Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-14
MORE COMPLICATED.
The Financial Situation Not Improv-
ed by Discussion and Conference.
WHAT ANTI-SILVER MEN RELY ON.
Unconditional Repeal Appears I'M
possible in the Senate.
THE PRESIDENTS POSITION.

The more the financial situation is dis
cussed in Congress and the more confer
ences are held. the more cloudy and COM
plicated the situation appears. The silver
men are much more confident now of de-
feating unconditional repeal Of the Sher-
man law than they have been before
There Will be no occasion for surprise If
the extra session will prove useless as far
as the purpose for which 1t was called
together goes. The indications still are
that an unconditional repeal will go
through the House, yet this cannot be
relied on, In view of the possibilities of
change between now and the time for TAX
ing the vote If members were compelled
to vote on the naked proposition of repeal
or no repeal. without the chance Of amend
ment or condition, there Is little doubt
that the repeal bill would be passed by a
very respectable majority. large number
men, argue that they are pledged by the
democratic national platform to two propo-
sitions-the repeal of the. Sherman law.
and the maintenance of bimetaiiiSm. The
question whether the two things shall be
handled in otte bill is one of policy. Fear
ing that ii the legislation favorable to sill
yer were not attached condition to the
repeal of the Sherman law the President
might not approve of the. silver legisla-
the two. Yet, they would not feel war
ranted in refusing to vote for the repeal
OF the Sherman law unconditionally if the
attempts to amend it failed. They would
feel if confronted with the naked PROPOSE
uon. that they would have to vote for the
repeal. But this is not what .hey want.
The Outlook for Repeal.
Counting these men in their canvass the
anti-silver men can show up larger ma
jority for repeal than they can rely on to
vote with them on the various proposi-
tions that come up by way of amendment.
What they rely on, however, IS that some
of the men who would vote for free coinage
at a ratio of 16 to l will not vote for a ratio of
IS or 20 to should the first proposition fail.
and that some who are willing to vote for
IS or 20 will not vote for 16, leaving the sill
yer men, therefore divided on the question
which Should not t. be o lost sight oof.st Of. that
when the House comes to vote the
amendment providing ratio of 20 to l 1t
from the present outlook the anti-silver
men appear to have the best of it in the
House Should q 20 to l amendment be
adopted by the House it would be very apt
to go through the Senate.
Impossible In the Senate.
The impression Is growing stronger
every day that an unconditional
repeal is impossible In the Senate.
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 logisla-
ton which they are determined shall rot
pass. The probabilities are that the strug-
gle there will be very long one. and the
indications are that condition will be put
on the bill. In this connection arises the
serious question of whether the President
would sign bill even to secure the repeal
of the Sherman law If it carried with it a
provision for the coinage of silver.
The Presidents Position.
1t is said that he is determined 20 stand
by the issue Of unconditional repeal or
nothing, and that If a bill should go to him,
providing for the repeal of the Sherman
law. and for the free coinage of silver, at
% to or even greater ratio he would veto
it without any hesitation, preferring to rely
on the administration of the present law to
relieve it of some of the evil features. from
his point of view. rather than to have a
new law, still holding silver in its present
position as money metal through the
efforts of the government only. There Is.
country of long agitation OF the question
without any practical results in the way of
legislation.
Republican Inactivity.
Inquiry OF leaders on the republican side
of the House elicits the statement that
they 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 considera ton of the queS-
ton, and refused to give the republicans
chance to amend the order regulating the
or no silver. which are the only alternatives
possible under the Bland order were the
only two possible solutions of the situation
and would have been glad of the opportu-
nifty to have amended the order so as to Sc
cure vote on a proposition which we be-
ieve would go further than any. other to
meet and relieve the necessities of the A.
nancial situation. But this having been de-
MED us, we do not feel that the republicans
nave anything to argue. and my belief is
that none of the members on this side will
take formal part in the debate"
1t may be doubted. however, whether this
plan OF reticence and reserve will be car
ried out. 1t is almost a certainty that
ed where the opportunity to score a politi-
cal point will prove irresistible to such ag-
gressive leaders as Reed Burrows, Cannon,
HepwOrth and Henderson. There are some
of the best speakers in the democratic
ranks still to be heard-Cockran and Fei-
lows of New York. Wilson of West Vir-
ginia, Culberson of Texas, Bynum of In
diana, Bryan. the brilliant young orator of
Nebraska, and earnest, deep-chested Hatch
of Missouri. whose sonorous voice and
striking gestures will enforce attention
1t will be strange, indeed. If their re-
marks, divided as they will he pretty
equally on both sides of the question do
not call out some pungent retorts or crit
icisms. 1t is true that ex-Speaker Reed
he did not know enough on the silver cues
tion to be able to enlighten anybody. but
he may have studied it since then AS to
the exact attitude of Messrs Burrows
Cannon and other western men on the
broad question of silver coinage there Is
some doubt. which they themselves will
probably take fitting opportunity to dis
pei.
Tho NJ