Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-15
SILVER MEN MORE HOPEFUL.
The Effect of Senator Vests Decided
Stand Against Repeal.
The National Bank Note Bill Favor
ably Reported by the Senate
Finance Committee.

The decided and unmistakable stand taken
by Senator Vest on the silver question yes
terday has had the effect of Strengthening
the hopes Of the silver men, and they are to-
day still more sanguine in their statements
that the unconditional repeal of the Sher-
man law is an impossibility. His unre-
stricted attack on the President, regarding
his financial views as expressed in his mes
sage. has undoubtedly had it's effect and it
is understood now that he has taken the
lead that some other senators will follow
him in the same direction. The silver men
say that the sentiments expressed by Mr..
Vest show that their claims have not been
unreasonably founded, and that the Presi-
dents message instead Of increasing the
feeling for repeal has had the opposite re-
suit.
The anti-repealites have the advantage in
that they have definite object In view, be-
Heving that possession is ntne-tenths Of
the law, and that 1t Is much easier to
hold on to what they have got than to al
low their possession to slip from them, and
after that try to obtain something which
will better their condition. They are close
ly bound together in their determination
not TO allow the present law 10 be
pealed unless in the same clause which
wipes the Sherman law from the statute
books there is enacted new measure
On the other nand the repealers are unde
cided as to what course to pursue. and as
the uuInDeT on tne repuDUcan side VINO Ia
yor this action is as lafge that on the
democratic 1t is still more difficult for them
to have united force. and for that rea-
son no plan has yet been settled upon.
The National Bank Note Bill.
Though. as stated in yesterdays Star,
1t is almost a certainty that the Senate
will not act finally on the silver question
until the House has decided what 1t will do
in this matter. still among the Senators
personally there Is a unanimous desire to
do something which will relieve the present
monetary. distress. and consequently the
bill introduced by Senator Voorhees, to al
low the national banks to issue circulation
up to the full par value of the bonds de-
posted with the United States treasury to
secure their circulation meets with gen.
eral approval. The finance committee held
the meeting called for this morning and
agreed, with only one dissenting Vote to
report 1t favorably to the Senate at once
and it was, called up for action by Mr..
1t is not likely to receive much opposition
in the upper chamber and may pass before
the House finally votes on the silver ques-
ton. Then the discussion on these two
financial measures will be transferred.
The finance committee will then take up
the silver question actively and decide
upon some bill to be reported for the con-
sideration of that body and the national
bank bill will go over to the House.
Efforts VIII he Futile.
The conviction Is growing stronger among
men Of most experience in Congress that
the efforts to settle the silver question are
going to be futile. While 1t is possible. and
at this time seems even more probable. that
all amendments to the unconditional repeal
bill will fail in the House. the anti-silver
men are very uerYous about the vote on the
provisions for free coinage of silver at 20
to 1. The silver men will undoubtedly have
their strongest hope on that amendment.
They are not at all sanguine themselves
that the amendment will carry. but they
M a Incoming
law without some condition advantageous
to silver being attached by the Senate. 1t
Is the almost universal expression of opin.
will be absolutely impossible for uncondi-
tional repeal to go through the Senate.
vote in the House on the 20 to i amend
ment. and without quite venturing the hope
that this amendment will carry at once,
fail the popularity of the proposition will be
sufficiently demonstrated to lead the Sem
ate to accept that as the strongest meas
ure in connection with the repeal bill, and
that the silver Senators will secure that
provision in any bill which may pass that
body. If this action is taken by the Senate
agreed on after conference by the House.
1t appears at this time almost certain that
the Senate will not pass an unconditional
repeal If the two houses disagree on this
point that leaves no legislation. If the two
houses agree on a bill with a free coinage
provision, 1t is believed that the President
will veto 1t. so that the situation appears to
be unfavorabie to the accomplishment of
anything.
Some Measure for Relief.
So strongly convinced are many Of the
leading conservative men that this is the
situation that they are talking very earn
estly of getting to work at once on some
measure for the relief of the financial sit
uation more general and effective than the
mere provision for an increased circulation
OF national bank notes, which has already
been introduced in the Senate. There is
no doubt that as soon as the committee on
banking and currency has been organized
they Will get to work at once on some gen.
eral measure in which silver will not fig
ure, providing for an increase in the vol
ume of currency sufficient to meet all de-
mands of trade. They seem to feel that
there is more chance of accomplishing
something in this line than in the line on
which they are already at work. But the
whole situation is terribly mixed, and the
yiSesf do see their xualr clear