q
standard dollar is to be determined on
the floor OF the house. The closing sec-
/ ton of the bill provides briefly for the
repeal of the Sherman purchasing
clause.
| The bill drawn by the free coinage
men is regarded by their opponents, as
we'll asby their friends, as the strong
est measure that could be possibly pre-
sented by the silver men, the question
of ratio being left to the house. The
silver men allege that no cause will be
given faitering free coinage men for the
abandonment of their principles. If the
opponents of free coinage have the
numerical strength, they can OF course
successfully strike out every section of
the bill relating to free coinage and
leave only the last section, which pro-
vides fer the immediate repeal of the
Sherman purchasing clause.
The principal question still to be de-
ternained is which of the two bills is to
have the priority OF consideration. The
silver men fear that If the repeating
bill should be first taken up, the free
coinage amendments which would nat
urally be proposed, might under strict
Interpretation Of parliamentary law be
declared not germane to the subject un-
der consideration, the main q uestion be-
ing that of repeal. 70 guard against
such ruling and insure successive votes
on all the propositions to be presented
by the silver men, the latter demand
that this bill of the free coinage men,
which also contains a clause repeating
the purchasing act, shall be given pfi-
ority of consideration.
The Democratic csucua committee
spent the afternoon discussing the
question Of party policy for the pro.
secntion of the work OF the Eenate. Tne
committee will report to q caucus to be
held not later than Monday next.