The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-10
SILVER MEN HOLD CAUCUS
They Will Vote For Repeal on a Free
Coinage Basis.

The Attendance Numbered ABOUT one
Hundred and is Taken as a Showing
of the Strength of the Silver Men.
Mr.. Enloe Maintains That the eau
Gus Should Have Been Confined to
Democrats.
= Washington, Aug. 9.-The caucus of
members of the House of Representatives
who favor the free coinage of silver,
which was called yesterday by Represen-
tative Bland, was held to-day in the hall
of the House, lasting from 10 noon to 2;45
p. m. At the close it was officially an
nOunced that the following resolution,
offered by Mr.. Boatner of Louisiana, had
been adopted by a unanimous vote:
Resolved That we will support bill re-
pealing the purchasing clause of the sherman
act, and currently providing for the Tree ana
untrammeled coinage OF silver with full legal
tender quality on such a ratio as will provide
and maintain the parity between gold and
silver. Be it further
Resolved That committee Of seven be ap-
pointed by the chairman of this conference to
draft and introduce such bill and take prop
or steps to secure the free and full discus
sion and consideration thereof and vote of
the House upon the bill and all proper amend
ments.
The committee provided for in the fore
going resolution was composed as follows:
Messrs. Bland, Sibley, Boatner, Lane,
Bankhead, Bryan and Bailey.
BY vote Of the caucus, Judge Culber-
son was added to the committee.
ABOUT 100 ATTENDED.
When the caucus met it was estimated
that there were about 40 mem bers of the
House in the hall, but during the two and
three-q quarter hours the caucus was IN
session about 100 members were admitted.
Estimates of the number in attendance
ranged from 90 to 50, the clerk Of the
caucus fixing the number at %, and Mr..
Bland saying he counted over 100.
Mr. Culberson of Texas was elected
chairman of the caucus and Mr.. Sibley of
Pennsylvania, the only democrat present
from the eastern states, secretary. The
only republican present was Mr.. Bowers
of California The populists were repre-
sented by Jerry Simpson and Mr.. KEN OF
Nebraska.
TEST OF STRENGTH.
The attendance upon the caucus can
partly be regarded as a test of the
strength of the silver forces in the House,
for the reason given by Mr.. Enloe of Ten
nessee. That reason was that
the democratic party was
charged by the people with the
duty of legislating so as TO remedy the
present depression in all branches of bust
ness. A democratic caucus and not the
mixed conference, should have been called
to talk over the situation and to form
ulate plan of relief OF the entire Ten
nessee delegat ation-many of whom are in
favor of free coinage-but one, MIR. Cox
was at the present conference. This same
thing was true of num-
Der of free silver men from Other
states, who did not desire to seem to sepa
rate themselves from their respective
party organizations, even on this question
Reports from members after the caucus
adjourned agreed that no differences ol
opinion were discussed in the progress OF
the discussion. The question of the ratio
for the coinage of silver was not discussed
except incidentally, and as will be noticed
no special figure was named in the resolu
tion.
THE SPEECHES.
Speeches were made by Messrs. Culber
son, Bland, Hatch and Heard of Mobile
Grain and Bailey of Texas, Simpson OF
Kansas, Oates and Bankhead of Alabama
Bryan of Nebraska, Sibley of Pennsylva-
mia, Boatner and Blanchford of Louisiana
and others, all in support of the object
for which the caucus had been called.
Besides the action reported a motion by
Mr.. Bland was adopted au
thorizing the appointment OF
committee of ''whips,n y one from each
state, whose duty it shall be to canvass
the House, discover each members stand
ing upon the proposed bill and see that
every friend of the measure is in his seat
and ready to vote when the time comes
This committee has not yet been named
BLAND SATISFIED.
Mr. Bland stated after the caucus that
it had been in every respect satisfactory
to the friends of free silver coinage. The
Ta,
named, he said would probably meet tho
committee of anti-silver men tomorrow
and discuss the details of the discussion tC
be had upon the bill outlined in the resolu.
ton adopted. 1--WE will require ample
time,n remarked Mr. Bland, ito carry
out the terms of the resolution
and ] do not see how it will
be possible to come to vote
under month, or probably six weeks.
/ cannot tell when the committe will have
its bill ready to present to the House.
The question of the ratio to be inserted in
the bill was not discussed but it is appar-
ent that some of the free silver men are
satisfied that the present ratio of l6 to
should be changed. We shall probably
vote upon the present ratio of 16 to | and
if that is defeated, then II to l and
so on up to 20 to l, if necessary.
We must redeem our pledges" Mr..
Cleveland holds himself and his views
above the party. He may be, as his init
mates have claimed, "a platform unto
himself" but democratic congressman
cannot hold themselves above their
party The party in the south must be
held together. 1t must continue to pres
ent an unbroken front, but it cannot hold
together If the people become convinced
that the financial policy of the democrats
is identical with that of John Sherman
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