Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-08-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Silver Legislation in Congress-The
Behring Sea Decision-The
Presidents Health.

The financial question is now on in
the House, in fine shape Cochran and
Bland came to an agreement, and Will
sons bill to repeal the purchase clause,
and BANDS bill for free coinage at any
ratio from 16 to 20, choice to be made by
vote of the House, have been under dis
cussion for several days, in fact week
Debate is to run for two weeks, and then
the silver men are to have chance to
vote on the ratio business, commencing
at 16 to l, and running to 20 to l, if none
is adopted. All having failed, the vote
will be on the old Bland bill, and if this
fails, then on the bare proposition of re-
peal of the purchase clause with none of
these amendments. So it seems certain
that the House is bound to do something
by the last week in August. Mr.. Bland.
who made one of the opening speeches.
was rather dramatic, and issued warn
ing note to the Democracy of the East
He said if this outrage is carried through,
and the act repealed and no substitute
adopted to help out silver, he for one,
Democrat, as he was, and he thought
many more of the same mind, would bid
farewell to the Democracy of the East
The applause that followed this remark,
showed that he had hearty supporters
who would be with him. There probably
has not been time since the days just
before the war, when the Democratic
party has been threatened with so serious
a division as at the present time upon the
silver question. With the Republicans
the division is not near so serious, but it
will be found on the final vote that party
lines will play but little part on this
question. The rule has been so far dur
ing this debate, that for the most part
but little interest has been manifested
except among the speakers. A long list
of speakers are on the list, and it looks
as though the time would be fully taken
up with arguments. Mr.. Pence, one of
COlorado's new members, made fine
speech in favor of the free coinage side
of the question. Quite a number of able
speeches have been made, among them
were Mr.. Harter's, of Ohio. who started
out with a non bipartisan speech, but be
fore he got through he had wandered
over into the party lines. MIR. Harter is
well liked on both sides of the House
Mr. Bailey, of Texas, who has reputa-
tion as an orator, made a fine speech Oh
the silver side of the question. But few
prominent Republicans led off at first.
Charlie Grosvenor gave us one of his old
fashioned speeches this week. 1t does
one good to hear his familiar voice again.
He made speech that brought down the
House.
suppose if there is one man in the
whole House that feels better than any
other over the arrangements for debating
and disposing of the silver question, al
once, before the committees are an
nounced, that man is Speaker Crisp. 1t
will not make much difference now who
he appoints chairman of the Coinage
Committee, and Mr. Bland may hold his
old place with no fight. The Speaker
represents silver district in Southern
Georgia, and it had got to be serious
question with him, as he wished to suit
Mr.. Cleveland and his district also. He
is happily relieved. The appointment of
Cultivate, of Ohio, in Mr.. McMillin's
old place on the Committee on Rules was
a surprise. 1t was even hinted that the
change was made to prevent McAIillin
from being too prominent leader on the
floor of the House, as it was noticed
during the last Congress, he took a very
prominent position. The Speaker claims
it was to give n Northern Democrat po
sition on the committee. Mr.. Pearson
of Ohio, secured the craftsmanship of the
Committee on Enrolled Bills. Very few
of the committees will be announced un-
til September.
The decision of the Arbitration on the
Behring Sea question was disappoint-
ment to many, who hoped to secure all
the points that were in controversy be-
fore the Board. We lost the point as to
the closed sea, but we secured the 60 mile
limit, and protection for the seal from
May Ist to July 3lst, in that part of the
Pacific Ocean including Behring Sea
north of the 35th degree of north latitude,
and east of the 1S0th degree of longitude.
But we can be held for damages for pre-
venting Great Britain, or her subjects,
rather, from use of the Sea during the
arbitration. This was not long period.
but it hardly seems just. Like most ar
bitrations it is compromise.
The Senate was much slower than the
House in getting down to business. The
Republicans were anxious to get to
work at once, and tried to get to work on
Hale's and Lodges resolutions to do so
But the Democratic side of the Cham
Der were not agreed upon just how to
commence, and they were not willing the
Republicans should dictate the course
for the Democratic side of the Senate. So
the Democratic steering COMMITTEES, with
Senator German at its head, worked for
several days at the question, and gave it
up in seeming disgust. The plan seems to
be to wait for the action OF the House,
and in the meantime to push through
the bill for increasing the circulation of
the National Bank notes, up to the full
amount of the bonds deposited. Also to
get in as many speeches as Senator'S
please on the main question of the re-
peal of the Sherman act. Senator Hoar's
speech was, as his speeches usually are, an
able one. Walcott made fine speech
also on the other side of the question.
Wolcott is an able man, and although
the East thinks his financial views are
the worst heresy, no one can dispute his
ability. Senator Vest, who in general is
connted such staunch friend of Presi-