The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-29
The REPEAL BILL PASSED.
The Measure Goes Through the House
by a Big Majority.
FREE COINAGE AMENDMENTS DEFEATED.
The Amendments Proposing a 20 to 1 Ra-
tio Gets More Votes Than the 10 tn
1 Katio-The Detailed Vote.

|
relating TO the most important question
which has attracted the attention of the
country for the past quarter Of century
are OF not exciting interest to the or
dinary spectator in the galleries, had no
effect upon the audience this morning
Long before the noon hour Of meeting the
public galleries were jammed with ear
nest listeners. When, at a quarter be-
fore noon the reserved galleries were
opened, there was a rush made TO Sc
cure good seats. and In a moment every
bench was filled with ladies in summer
costumes. who manipulated fluttering
fans in order TO temper the muggy heat
which permeated the chamber
The floor was the scene Of noisy bus
Ting confusion, the various leaders being
busy in marshalling their cohorts. Every
member was on the tiptoe OF expectancy,
and it may be safe to say that every re-
preventative, who was not detained by
illness. was in his seat.
The House was called promptly to or
der at II O'Clock and the Chaplain invo-
ked the special divine guidance on mem
bers at this critical moment
The roll was then called upon the amend
ment 10 the Wilson bill providing for the
free coinage Of silver at the ratio Of l6
| to- !. 1t resulted yeas l23. NAYS ~.
] Messrs. Shell and Graham were paired,
/ the former i'm favor Of free coinage.
The announcement OF the vote was re-
| ceived with applause and some surprise
| AZ the majority against free coinage. it
] being nearly double the largest estimate
/ made by the anti-silver committee. Mr..
| Bland from a seat at the extr me left
of the speaker smiled srimly as he neard
the result. nervousy chewing and rocking
TO and fro on his pivot chair. The fig lres
seem to- show that a majority of the
Democratic members voted against free
coif age.
Mr.. Bland asked yea and nay vote on
the question Of free coinage at the ratio
Of IL to /, and secured 1t. As the clerk
began calling the roll, Mr. Bryan walked
down the center aisle, calm and grave
and round to where the silver leader sat.
They sat I'm consultation some time and
then Mr.. Bryan by easy stages made his
way back to his own seat. The vote on
the question Of free coinage at the ratio
Of II to 1, resulted yeas 100. nays 24O.
on this vote beside the loss OF the pop
uist votes, the members OF that party
Withholding their votes, there were sey-
sevral negative votes from those who
voted in favor Of a ratio Of l6 10 /.
Mr.. Bland then offered the amendment
providing for free coinage at ratio Of
Is to ! and demanded the yeas and nays.
There were protests against this and cries
OF mo" but eighty-fiye gentlemen second
ed the request and the roll was again
called. on this question the yeas were
Zoe and nays 23J
The next amendment was that provid-
ing for the free coinage at ratio Of 10
TO l. The yeas and nays were demanded |
and ordered The rol-call showed the |
following vote: Yeas l05, nays 2S1.
The slight gains made on the higher |
ratios as shown by the last two votes /
was not unexpected by some OF the |
leaders, and II was the published impress |
sion Of these that the ratio OF 20 10 I, the |
next amendment onred by Mr.. Bland |
would poll tn largest vote recorded In ia |
vor OF free coinage The result OF the /
roll-call was yeas ll9, nays 222
The amendment TO reenact the Bland |
Allison act was defeated, yeas 1876, nays
2l3
Then came the final vote which Bailey |
Dem, Texas) endeavored 10 staye of
for a short time by Offering an amend
ment 10 repeal the parity clause OF the
Sherman act, in the hope that by so do
ing he could rally some Of the gold men
TO his support and thus weaken the
friends of the unconditional repeal OF
the purchasing clause. But the speaker
ruled that this was not in order pending |
the demand for the engrossment and
third reading Of the bill. and the bill was
accordingly ordered 20 a third reading.
Then Mr. Bailey raised the point that
there should be a division Of the question.
one part OF 1t repealed the purchasing
clause and the other retained the parity
clause. There should be a separate vote
on each But, again, the speaker pointed
to the decisive order Of the resolution
under which the House was acting and
held that such separation could not be
had.
The vote was then taken upon the
final passage OF the Wilson bill and it
was passed-yeas 2i0; nays 10.
A comparison Of seven separate votes
taken shows that at no time did the anti
silver men have less than II clear ma
tority. Their greatest strength was
shown on the II TO 1 majority OF 40. On
the final passage OF the bill the antis
mustered the same strength as this
but owing v a desperate rally OF the
Silver men heir majority was cut down
to l29.
One OF the surprises OF the day was
the lack OF strength on the 20 to / amend
ment which was supposed TO be the |
strongest proposition that the silver men
had in reserve. As a matter Of fact. II
was weaker by three votes than the lG 10
proposition and the majority against IL
was lOl. The vote that gave the silver
men the greatest comfort was that on the |
OF the Bland-Alison act
md on this amendment they succeeded In
the majority against them 20 the
owest figure OF the day n, the vote
standing yeas 1876. nays 2l3
After Catchings had given notice that
le would call up the House rules tomor-
.ow the House at $3.50 adjourned.
The Senate.
The question Of the right OF the
Governor or state TO appoint SEN
ltor 10 fll vacancy caused by the ex-
,iration OF regular term land not hap
)ening by resignation or otherwise) was
decided by the Senate to-day in the neg {
,tive The final vote in the two cases
rom Montana and Washington deciding ,
Mantle and Allen not entitled to seats
vas 30 TO %. There was no vote neces- ,
ary 10 be taken In the third Of these !
ases-- that from Wyoming Beckwith :
aving resigned his appointment more
han a month ago
The remainder OF the days session was
occupied In the consideration OF the bill
allowing national banks 10 increase their a
circulation up TO the par value OF the
,onds deposited by them 10 secure cir !
uation The amendment which Alr.
l.. ann n /