The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-27
Major Martin Maginnis Tells How
the Battle Ii Progressing
AT Washington.
Organization and Hard Work Won
The Victory for the Goldttes
In tho House.
In ,hs Senate II Luoks Like u l.0np
Fight with u CoMp r"Mis~ In tho
Isnd~siivur All Right.

congress- convened. and who returned home
Monday. talked INTERESTINGLY yesterday to
M INDEPENDENT teporter on shs prospects,
uf silver ut Washington.
"You have been all through the silver
igh,Y" ouslisd tho reporter.
"YVs," said the major. II went nrst ~ \
delegate 10 the bimetAllic convention IN
Chicago was somewhat disappointed IN
that. lhore WAS more politica than silver
about II, md IL fell into the hands Of mon
who cared more about making political
asntimsn i've or three years hence than In
meeting the immediate issue presented BY
the call Of tho extra session n thus lost 10
u certain extent their influence ON the
country. However. the convention adopted
y good not Of resolutions and appointed n
committee which has done somo good work
in this contest at Washington. When We
got to Washington we Ut onos went into
conference with the silver men in the house.
Our leaders made a great mistake there.
They never should have consented to II
certain time for debate and y certain
day on which to vote, though IL did
look Ut first IL II we had II close vote.
M. Bland 10 = puts. honest leader; full OF
his convictions and able TO defend them;
honest, sincere and persistent. but he does
nos possess the tact and talent Of organ
izAtion ana management. On the other
hand the repsalsrs had u fine executive
committee. Tracy, Fitch, Reed, and those
clever young bankers from Boston. Nov
York and Philadelphia worked like beav-
sss. They were busy in tbs house. in the,
Hobbies, in tho hotels. They worked thS
cotton exchange on the southern members.
eh. kNrn,,n ~ trt.lA an Ahn SnAuNApp 49,,
bsrs; met twenty t,mes = day, compa cd
notes and canvasses aud kept continually
adding to their lists. 1t WAN this tathsl
than any administration influences that
changed the houae. Indeed In the first
place tho administt alton took very lofty
grounds aud the airs Of those who. having
done their own dutv, loft the house to ita
action. Mr.. Bland had n campaign oom-
mittes also-ono from each atate-cumber-
some. unwisluy ana ineffective. OF course
we outsiders could not change this;
only to give advice. and this W.
did until II was almost offensive. Aftsr all
there was \ Rteat debate IL the mouse.
There we're fifty speeches made In favor OF
silver. of which from twenty TO nvs hun
bred thousand will be distributed through
the country, forming such a meanS OF sdu-
cation ~ the al YER atatss acne could not
have placed before ths country tor any
amount OF money. The great majority OF
tho members expressed themselves ~ favor
OF silver IA money and there will DO i
chapcs to test the sincerity OF these decla'-
atoms before the end Of the regular session
of congress.
thu question: on u straight vote on the
main question the body stands in fAvo Of
nneonuitionnl repeat forty-.isht TO thirty
aeven. | had the list which had shown 20
men on both sides and IL was generally
agreed that it was right. Between these
H.. -. auuaru1 ahniAA az a Inlnn.
Il ia hard TO make an exact oAnvnss
Of A Legislative body. Tbs ,oll call
In the only decisive eest. or the thirty
seyen votes counted sure there are = num-
bsr who will speak and vote against repeal,
but who will not join in any obstructive or
take every parliamentary advantage the
number ia reokonod from twenty 10 twenty
five. In my Judgment II these stand to-
pether 10 the Las, they can prevent . vote or
forcs q compromises. They announce their
dete minNtion 70 do this. and n leading
senator, not from u silver state. assured me
that a vote could not be reached durnR the
extra session. A cloturo rule for the sen
ate Ia now, ! think. out OF the question.
The republican senators who have been
utuing ID have quite changed their tone
aimee the elections bill has been rerortpd
~pos,tion 10 ,osist the repeal OF the federal
olectiona law, by dilatOry taotioa AMI OBJ
struction II necessary, aud II they vote for
u cloture ule in order TO repeal the Sher~
man law, they will find themselves helpless
when the sleetiona bill comes up. SO ! take
il for p.Antea that no change will DO made
in the senate rules. Wolcots and o,hers
have hold me thai II this ~ attempted they
will not obstruot IL; but l am satisfied TINT
the elections bin settles the cloture qurt-
sion, Tho only other way to get u vote II
nv continuous session. That Ia n teat OF
physioal endurance. Whenever tried Il
GENERALLY eau -es tho death Of some OF the
older nnu weaker senators. In such II
atruvuIe the majority have no advRnta q
over the minority. l hnve seen IL tried sew
rrnl timen during NV congressional exper-
ienos, and it ha1 invariably IT.
suited In the majority giving ~
the attempt when any fairly larre
minority ,~ersiatr ntly resisted 1t. Offer
~ oompromiss tneu come; and until then
thsv nre rarely considered. There will "
aoubiuIlv bv such Nh attempt made soon;
link It will fail. Thou some compru-
Mia may no agreed u on"
"Sup, ose the Sherman bill IL re .ealcd.
will thut end II ~ wAa Rpk8d.
~ don't think 10. A great many men
bav- voted for repeal who claim TO DO III
favor of s,lyer legislation. Some of thsse
nre undoubtedly inslncere; but most OF
Sham mr.. honest. The administration II.
self Indignantly denies that it Ia monomo.
tnliic: olH,ms that tho repeal OF the Shtr
man iii will foroe foreign nations to agree
unon a bimetallio policy, or that an Amsri.
~" viii h. a,i,,t,.d vhi,h will uus