Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-11

washington, Aug. 1O.-SlOWly Dut
surely the lines 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
to have been finally solved today which
one is likely to win the approval of the
majority of all elements. Tonight ali
indications point to a drawn battle on
the floor Of the house without reference
of the question 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,
snd in this arrangement the anti-sil-
yer men, of course, readily agree.
Two bills, on which is to turn all
the discussion of the financial question
were today fully prepared and made
ready for presentation. The one drawn
by the anti-silver men is brief and 70
the point. 1t tersely provides for the
unconditional repeal of so much of the
act of July IA. 1890 as directs the
monthly purchase of 4,5OO,OOO ounces Of
silver bullion and the issue of treasury
notes thereon.
The measure drawn by free coinage
people IL 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 800 or more of silver
bullion of the standard weight shall be
entitled to have the same coined into
silver dollars at the mints of the
United States; the dollars so coined are
to ha oil
and demands, both public and private,
and any holder of silver dollars may
at his discretion, deposit the same in
the United States treasury and receive
silver certificates for them. The num-
ber of grains of silver to be contained
in the standard dollar is to be deter
mined on the floor of the house. The
closing section OF the bill provides
briefly for the repeal of the silver pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman law.
The bill drawn by the free coinage
men is regarded by their opponents.
as well as by their friends, as the
strongest measure that could be pos
sibly presented by the silver men, the
question of ratio being left to the
house. Silver men allege that no ex-
cuse will be given faltering free coin
age 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
10 free coinage and leave only the last
section. which provides for the imme-
diate repeal of the silver purchasing
clause.
The great question still to be deter
mined is: Which OF the two bills Is
to have priority of consideration? Sill
yer men fear that IL the repeating bill
should be first taken up the free coin
age amendments, which would nat
urally be proposed. might, under a
strict Interpretation OF parliamentary
aw. be declared not germani to the sub
Ject under consideration, the main
question being that of repeal To
guard against such a ruling and insure
successive votes on all propositions to
be presented by the silver men the
latter demand that the bill of the free
coinage men. which also contains d
clause repeating the purchase clause.
shall be given priority of consideration.