New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-15
NOW CONGRESS STANDS.

Several elaborate efforts have been made by
Democratic journals to elicit from members oil
the mex. Congress assurances Of the repeal OF
the silver law Thus far these efforts have
been so unsuccessful that the result Is rather
disc uraging The most successful OF them was
mode by 1.-The New-York Times" which has
obtained answers from l33 Senators and Repre-
scntatvcs out of 44i-scmewhat less than a
third. 1t is not at all surprising that those
who have answered are in the main those who
are able to crafty the newspaper inquirnS
But it must be considered a melancholy result
that out Of 213 Democratic Representatives
and A. Democratic Senators only 90 appear
TO have replied in favor OF repeal of the silver
act This is little more than fifth, and Il Is
clear enough that 50 small proportion OF the
Dcmocrntic members will not be able in COM
bination with Republicans to overcome the
Democratic majority in Congress
True. il must not be hastily inferred that all
who favor repeal Of the silver act have so an
swered No doubt some wish to keep under
cover as long as they can on account OF con-
stituents, and some prefer not to say anything
until the time comes and the circumstances are
before them and their constituents also. But
it is equally true that some Of those who an
swcr in favor OF repeal add remarks indicating
their intention to support some kind OF COM
promise, increase of paper currency, or free
coinage on some basis. 1t is altogether i'm
p3s>ibe to guess where these men will be found
when definite issue comes up in Congress for
action The most that can be said at present,
therefore, is that application to every Demo
cratic member of Congress by prominent jour
nal Of tina. party has elected from only abou:
fifth of them statements that they will vote
for repeal of the silver law with or without
ether changes in currency.
In view of such results as these, it seems
rather curious to find the statement cOnspc-
uously printed that the canvass Z" leaves little
room for doubt that the Sherman law will be
repealed" Particularly stalvait faith is re-
quired TO extract such confidence from the
statements published. 1t may be justified by
oth9 information not publicly known or print
"a, but the answers Of Congressman them
selves, it must be confessed, tend rather to
support different conclusion. Whether the
Republican members will fit to vote for or
against such bill as may be presented is not
altogether clear a large proportion OF thcn,
whatever their opinion, might be expected to
make 10 reply ID inc inquiry lioiu "c
Times" But out Of III Republican members
of the Senate and House. II made answer, and
Of these were opposed TO repeal Of the silver
act and 3 were undecided. For the right kind
of measure no doubt nearly all of the Rcpub-
licans would vote, but many do not care to
seem committed in favor OF any form OF re-
peal the Democrats may propose.
The conclusion to which these accounts APP
pear to point is that the action Of the next
Congress as TO the silver question cannot be
safely predicted by anybody, unless by specu-
lators who want to lift stocks now, or by po-
litical spectators who want just now To Gre
ate an impression that the Presidcn: will not
be opposed by his own party. In business
point Of view, the Indian who said "whte
man berry unsartin' might have been describ
ing the coming Democratic Congress.