Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-05
NO DEFINITE PLAN
Yet Agreed Upon as to the Extra
Session Work,
SEVERAL PROPOSITIONS PRESENTED
In Regard to the Disposition Of the
Silver Question.
PROBABLE TARIFF ACTION.

While 1t Is quite apparent that Congressmen
do not relish the idea Of meeting on the 7th Of
| August and remaining in continuous session
! until next summer, there are few Of
the thoughtful ones who do not
see this condition before them. At
the outstart such was the popular cry for the
repeal Of the Sherman law that at . glance
there was reason to believe that this action
could be accomplished without much difficulty
or delay. The distress in financial circles for
the time being smothered the breath
| Of the silver men, but with reflection the ad-
vocates Of the white metal believe that they
hold the upper hand, ard, seeing in the uncon-
ditional repeal Of the silver law the demoneti-
| zation of the metal and the reduction Of
1t to level in this country with
all other minerals. except gold, have awakened
to the realization Of their position and
| boldly announce their stand. Silver, they
| declare. must be maintained as a money metal,
| and, with majority during the last ses-
| sion In favor Of free coinage, 1t would seem
that if their declarations never to relinquish the
Sherman law until something more satisfactory
| Is given them are carried out . tedious fght
| Is before them.
AN UNLIKELY SUGGESTION.
A suggestion has been made that the siver-
ties will try to force an adjournment Of the
extra session without allowing Congress to act
| on the silver law. It is doubtful
whether such . course could be carried
| into execution. Its effect would GER
t'inly be dangerous to the prosperity Of the
party, but on the silver question the party
lines have never been very distinctly drawn.
1t has generally been the south and the
| west srrayed against the east, and the fight
will probably be ON the same plan
| this session. Personal and sectional interests
| will be considered before the success Of party
that cannot or will not give to them what they
are most anxious that Congress should do and
Congress for years.
TARIFF BILL TO BE BRoUoHr UP.
It is understood to be the purpose OF the ad-
ministration to have the tariff question settled
at the earliest possible date, 90 that its effects
may become apparent before the public
is called upon to pass Judgment upon
it, and with this in mind 1t il
almost certain that the consideration Of the
| tariff will be precipitated during the extra
session. The statement comes from the west
that Mr.. Springer has been deyoting his
time to the preparation Of tariff bill which
the committee ways and means shall
take as bssaL If this 3. tsns his efforts are
certain that the administration will be
thoroughly in touch with the ways and
means committee pending the consideration
OF the tariff rates nothing Of tang-
ble character looking toward the compilation
of what might oe termed the administration
bill has been done. Both the President and
Mr. Carlisle have received suggestions from
ever section OF the coIntry and from every
interest that the tariff affects upon
the proposed changes in the present rates. All
filed away. and when the proper time arrives
each will receive due consideration. As yet
1t can be positively stated that the
Secretary Of the Treasury has not turned
his attention TO the formation Of a bill which
will convey the ideas of the administration on
the tariff, but it is not unlikely that such a
measure will be indirectly presented to the
ways and means committee.
NO DEFINITE PLAN AGREED UPON.
Nothing definite can be stated as to the plan
that the leaders will try to execute for the
present Since the proclamation Of the Presi-
| dent, accompanied as it was by the departure
| Of almost all Of the members Of the cabinet
from the city. there was nothing to
| keep the members Of Congress in Washington,
| and they. too, have, almost without excep-
| ton, left for their homes As the President
has called Congress together it is argued that
| he must have some fixed purpose which
| he desires them 10 execute. For this reason
| the message Of Mr.. Cleveland to Congress will
| be awaited with the greatest interest. In il
may be looked for some general outline or plan
l for the guidance OF the party in power, and
especially upon the unconditional repeal Of the
| Sherman law, which lit is believed
the administration will demand, some strong
expressions are expected What the extra
| session will accomplish or at least what the
leaders Of the democracy will try to have the
session 90. are likely to be included in Mr..
Cleveland's message. Those best informed be-
lieve that he will have aomething to say at that
time on the tariff and thus the work Of the next
Congress will be sufficiently SGT forth SO that no
delay need occur before the wheels Of the Fifty
| third Congress are set In motion.
WHAT IN PLACE OF THE SHERMAN BILL
In the interviews which have been published
within the past week with members of Congress
| there is expressed by many the desire to repeal
| the Sherman law, but with this declaration
is coupled the statement that something
subject Of what this shall be there is a remark
able divergence of opinions. Among the plans
| suggested are the placing Of our finances on q
| single gold basis; the issuance OF bonds; un-
| limited free coinage at the present ratio of to
| 16, or at the proposed ratio of l to 1S or 40:
and the repeal OF the 10 per cent state bank tax
with the power given to the banks which would
undoubtedly be established to issue notes
With 80 many views it will take time to
formulate plan which will be acceptable to all
and 1t is only measure that is satisfac-
| tory that can be adopted. The unconditional
repeal Of the Sherman law would mean that
silver is no longer 20 be used as a money metal
| for the Sherman law repealed all former
silver acts. solution which some silver
advocates have talked Of is the read
justment Of the ratio Of parity between gold
| and silver 80 that it should be ! to 18. This
| would mean that one ounce of gold was
equal to eighteen Of silver, and in order that
the silver dollar should be Of the proper
weight its size would have to be increased.
The object Of the silver men in such q course
would be to have just SO many more ounces
| Of silver used in coinage. The proposition
which has been talked Of to adopt a resoIu-
tion at the extra session giving the President
the power to suspend until such q time as
he may see fit the purchase of silver
bullion is one that does not meet with
approval, and the silver men say that they
would fight such proposition with as much
vigor they will the repeal of the Sher-
man law, for they believe that the effect
OF such a resolution in the hands Of Mr. Cleve-
land, whose views on silver are known, would
be the same as though the law was repealed.
THE APPROPRIATION EsTrMArEs
1t has been stated that the appropriation
bills will be taken up by the extra session
before even the financial question. At the
Treasury Department today it was learned
that the request for the various depart
ments to submit their estimates for the
next fiscal year was made before the call for
the extra session The request was that the
estimates should be sent in BY the 18th Of Sep
tsmber, and it would take three weeks for the
Treasury Department to place them in such