The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-24
THE STLyER QUESTION,
Mr.. Harrity Wants To Know How the Next
House Will Stand On 1t.

N ASttlNGlON. II. - / GU. <''A
Philadelphia special has the following
text of a confidential letter sent out by
Chairman Harrity, of the National Demo-
cratic Committee Private)
Philadelphia, Pa. Feb Is, 1S93.-My
Dear Sir-An analysis Of the vote in the
House Of Representatives at Washington,
d. G.. upon the Andrew-Cate bill 10 re-
peal the Sherman act, shows that there
were fourteen Democratic members Of the
present Congress who have been re-
elected, and who did not vote on Feb
ruary g. 1893, on ordering the previous
question" and that there are seventy-six
newly elected Democratic members, thus
making ninety Democrats who Will sit
in the House of Representatives Of the
next Congress, who never voted upon tho
measure looking TO the repeal Of the
Sherman act. 1t is important 10 know
what the probable attitude Of these ninety
Democratic members will be toward
similar measure when offered in the next
Congress- VIII you kindly obtain this
information. getting IL as accurately and
as quickly as possible, and forward the
same TO me upon the inclosed blank at
as early a date as possible? Please be good
enough to treat this correspondence as
confidential. For your convenience | an
mex list Of the ninety Democratic MEM
bers whose position on silver it is de-
sired TO know. Yours respectfully,
WIN. f. HARRITY.
a copy OF this letter was sent to each
member of the House named In Mr.. Har-
rity's list The open discussions in Con-
gress to-day were not half so interesting
as the private discussion OF the Harrity
silver letter and the completed Cabinet
Of the next administration. The two sub
iects were interviewer in conversation
-y.dr Nv
ceedingly forcble.
Speaking of the Hsrrity letter. Senator
Harris said: Il, for one. will never con-
sent to the repeal Of the Sherman law,
without the substitution Of something in
it's place that recognizes the use Of silver
as money. SO far as predicting what the
next House or the next Congress may do,
on the money question, I think II Is idle
TO say that the next Congress will con-
sent to the repeal Of the Sherman act
without the substitution Of another meas
ure of some sort which will, as l have
said. recognize the use Of silver as money.
This will be the situation Of affairs re-
gardless OF what Mr.. Harrity or any one
else may say or do
over on the House side the silver and
anti-silver men took diametrically oppo-
site views of the Harrity letter. Mr..
Bland. the leader Of the free coinage
impudence. to say the least about it,
Mr. Price, Of Tennessee who has been,
parhans the most indefatigable worker
i'm the House in behalf Of free coinage
of silver. said: Il think the letter an in
famous outrage. II is another effort TO
bulldoze incoming members Of Congress,
back Of which l believe is Mr. Cleveland,
inst as believe he was back Of the recent
editorial saying members who voted Tor
Hsa1 hA 1fpafra lott
tion fighting them I'm their districts. |
believe the next House. like this one, Will
stand bv the interests Of their constitu
ents and will not be bulldOzed by the
National Committee, Mr.. Cleveland, or
ANYBODY else. Members Of the next House
win remember that while MIR. Cleveland
holds the patronage, the people hold the
ballots"
We'll" said Mr.. Watson. the Popuist
leader. of Georgia, Il have not read II
carefully. but it looks as though Mr.
Cleveland was Swapping the whip over
the boys 1t appears 10 me that Mr.
Cleveland is attempting 10 build up
Wall street aristocracy.'
Mr.. Otis. OF Kansas, also a Peoples
marty representative. looked upon the
letter as a "meddlesorne and entirely un-
called for effort to secure premature
declaration of opinion from men who
would be called upon 10 vote upon inc
question"
1T will not take well with the West
ern Democrats. They will not be dictated
TO by Mr.. Harrity." was jerry Simpsons
comment.
Il have not read the letter, but the
National Committee has nothing TO do
with the matter" said Representative.
William l.. Wilson, Of West Virginia.
Mr. Springer, chairman of the Commit
tee on Ways and Means. said: "Of course.
the letter Is all right Mr.. Harrity was
merely seeking for Information. The let
fer was a confidential one. and | don't
understand how it happened TO be pub
ushed, but there is nothing wrong about
It,"
Mr.. Hatch falls back upon his record
for an answer as 10 his opinion.
Messrs. Outhwaite and Andrew think
# is eminently proper for the National
Committee TO find out how members
stand.