The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-15
Does Not Appear to Be Quite 50
Bright as Heretofore.
A SERIOUS QUESTION ARISES
Concerning q Presidents Veto Under Ger
tain Conditions-The situation Grows
More Cloudy and Complicated tho
More IL Is Discussed.

AsHINGTON, Aug. lo.-lne more tno
financia. situation is discussed in congress
and the more conferences are held the
more cloudy and complicated the situation
appears. The silver men are much moro
confident now of defeating tho uncondi-
tional repeal of the Sherman law than
they have been before. There will be no
occasion for surprise IL the extra session
which IL was called together goes. The
indications still are that unconditional re-
peal will go through the house, yet this
cannot be relied on In view OF the possi-
bility of change between now and the time
for taking the vote.
If members were compelled to vote on
the naked proposition of repeal or not re-
peal, without the chance OF amendment or
condition, there Is little doubt that the
repeal bill would be passed by q respect
able majority. A large number of men,
bers who are conditional repeal men argue
that they are pledged by the Democratic
national platform to two propositions
the repeal Of the Sherman law and the
maintenance of bimetallism. The question
whether the two things shall be handled
In one bill is one of policy.
Figuring ON tho President.
Fearing that IL the legislation favorable
to silver were not attached as condition
to the repeal Of the silver purchasing law
the president might not approve of the
silver legislation, they regard it as policy
to combine the two, yet they would not
feel warranted in refusing to vote for the
repeal of the silver purchasing law uncon-
ditionally IL the attempts to amend 1t
k-sl n n r. --~:x L
the naked proposition that they would
have to vote for repeal. But this Is not
what they want.
Counting these men in their canvass
the anti-silver men can show larger ma
jority for repeal than they can rely on to
vote with them on the various PROPOSE
tions that come up by way of amendment.
What they rely on, however, Is that some
Of the men who would vote for free coin
age ut a ratio of 10 TO will not vote for a
ratio of Is or 20 to 1, should the first PROPOSE
tion fail, and that some who are willing to
vote for IS or % will not vote for 16. leav-
ing the silver men therefore divided ON
the question of ratios.
Antis Are Ahead.
There is, however, possibility which
should not be lost sight of, that when
the house comes to vote on the
amendment providing ratio of 20
to 1, 1t may have strength enough to
carry it through. From the present out
look the anti-silver men appear to have the
best of it Ia the house.
Should 90 to amendment be adopted
by the house 1t would be mighty apt to go
through the senate. The impression Is
growing stronger every day that an un-
conditional repeal Is impossible in the sem
ate The silver men are very strong
numerically in that body and have such
power under the rules as to make it prac-
tically impossible to force through legisla-
tion which they are determined shall not
pass The probabilities are that the
struggle there will be a very long one, and
the indications are that condition will
be put on the bill.
No Compromise.
In this connection arises the serious
question of whether the president would
sign bill even TO secure the repeal of the
silver purchasing law If it carried with it
a provision for the coinage Of silver. 1t is
said that he is determined to stand by the
issue OK unconditional repeal or moth
ing, and that il a bill should go to
him providing for the repeal of the
obnoxious law, and for the free coinage of
silver at 20 to J., or even greater ratio,
he would veto it without any hesitation,
preferring to rely ON the administration
of the present law than to have new law
still holding silver in its present position
as money metal through the efforts of
the government only. There is. therefore,
the possibility confronting the country of
a long agitation of the question without
any practical results in the way of legisla-
ton.
Republican Attitude.
1t is said that the Republican members
of the House expect to take little or no
part in the debate now in progress. Said
one of them:
"The Democrats have undertaken to con-
troll and direct the consideration of the
question, and refused to give the Republi-
cans a chance to amend the order regulat-
ing the debate. We did not believe that
free silver or no silver, which are the only
alternatives possible under the Bland or
der, were the only possible solutions of the
situation, and would have been glad of an
opportunity TO have amended the order so
as to secure vote on proposition which
we believe would go farther than any other
TO meet and relieve the necessities OF the
financial situation. But this having been
denied us, we do not feel that the Republi-
cans have anything to argue, and my be-
lief is that none Of the members on
this side will take formal part in the
debate"
1t is true that Speaker Reed frankly
said during the last Congress that he did
not know enough ON the silver question TO
be able to enlighten anybody, but he may
have studied it since then. AS to the ex-
act attitude Of Messrs. Burrows, Cannon
and other Western men on the broad qrses-
tion Of silver coinage there Is some doubt
which they themselves will probably take
fitting opportunity to dispel.
SPEECH AND PLANNING