The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-08-15

y
Plan-The Debate on the Repeal o.
the sherman Act Begins at Once.
: WASHINGTON, August l0.-Anothel
day has passed, and the two wings O
the majority in the House of Represen
tatives are apparently as far as ever
: from an agreement upon the method O
conducting the postponed discussion O.
the silver question. The day has beer
: spent in fruitless conferences on the
subject, and because no progress has
been made in the negotiations, the
House was compelled 10 adjourn fol
lack of anything to engage It's atten
} tion.
The two committees representing
the silver and anti-silver forces seem
to be playing for position, each desiring
to assume the initiative, but of what
avail the point of vantage sought will
be it is difficult to discern among the
mass of rumors that is afloat. From
all OF these, and from statements by
members of the conference regarding
their proceedings, the positions of the
two parties are these:
The anti-silver men, led by Bourke
! Cochran, propose that q bill shall be
introduced to repeal the purchasing g
clause of the Sherman law, and that q
vote shall be taken upon that PROPOSE
tion first. If it be defeated, amend
ments may be offered providing for the
free coinage of silver, and vote taken
on them.
The free coinage men offer counter
proposition, to wit: That the bill out
lined by the free silver caucus yester-
day shall be introduced by the commit
tee authorized to propose it, providing
for a repeal coupled with free coinage; !;
that any amendments desired may be
| Offara6 an6 that a 1ynfn ohan l,a FOL
at the end of three weeks debate.
This was not acceptable to the anti
silver men, who insisted, it is said,
upon vote first upon the proposition
to Internationally repeal the purchase
clause.
1t was impossible, apparently, for the
committees to come together, and after
several separate consultations and two
joint meetings, an adjournment was
had until tomorrow morning.
The free coinage men were repre-
tatives Bland, Boatner, Cuiberson,
Bryan, Bailey, Bank head, Oates and
Lane; the unconditional repealers by
Cochran, Tracy, Harter, Raynor,
Catchings, Lapham, Geissenheiner,
Coombs, Fitch, Wilson of West Vir-
ginia, and John Dewitt Warner.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-THE con-
| ference of silver and anti-silver men
has reached an agreement by which
the general debate on the bill for the
repeal of the purchase clause of the
| Sherman law Is to be limited to eleven
days. This will be followed by a debate
| for three days under the five minute
rule, when the voting will begin on the
bill and the various silver amendments.
The present arrangement is that the
repeal bill will be introduced in the
House to-day; that the accompanying
resolution shall prescribe the method
of procedure, and general debate shall
begin at once. If carried out this pro-
| gram will bring the house to vote on
the bill and amendments on August
28th.
The silver mems part of the pro-
gramme is to offer first, substitute
looking to free coinage at the present
ratio. If this is defeated, then votes
to be taken on amendments fixing the
ratio at II, 1S, 10 and 20, in order, and,
finally, If these fail, upon the Bland
Allison act.
The House this morning was in O.
hustle of intense excitement. The
members met in groups, talking over
the situation, and the universal cues
tion, was, Have the silver and anti
silver men reached an agreement"
! Silver was on every mans tongue,
and silver will be on every mans
tongue for the next fortnight, as the
limit the debate to that period of time,
the debate to begin Immediately after
the reading of the journal to-day.
After the reading of the journal Mr..
Wilson (Democrat) of West Virginia,
offered for present consideration bill
to repeal that part of the act approved
July IA, 1890, (the Sherman act
1t provides that so much of the act
approved July 14th, 1890, as directs the
secretary of the treasury to purchase
from time to time silver bullion to the
aggregate amount of 100000 ounces,
or SO much thereof as may be offered
thereof, not exceeding 81 for 3714
grains of pure silver, and to issue in
payments for such purchase treasury
notes of the United States, be, and the
same is hereby repealed. But this re-
peal shall not impair nor in any man.
ner affect the legal tender quality ol
the standard silver dollars heretofore
coined. And the faith and credit OF
the United States is hereby pledged tc
maintain the parity of the gold and
silver coin of the United States, at the
preSent legal ratlO, or Sucn Otner ratio
as may be established by law.
Representative Bland offered the
agreement made this morning gov
erning the course of the debate. Il
limits the debate to fourteen days, the
session continuing from IL m. to
p. M, and with night sessions for de
bate only II desired The vote first tt
be taken on the bill to be presented a.
substitute for the Wilson bill, pro
viding free for coinage at ratio of II
to l. If that fails, then at ratio run
ming from II to l up to 20 to 1. If they
all fail, then on the revival of the
Bland-Allison act of 1878, and then OF
the original measure. The substitute
bill of the free coinage caucus wa
called for and presented by Bland.
Bland demanded the previous ques
tion on his order, but this was antagO
nized by the Republicans, under tn,
leadership of Cannon, who wanted
time to debate the question. Unde
the ruling OF the speaker, in the alb
. sence of rules or agreement orderin,
. tho previous question, would cut OF
debate. BY the operation of voting b,
tellers, Mr.. Cannon secured sufficien
support to secure vote by yeas an,
nays, and at 1895 calling of the rol
began. Vote resulted: Yeas, 217
nays, 100. So the previous question
: was ordered. The Republicans gener
D ally voted with the Democrats in sup
port of the motion. The resolution wa
; then adopted. AT five minutes afte