The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-16
A New Week in the Senate.


/ A new week begins with the repeal bill
in the Senate occupying precisely the
position that it occupied the second day
after its introduction. House bill No.
L. for the repeal of the silver-purchasing
section of the act of July Il, 1890 O1uown
as the Sherman law, as amended in the
/ committee Of finance of the Senate by the
adoption in that committee of the Noor-
hees substitute, has resumed its place as
the unfinished business" in the ordinary
daily routine of the Senate chamber, and
it will continue to occupy that position,
unless displaced by other pressing meas
ures, until some conclusion is reached on
the question by compromise or other
wise
The Senate can, at any time, by taking
up another bill after the unfinished
business" is laid before the Senate,
"shelve" the repeal bill This can be
done without even the formality of a
vote, by tacitly taking up another bill for
consideration.
But the repeal bill will not be
"shelved." Senator Voorhees, has an
nounced that the ''repealers" have lust
begun to fight" despite all of the talk
about a compromise that is being INDUCED
in. That fight involves not only the re-
peal of the purchasing clause of the Sher-
man law, but 1.-The question of constitu-
tional government''-gov by the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Voorhees, declared the
other day. Nothing can be more certain
than that the fight will go on to finish.
There is a bare possibility-it does not
amount to a probability-of a compro-
mise. But there will be no shelving.
The story that a compromise was favor
ably discussed at a cabinet meeting the
other day, and which included an extern
sion of the period of silver purchasing
beyond Mr.. Cleveland's term-"a point
insisted upon by the silver men, and
the issue of bonds, may be taken with
grain of salt. 1t was alleged that this
was "the administrations proposition"
Can anybody who has knowledge Of
Grover Cleveland's character believe that
he would agree to any such thing3 Is
there anything of the weakling in him}
Thoroughly convinced that the silver pur-
chase law is iniquitous and should be
wiped off the books Immediately for the
best interests of the country, is it reason
able to believe he would consent that it
should be continued for three years, or be-
yond his official term, at the end of which
period another administration might con-
tinue it foreverl And suppose a compro-
mise carrying a bond issue should be
passed by the Senate and sent to the
House, would the House accept it? julius
G. Burrows, republican who would favor
a bond issue, says the House would not.
Thus matters stand, with the re-
peal bill still unfinished business in the
Senate and the "repealers" determined
to fight it out" And under the circum-
stances there seems to be no way in which
a vote can be reached except by the pre-
siding officer taking the bit in his teeth
and putting the question of the passage
of the bill without recognizing any one
for dilatory motions. Under the rules of
the Senate the minority is in absolute
control, and can negative any proposed
legislation If it chooses to exert its power
The only way in which the majority can
do anything is by overriding the rules
with the assistance of the presiding Off
Ger. Unless, in the end, the rules are to
be disregarded, the majority might as
well give up the fight and go hats in hand
to the corporals guard of silver-mining
senators and beg as gracious favor that
they will denominate what kind of a bill
they will permit to pass.