The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-16
SILVER MEN MORE HOPEFUL.
The Effect of Senator Vests Decided Stand
Against Repeal.

Ihe Enect OF senator VESTS Decided stand
Against Repeal.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. August 5.-The
decided and unmistakable stand taken By
Senator Vest on the silva. question yes
ter1ay has had the effect Of streng ,henIg
the hcpes Of the silver men, and they are
to-day still more sauguine in their state
ments that the unconditional repeal OF the
sherman law is an .mpossibiity. His un-
restricted attack on the President re-
garding his financial views as expressed
la his message. has undoubtedly had its
effect, and it is understood now that he
has taken the lead, and that some other
senator's will follow him in the same di-
rection. The silver men say that the senti-
ments expressed by Mr.. Vest show that
their claims have not been unreasonably
founded, and that the Presidents mes
sage, instead of increasing the feeling for
repeal. has had the opposite result.
The anti-repealites have the advantage
I'm that they have a lehnite object i'm
view, believing that possession Is nine
tenths Of the law, and that IL is much
easier to hold on TO what they have got
than to allow their possession to slim from
them, and after that try 20 obtain some-
thing which will better their condition.
They are closely bound together in their
determination not TO allow the preselt
law to be repealed unless in the same
clause which wipes the Sherman law
from the statute books there Is enacted
new Measure which will better satisfy
their demands.
on the other hand the repeaiers are nm
decided as TO what course 20 pursue. and
as the number on the Republican side
who favor this action IS as large os that
on the Democratic 1t is still more difficult
for them to have a united force. and for
that reason no plan mas yet been set
tied upon.
Though. as stated. IL is almost a GER
tainty that the Senate will not act finally
on the silver question until the House
mas decided what IL Will do In this mat
ter, still among the Senators personally
there Is unanimous desire 10 do some
thing which will relieve the present
monetary distress and consequently the
Dill introduced by Senator Voorhees, 10
allow the national banks TO issue circula-
ton up TO the full par value OF the bonds
deposited with the United States Treasury
10 secure their circulation meets with
general approval. The Finance Commit
tee held the meeting called for this morn
ing. and after a short discussion the
committee agreed. with only one dissent
ing vote. 10 report it favorably 70 the
Senate at once, and IL was called up for
action by Mr.. Voorhees, shortly after the
Senate met. 10 Is not likely TO receive
much opposition in the upper chamber
and may pass before the House finally
votes on the silver question. Then the
discussion on these two financial measures
will be transferred
The Finance Committee will then take
up the silver question actively and decide
upon some bill TO be reported for the
consideration Of that body and the Ma
tional Bank bill will go over 60 the House
The conviction is growing stronger
among men Of most experience I'm Con-
gress that the efforts 20 settle the silver
question are going 10 be futile. While n
is possible. and at this time seems even
more probable. that all amendments TO
the Unconditional Repeal bill will fail
i'm the House. the anti-slver men are very
nervous about the vote on the provisions
for free coinage OF silver at % 10 /. The
silver men will undoubtedly have their
strongest hope on that amendment. They
are not at all sanguine themselves that
the amendment will carry. but they have
no fear Of "A repeal bill becoming n law
without some condition advantageous TO
silver being attached by the Senate. II
Is the almost universal expression OF
opinion among experienced mon to-day
that IT will be absolutely impossible for
unconditional repeal 10 go through the
Senate
The silver men are counting on n close
vote I'm the House on the 20 10 l
amendment, and without quite venturing
the hope that this amendment VIII carry
at once. they express the opinion that
II IL should fail the popularity Of the
strated 10 lead the Senate 10 accept
that as the strongest measure in connec-
tion with the repeal bill, and that the
silver Senator'S will secure that provi-
sion I'm any bill which may pass that
body. II this action is taken by the
Senate the silver men have no doubt
Of its being agreed on after conference
by the House. II appears at this time
almost certain that the Senate Will not
pass an unconditional repeal. II the
two houses disagree on this point that
leaves no legislation. III the two houses
agree on a bill with a free coinage pro-
vision. IL is believed that the President
viii veto H. so that the situation APP
pears TO be unfavorable TO the accom-
plishment OF anything.
SO strongly convinced are many Of the
leading conservative men that this is
the situation. that they are talking very
earnestly of getting 20 work az once on
some measure for the relief Of the finan-
ciai situation more general and effec-
tive than the mere provision for an in
creased circulation OF national bank
notes. which has already been intro
duced I'm the Senate. There IL no doubt
that as soon as the committee on bank
ing and currency has been organized they
will get 10 work at once on some gem
eral measure. in which silver VIII not
figure, providing for an increase In the
volume OF currency sufficient 10 meet
all demands OF trade. They seem 20
feel that there is more chance OF accom-
plishing something in this line than In
the line on which they are already at
work But the whole situation Is ter
ribly mixed. and the wisest do not yet
see their way clear.
.