The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-09-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Tho Silver Question and Its Prob
able Solution-The Centennial
Celebration-Other Matters.
From our own Correspondent


WASHINGTON, d. c., September 14.-The
happy event that has gladdened the Pres-
dents household within the past week, con-
nected AS it is with the historic fact of the
first birth of Presidential baby within the
apartments of the Executive mansion, has
not served 10 divert the public mind to any
considerable extent from the great financial
problem which the upper branch of Congress
is aboring in patience and perseverance to
satisfactorily solve.
The silver debate still drags along in the
Senate. "Silver tongued orators, and others
whose lingual tones in Senatorial debate have
not heretofore been associated with the clear
ami musical resonance of the white metal,
have discoursed at length upon the great
principle of bimetaleism and the wrongs which
| silver has received at the hands of the con-
spring capitalists. The speech of Senator
Stewart and some others gave some indica-
cation of IA talk against time, and altogether
the extreme silver men, at one time last
week, began to assume rather defiant atti.
tude. This it was said was in resentment OF
the disposition of Senator Voorhees,, in charge
of the pending bill, to press them TO a vote by
too rigorous measures; and as still greater
delays were thereby promised, Senator Voor.
hees determined, after conference with the
| friends OF the Administration policy, to dimin
! ish the pressure somewhat and let the silver
/ men take the even tenor Of their way.
Since then the debate has progressed in a
very deeorous fashion. but the firm ground
taken against the pending bill by many prom.
inent Senators, in addition TO those named
last week, such as Morgan, Turpie, Pugh,
Walthall, Jones of Arkansas, Faulkner and
others, who have since spoken. and Daniel,
| Mills and others yet to speak, reveals the
1 ,,,l,,nl, ha,,a ,tfap1a1 tho
contamination of the Presidents policy in
| the Senate.
The amendment to the pending bill offered
by Senator Faulkner, providing for the contin-
ued coinage of standard silver dollars at the
rate of =, 900, 900 a month until the aggregate
| Of $500, 900. 900 is reached, coinage then to
cease. is attracting much attention. There
| is talk floating around to the effect that the
Administration forces may see the wisdom OF
accepting this compromise, aud that the bill
| so amended may be passed by both branches
| of Congress and a recess taken before the end
of the present month. verihcaiion OF this
rumor can be obtained, as the Democratic
| leaders are still maintaining their stoical in
disposition to talk. They evidently realize
the gravity of the situation. and all the pres
ent appearances point to some important de-
velopment in the Senate within y week to
come.
The Faulkner amendment is the most pacific
and conservative compromise of the question
that has yet been proposed. 1t is u fact, upon
which the friends Of silver in both branches
of Congress have laid much stress during the
debate, that France, though she has discon
tinued silver coinage nearly quarter OF IL cen
tury ago, is still maintaining and keeping il
circulation on IL parity with gold about $500,
900, 900 of silver, on ratio OF l59 to |. The
United States has only about $500. 900, 900 o.
silver in circulation. il we exclude the coin
notes issued under ths Sherman laws and il
is maintained that, with our much greater re
sources, we ought to be able TO easily main
tain the same amount of silver upon the larger
ratio of l6 to l. This is the logic of the
Faulkner compromise, and it is generally
conceded by the Administration forces that il
is the least harmful compromise that could
be accepted since the ultimate limit of silver
coinage being thereby fixed, there would be
no greater cause for alarm in financial circles
than has existed in prosperous FRANCE during
the quarter of a century she has maintained
the same amount of silver under less favora
Bile conditions.
The silver men in the Senate were much
elated a few days ago over u telegram re-
ceived by Senator Cockrel from Hon. Allen
g. Thurman, in which the sold Roman" pro
pounds the following inquiry: lis it posi-
bic that the United States Senate, now Demo
cratic. is to be buldozed into the demonetiza
1 ton OF silver Z. -
'fhe coming celebration of the centennial
anniversary Of the laying of the corner stone
of the Capitol. which will take place here on
Monday, promises to be quite an event. Presi
dent Cleveland will he present and deliver au
address, and Hon. VIM. Writ Henry, Of Vir
ginia. grandson of Patrick Henry and a de
scendnnt of William Writ, will be orator o.
the day. A chorus of 1900 voices will render
patriotic anthems and the program will be
quite an interesting one. The grand stand is
now in course of erection near the east port
co, and there is probability Of large at
tendance.
The convention of the National Boards o
Trade, the Chambers of Commerce. and Other
business organizations from the chief com
mercial centres of the country, which assem-
bled in Washington Tuesday, is considered
one of the most influential and important
gatherings of business men which has evei
taken place. Its presence here at this time
is supposed to have been so arranged as tc
exert a timely influence in holding up the
hands of the friends of unconditional repea
in the Senate. VISDEx-