Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-08-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
,u,.,,4oD and compiled for the HERALD


will the House dot" That uestiSa Is
asked by about nine out OF every ten
men Won meet, since the House began
the fourteen day discussion Of the silver
question, at the close of which votes are
TO be taken which will leave no shadow
If donbt "A to where every member of |
the House stands en- this important
question. If the vote were taken today |
mon the bill for the repeal of the pur-
chasing clause of the ShOrman silver law
it would pass the House, almost to
certainty; bat under the agreement
which has been made the vote upon that
hill unsmended will be the last to be
taken, and if any one of the other prope-
sitions, including free coinage Of silver
at ratios al, the way from l6 the presently
to 20 t. l, and the Bland act of 1873,
which will be offered as amendments, be
passed the unamended bill will never be
voted upon. The principal element Of
doubt is that of the changed ratio. 1t
is practically certain nov that the
amendment for free coinage at the present
ratio will be defeated by small majority,
but it is difficult to predict whether as
the amendments increasing tho ratio at
which silver may be coined are offered
the total vote will increase or decrease.
The populists have given notice that
they will vote against all OF the amend
IN ms for increasing the ratio but inasnuch
as that will be practically voting for the
unconditional repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman law they may
change their minds when the time comes
to vote. If the votes for increased ratio
or for tho old Band law are not larger
than those for free coinage at the present
ratio the bill for the repeal of the pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman law will,
in the opinion of your correspondent,
pass the House without amendment; but
the chances now appear to he about even,
notwithstanding claims made by the
unconditional repeal men, for the sdop-
ton of some of the proposed amendments.
The elements of doubt are fewer in the
Senate, although 1t has apparently not
advanced SO far ss the House in dealing
with the silver question. In fact the
Finance committee has not yet cOnsid-
cred single one of the many financial
bills which have been referred to it, and
lnasmuch as the Senate has its committees
and rules the matter cannot get before
that body without being reported from
committee. The delay in the Senate is
caused by the efforts of the democrats to
agree upon something definite before
starting, some sort of compromise that
can be endorsed by the caucus of that
party. The republican Senators have
decided that when the question shall be
taken up each of them shall be free to
follow his own inclination. There is not
a Senator, whatever his own preference
may be. who will mo- concede the i'm
possibility of passing bill for The uncon-
ditional repeal of the purchasing clause
of the Sherman law, without amendment.
That being the case, TIE objective point
Of the anti-sllver men IS 2 measure that
will be supported by majority and not
be liable to a Presidential vote. They
claim to be making progress towards
such a measure. Meanwhile the silver
Senators say they have the game IN their
own hands and do not promise to accept
any compromise that is not as favorable
to silver as the present law.
The division in the House is not upon
political lines, but solely upsn silver.
The speeches so far made have besn in
clined 10 be somewhat radical on both
sides. Mr. Bland threatened that the
silver men would withdraw from the
democratic party If Congress did not
live up to the Chicago platform, and VIZ.
Rayner of Maryland rstorted by saying
that he would hot be blinded nor in
Inundated by the glitterIng words of a
convention declaration. The speech that
has attracted the most attention from
members of the House was made by
Representative Pence, a new popullste
member from Colorado. His language
was well chosen and his sentiments
conservative, but he scored some strong
points He quoted from a silver speech
made in the House ia 1878 by Secretary
Carlisle and contrasted the position then
and now Of that gentleman. THAT
Speech" he concluded, was made by Mr..
Carlisle when he was leader, not a
follower; when he was a sender Of mess
ages, not bearer of them"
The members of the House are not
taking the interest IN the silver discussion
that 1t was supposed they would. Many
of them have gone to near by summer
resorts, and with the exception of the
day on which the debate began not one
third of them have been in their seats at
any one time.
President Clevel4nd's sudden and
mysterious departure for Gray Gables
started thousand tongues to wsgRing
afresh about the condition of his health,
which is generally believed to be very |
bad.