The herald., 1893-08-20
NEWS AT THE NATIONS CAPITAL
The Democrats Getting Well
Down to Work.
A Dispassionate View of the Status of
the Silver Question.
Some Features of the Great Discussion.
In the senate-The Health of
Rresident Cleveland Ii
All Right.
Regular Correspondence to the HERALD

Regular Correspondence to the HERALpI
WASHINGTON, Aug. IA, 1S93.-The
Democratic leaders of the house proved
themselves equal to the occasion, and
broke the record for new congress by
getting to work on the silver question on
the fifth day of the session. They also
disappointed the Republicans who were
cooked and primed to arraign the Demo-
Gratis at the bar of public opinion on the
charge of intentional procrastination.
The Republicans have been so surprised
at the ease with which the Democrats
reached an agreement to take up the
silver question, in advance of the ap-
pointment of committees, discuss it Ia
days and then vote upon the bill for the
repeal of the purchasing clause of the
Sherman law and amendments thereto
for the free coinage OF silver at ratio
of 49,. II, 18, 10 or 20 to l, and for the
substitution, of the old Bland act, which
was the law before the Sherman act
was passed in 1890, that they have just
begun to charge the Democrats with
rairoadin9 the matter through the
house. The Democrats are perfectly
willing to plead guilty to the charge Of
railroading the question; they believe
that the situation required railroading,
and that the people had right to ex-
pect 1t. The agreement under which
the debate is now being conducted ia
thoroughly Democratic. It provides for
an equal division Of time and for vote
upon the bill and the amendments
named without filfbustering, and the
decision of the question is to be made
solely by the majority in the house. 1t
looks now as though the bill for the un.
conditional repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman law would pass,
although there is q probability that an
amendment providing for Che free COIN
age of silver at an increased ratio may
be added to the bill.
Up to this time the debate has been
carried on in spirit of liberation, al
though some of the speakers on both
no political sides recognized In the de-
bate-have made some rather strong
statements. The small attendance is
surprising. in view of the great interest
throughout the country in the result,
OF course every body knows that it is
easy for members of the house to find
more comfortable places than their seats
in the house to spend their time from IL
a. m. to 5 p. m. daily. but II does seem
that more of them should regard it q
duty to attend the sessions than they do.
While there is no actual necessity for
their being present, If they do not in
tend to speaks until the voting begins,
still it would look better to see them in
their seats.
The Democratic senators have not
found it go easy, to agree upon pro-
gramme for the disposal of the silver
question in the senate, although the
committee appointed by the Democratic
caucus, of which Senator German is
chairman, has made some progress to-
wards compromise, and there is reason
for the belief that twill eventually sue
coed. The most radical silver men in
congress are Republican senators, and
it i5their influence which makes it diff
ticult to get the Democratic senators to
agree upon compromise substitute, for
the Sherman law. There is little, if
any, probability that bill for the re-
peal of the entire law or of the purchas-
ing clause can get through the senate
without being accompanied by q sub
stitute.
The town has been full of silly rumors
about President Cleveland's health since
his return to Gray Gables, under his
physicians orders, in search OF much
needed rest. The case is very simple
and there is no occasion for rumor.
There is nothing the matter with the
Presidents general health, but he has
been overworking himself ever since the
4th OF March, and being only human,
his system is now paying the penalty
and demands the rest which he has not
before felt at liberty to give it. There
is really no good reason why he should
be in Washington during the discussion
of the silver question. In fact, there
are more reasons for his being away.
Had he remained here he would con-
stantly have been charged with trying
to influence votes in some way or other.
Being away he can get needed rest and
no one can accuse him of trying to in
terfere with the constitutional rights OF
senators and representatives.
The agreement to take up the silver
question in the house was great relief
to Speaker Crisp, as it will enable him
to take his time in making up the COM
mittees, for there will be nothing for
them to do until after the silver ques-
tion is disposed OF.
While there has been nothing in the
shape of an official agreement to that
effect, there seems to be general
understanding among the Democrats in
the house that the committee on ways
and means will, as soon as its member
ship ia announced, begin the work Of re-
forming the tariff.