The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-10-14
SILVER WINS.
After a Session of Thirty-eight
Hours the Repealers
Give Up the Fight.
Harris Introduces Compromise Amend
ment That Meets With
Much Favor.


was 6:2O p. m. Thursday when Stewart
took the floor. He continued being in
terrupted from time to time by call for
a quorum. Several senators were ex-
cused on the plea of illness and fatigue
and the quorum dimished to the danger
line and then disappeared. 1t was
broken by the refusal of certain silver
democrats to vote. Finally at lao when
it was found impossible to get quorum,
Voorhees, rose and said he felt he had
done his duty in the matter and moved
for adjournment. The motion was
unanimously agreed to. and in an in
stant the senate chamber was deserted.
after continuous session OF thirty eight
hours and forty minutes.
The scene at night was brilliant one.
The setting for the fierce struggle IN
progress on the floor in the dazzling
glare of artificial lights was one to i'm
press the mind and fascinate the eye.
The galleries were banked to the doors.
Below, on the floor, was the wreck of the
great parliamentary battle. then thirty
two hours old. Haggard faces around
betokened the long strain to which the
attempt to lorce the silver men to yield
by test Of brute strength had subjected
the senate.
Harris amendment. introduced in the
senate during the evening, which is to
furnish the ground work of compromise.
il compromise is to be, is regarded as
satisfactory by the silver men. First it
does not provide for bonds. This, in
deed, is its greatest weakness from the
standpoint OF eastern republican repeal
ers, who have insisted all along on a
gold bond issue; but by providing for
the redemption Of notes, and the recoin-
age of gold. and the bill would force the
absolute hand to hand use Of silver in all
ordinary transactions involving sums Of
less than $40. The idea of the com
pomisers is for the purchase of silver
enough to coin 100000 per month. In
one way the administration is satisfied
with the silver provisions of the amend
ment. 1t provides. first for the coinage
OF bullion now in the treasury, amount
ing to about s5O,OOO,OOO. at the rate of
eS,OOO,OOO per month. The treasury
would be relieved for year and half
of any silver purchase at all.
Second. When the seigniorage is
coined the secretary Of the treasury
shall purchase each month bullion suffi-
cient to coin tblank) dollars and coin the
bullion in legal tender dollars.
Third, All paper notes or certificates
Of less denomination than $40 shall be
redeemed and not reissued. and national
bank notes Of less denomination than $40
shall be redeemed and national banks
required to substitute notes of that de
nomination.
Fourth, Two and half and five dollar
gold pieces shall be no longer coined,
and when received ut the treasury de-
partment shall be recoined as eagles and
double eagles.
Fifth. Holders Of standard silver dol
lars shall be able to exchange such dol
lars on presentation for notes OF the
same legal tender quality as such silver
dollars, which shall be held for their re-
demption.
1t seems that Harris. for the democra.
tic free silver senators, and Teller. for
the republican silver men. had been cir
culating this amendment as basis for
compromise. Harris talked with Secre-
tary Carlisle. who came in short time
before. He was willing that the amend
ment be introduced in case a comprom-
Use became the only alternative except
defeat. In this indirect way it would
seem the administration as far as Car
lisle speaks for it, showed the first sign
OF weakening.