The Indianapolis journal., 1893-10-13
After Nearly Forty Hours of Fruit
less Battle with the Silverites He
Quit at 1:4O This Morning.
COMPROMISE NOW PROBABLE
Amendment introduced by Harris
After Talk with Carlisle.
Incidents of the Long SessiOn-Repeal-
ers Worried by Many Roll Calls
PETERS Proposition Rejected.

WASHINGTON, Oct 13-After a contin-
uous session of thirty-eight hours and forty
minutes Senator Voorhees,, leading the re-
peal forces, was compelled by the inabil-
ity of his followers to longer stand the ter
rible strain to capitulate, temporarily at
least, by yielding to an adjournment. He
had been trying all night to induce the sill
yer men to allow the Senate to take re-
cess until tomorrow morning. and thus
keep the legislative day, which began
But the obstinate silverites would only ac-
cept adjournment, and at LAO a. m, after
the quorum had been twice broken for over
an hour, he reluctantly threw up the sponge.
This forces the repealers to relinquish the
ground they secured and begin all over
again If the attempt to secure vote by
brute force is to be attempted once more.
Senator Voorhees, and Senator Palmer and
other administration men claim that the
adjournment does not necessarily mean an
abandonment of the fight. The silver Sem
ators and compromisers jubilantly assert
that the victory is theirs; that uncondi-
tional repeal is dead absolutely, and that
nothing remains but compromise. And
compromise the indications are; it will be
along the line of the Harris amendment.
The Harris amendment, which is to fur
nish the ground work Of the compromise,
If compromise it is to be, is regarded as
satisfactory by the silver men. First, It
does not provide for bonds. This is. in
deed, its greatest weakness from the stand
point Of the Eastern Republican repealers
who have insisted, all along, on a gold
bond issue. BY providing for the redemp-
ton of notes of all descriptions of denomi-
nations below $40 and the reissue of denomi-
nations of 80 and over, and the prohibi-
ton of the coinage OF the gold two-and-a-
half and five-dollar gold pieces. and the
recoinage OF this gold as eagles and
double eagles, the bill would force
the absolute hand-to-hand use of silver in
all the ordinary transactions involving
sums of less than $40. In this way the sill
yer men argue that the country would be
able to absorb large additional amount
of silver to be purchased after the silver
y
the seigniorage. has been coined In one
way the administration is perfectly sat-
isfied with the silver provisions Of the
amendment. BY providing first for the
coinage Of the bullion now in the treasury,
amounting to about $5OOOO,oQO, at the rate
Of $3,0o0.0o0 per month, the treasury would
be relieved for a year and half of any
silver purchases at all.
The first intimation of weakening
Of the repeal forces was the decision OF
Mr.. Voorhees, to move for recess to-
night from 10 p m. until IL tomorrow. He
reckoned. however. without the silver men.
who announced that they would not yield the
floor to Mr.. Voorhees, TO make the motion,
and thus he was obliged to abandon his
plan. Many stories Of compromise were in
the air tonight, but the unqualified state
ment of both sides was that the fight then
in progress must be decided before any
compromise can be broached with success
Secretary Carlisle was again at the Cap
itol in consultation with Democratic Sena-
tors in order to keep himself we'll in
formed of the situation.
The hours dragged along until at $50
o'clock. when Mr.. Voorhees,. chafng under
| the continued roll calls the silver men
| were forcing to hold their tired adversaries
on the rack, petulantly arose and demand
| ed to know of Mr.. Frye, of Maine, who
| was in the chair, to what extent the priv
| ilege Of calling for a quorum could be
| abused. The scene was brilliant one. The
| setting for the fierce struggle in progress
on the floor in the dazzling glare of the
| artificial lights was one to impress the
| mind and fascinate the eye. The galleries
| were banked to the doors. In the reserved
L 1adi fhNi, l1,-;rr
dresses adding color to the scene. The
| press gallery overhanging the Vice Pres
ident's chair, was crowded with busy corre-
| spondents, scratching away with persist
ency. Below on the floor was the wreck of
| a great parliamentary battle then thirty
| two hours old The venerable Senator
| Stewart, looking like a patriarch with his
| long, white beard, was grinding mo-
! notonously away, while the hag-
| gard faces around him betokened
| the long strain to which the
| attempt to force the silver men to yield by
test of brute strength had subjected the
1 Senate. Mr.. CuIlom sat listlessly in his
seat. Behind him, Mr.. Hoar, was peggina
| away at some correspondence. Mr.. Turpis
| and Mr. Bate were talking weartiy and Mr.
| Lodge, the student Senator from Massachu
setts, tall. erect and undaunted stood aim
lessly In the aisle. In the rear Of the cham
| ber were Republicans from the other house
conspicuous among whom was "Siver-dol
lar Bland who was talking earnestly will
| Mr.. Teller. Over in one corner Mr.. Gormar
was the center of an interested group. com
| posed of Messrs. Hill and Murphy, OF New
York, and Mr.. Faulkner, of West Vir
| ginia-
No more perfect demonstration Of tn,
| helplessness of the Senate under the pres
ent system of rules has been given than by
the events that followed Mr.. Voorhees,,
inquiry. Mr. President. my inquiry" saic
Mr.. Voorhees,, with head erect and defiant
'is whether there is any limit or restrain
on the rule permitting Senator's to make tn
point of quorum"
/ In the terms of the rule" said Mr.. Frye
who was presiding. there is no limitation
and the Chair knows of no power in TIL
presiding officer TO place a limitation"
Mr.. Voorhees, sank back in his seat an
CRY, but with no further word of protest.
The roll call brought fcrty-four unwilling
victims into the chamber. AS soon as tn,
announcement was made MIR. Quay go