The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-20
Their Only Hope Seems to Lie
in the Senate's Action.
PLANNING FOR 4 TEST VOTE
Two Leading Southern Members Speak
for Absolute Repeal.
The National Bsnk Bin Pretty Sure OF
Passage-senatsr sherman says the
Situation IL Improved-Governme
Disbursements Exceed Receipta

WAsHIs6Tos CfrY, Aug. 19.-The Star
this evening says the SILVER men in the
senate will test their strength without
bringing up the question Of unconditional
repeal. The plan. which has been devised
by the Democratic leaders in the senate. ss
one that will permit the silver men TO
make test of their strength without the
risk of vote on the repea! bill. The
scheme, in brief, is To dispose of the bank
ing bill before the repeal measure is taken
up for consideration. The silver men ex-
pect the banking bill to be amended In
such way as TO develop it into abroad
and general financial measure. With sill
yer out OF the question, amendments
are likely 10 be adopted such as
will either meet with the ap-
proval of the anti-silver mea or not
be violently opposed by them. Il: no sill
yer amendment is attached to the bill 4. is
likely to pass the house, but 1t is under
stood to be part of the plan of the silver
men to have an amendment offered provid-
ing for the free coinage of silver at the
ratio OF 20 10 /. or for any other silver
proposition which may develop the great
est strength in the house. On this amend
ment the silver men in the senate can get
q test vote without involving the consid-
GRAFTON of the Sherman repeal bill. If the
amendment is carried it dlsposes of the re-
peal bill in itself. and they are confident
this composite financial measure, silver
and ali. can get through the house. In
the meanwhile calculations are that the
bank bill, as q measure Of relief. will be-
come law. This would relieve ths situa-
ton from one point of view and leave the
silver question just where it is.
The senate was not in session TODAY.
Rather Unexpectedly, after refusing TO ad-
journ over from Friday tili Monday, the
body reconsidered its act lon behind closed
doors in executive session and con-
sequently there were no proceedings of
interest today beyond speechmaking in
the house. In some quarters it is sug-
gested that the torpedo thrown into the
senate by Butler of South Carolina yester-
day, in the shape of an amendment to the
bank circulating bill repeating the state
bank tax. alarmed the senators who de-
sired speedy action on that measure, and
fearing that the amendment might carry
and thereby cripple the national bank
system unless full time were given TO
point out the dangers it invoked. they per-
United an adlournment
Senator Sherman, in a letter to an Chic
friend. says that he thinks it best for coin
age to move slowly until something eff
fective can be done. The financial situa-
ticn is gradually becoming better, and the
belief is becoming general that all that is
wanted is an increase in the currency Of
national banks and the suspension Of fur
ther purchases of silver. The latter he
does not regard as important, except to
dissipate the fears OF capitalists that we
are coming to single silver standard.
Government receipts for the month to
date have been SIS, GAG, 600; receipts for the
fiscal year to date. $40. 545. 776; expendi-
lures for the month TO date. $22 2O7, 900;
expenditures for the fiscal year to date,
Sol 49,, SIS.
Silver purchases today were 40. 600 ounces
out of li7 900 offered, at 731. cents.