The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-23
A SILVER SCHEME
Calculated to at Least Save the sher-
man Act.

man ACT.
The Star this evening tells how the sill
yer men in the senate will test their
strength without bringing UP the ques-
ton of unconditional repeal. 1t is an
interesting story nd runs as follows:
THE plan which has been devised by
the democratic leaders in the senate
who are opposed to the unconditional re-
peal Of the Sherman law is regarded as
one Of the most ingenious examples of
parliamentary tactics which has been
exhibited in that body. 1t is one that
will permit the silver men to make a test
of their strength without the risk of a
vote on the repeal The program ap-
pears to have been very skillfully con-
trived and carried out up to the present
stage with great forethought and ac-
curacy. The bill to permit banks to is
sue currency to the full face value of
the bonds deposited in the treasury is
one which Is favored by the anti-silver
men and one which they would hardly
expect to have pressed to the front by
the silver advocates. Therefore they saw
no objection whatever to a prompt re-
port of the measure from the committee
on finance and no danger in its getting
on the calendar of the senate before the
repeal bill was reported.
They are gratified moreover by the
action of the finance committee in re-
porting a bill for the unconditional re-
peal of the Sherman law. with the at
tachment of what appears to be merely
an empty declartion in favor of bimetal-
lism. There appears. however. to be a
deeper depth than that to which they
have penetrated. The silver men are
said to have a pledge from members
of the finance committee that the bank
ing bill first reported shall be disposed
n lie oil
for consideration. This opens the way
to the development of a situation not
apparent at first glance
I'm the first place a great deal of time
may be consumed in the discussion Of
the bank bill, and in the second place
that bill is subject to amendments in
definitely. The silver men expect this
bill to be amended in such a way as to
develop it into a broad and general flnan-
cial measure. With silver out Of the
question the amendments likely to be
adopted are such as Will either meet
with the approval of the anti-silver
men or not be violently opposed by them.
If no silver amendment is attached to
the bill it is likely to come out Of the
senate in a shape not to excite the an
tagOnism of the administration forces,
and il will be apt to pass the house.
But il is understood to be a part OF
the plan of the silver men to have an
amendment offered providing for the
free coinage of silver at ratio of 20 TO
l. or for any other silver proposition
which may develop the geatest strength
in the house. On this amendment the
silver men in the senate can get a test
vote without involving the consideration
Of the Sherman repeal bill.
If the amendment is carried it dis
poses of the repeal bill in itself, and
they are confident that this composite
financial measure, silver and all, could
be gotten through the house. If the
silver men, however. prove not to be
strong enough to adopt this amendment
the Sherman law will still be on the
statute books, and, by preventing a
vote against it. they can keep II there.
In the meanwhile, the calculations are
that the bank bill, as a measure Of re-
lief, will become a law This would re-
Heve the situation from one point of
view and leave the silver question just
where Ii Is. In other words. they pro-
pose either to adopt such silver legisla-
ton they are willing should take the
place of the Sherman law in the form OF
an amendment to the bank bill or else
TO preserve the Sherman law itself. By
this plan they would avoid the danger,
should they be in the minority, OF being
defeated in a vote on the repeal bill.
They propose to get their test vote be-
fore the repeal bill is up for considera-
ton"