Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-05
NO STEP IN ADVANCE.
The Senate Debate on the Repeal Bill
Drags Along
The Line OF Compromise WOrk-Cleve.
land and Carlisle Confident the
voorhees, Bill Will Pass.

The Senate has lapsed back into the con-
the debate, speeches are interrupted and
every now and then a running debate oc-
ours, with questions and answers and cross
questions and, as far as the naked eye can
see, not a single step Of progress is being
made. Conferences over compromise seem
to let up to some extent the Senators set
tling down to think it over and await fur
tber results. There Is a renewal of the talk
of the necessity Of a test Of physical endur-
ance before anything can be done. Such a
test. Of course. will be largely a theatrical
performance. as there is no special reason
to suppose that the silver men, having no
special responsibilities on their shoulders,
would succumb to fatigue quicker than the
repeal men. and such a test would probably
end In q truce and nothing else. 1t might
demonstration Is necessary, the fact that
under the present rules Of the Senate moth
Ing can be done by the majority when the
sha'n't.
Threats of Continued FiIibusterinR.
Some Of the radical silver men. like Stew
art, declare that there shall be no compro-
mise, but that the fight shall continue for a
month. or two months. or three months
unless the majority surrender. This means
OF course, II 1t means anything, that they
VIII nllbuster against q compromise as well
as against the main bill itself. If 1t came
TO that, however, there would probably be
no more than two or three silver men who
would take such position If a compromise
were actually presented. The talk Of COM
promise does not signify any attempt at
an agreement between the silver men and
those who are out and out for uncondi-
tional repeal. The radical and earnest un-
conditional repealers may be relied on never
70 agree to any compromise and the con-
ferences that have been held are not with
them, but between men opposed to uncon-
ditional repeal radically, and others who
will vote for repeal, but who would prefer
that a majority Of the Senate would like to
see the bill amended in some particular,
but that there is not a majority In favor Of
any one form Of amendment and the pur-
pose Is, II possible. to have all who would
favor amendment at all come together and
agree on some particular amendment
The Line of Compromise Work.
1t is on this line that the work for a COM
promise Is being conducted. and whether or
not it is successful depends ulon the cor
rectness Of the assumption that there are
enough Senators willing to see the bill
amended to make up a majority should they
get together. The men who from the first
have taken the position that there must be
an unconditional repeal of the Sherman
law and nothing else at this time. are as
firm as rock and most Of them are perfectly
willing to continue the fight as long as neces-
sary to win, and express confidence that
they can pass the bill eventually. 1t must
therefore be in spite Of the attitude Of these
men that a compromise Is reached, II any
can be reached. The idea Of Mr.. Cleveland
agreeing to compromise. though he might
sign an amended bill II sent to him. Is re-
garded as absurd. 1t appears quite evident
that Mr.. Cleveland will never agree to yield
an inch Of ground, and IL is said that both
he and Mr.. Carlisle are still confident that
the Voorhees, bill will pass in its present
form.
The Morgan Resolution.
1t Is said that If any compromise is reach
ed it will include a provision for the repeal
Of the state bank tax as well as one for
the issue Of bonds to secure gold. Mr.. Nor
gan introduced in the Senate yesterday a
resolution directing the judiciary committee
to investigate the question and report to
the Senate whether the act of 1897 for the
coinage OF silver were still In existence and
would be in force If the Sherman law was
repealed. This was objected to and went
over for consideration today not, as it was
said, because Of any objection to the IL.
formation being furnished by the judiciary
committee or doubt as to what their report
would be, but because OF the fear that IL
might be made the excuse for delay. This
resolution relates to the theory which has
been repeatedly advanced and is often con.
troverted that the law of 1897 has not been
repealed. The question has been talked
about for long time and has, directly and
indirectly. been brought up in discussion
has been under consideration It has not
however, been regarded a matter of suf.
fictent doubt to require any formal consid.
Grafton. The answer has always been that
the law was defunct. having been repealed
and that there was no comfort for the sill.
N