The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-08-17
FRIENDS OF WHITE METAL ORGANIZE
FOR THE CAMPAIGN.
Resolve to Support Bill Providing for Re-
peal Of the Purchasing Clause Of the
Sherman Law With Free
Coinage Substitute.

instructed to notify each member VINO
appeared that the meeting was con-
fined to free coinage members. Mr..
Bland said the purpose was to organ
ize a silver force and prepare generally
for the struggle. To the suggestion
that some silver men would not attend
for the reason that they did not want
to separate themselves from their re-
spective parties, Mr.. Bland responded:
"There will be many scalps taken by
the people before this fight is over
There are men here representing free
silver constituencies who are ready to
Weld to the camor against silver The
people will look upon the matter dis
passionately when it is ended and ask
their representatives what allied
them"
The discussion developed the fact
that there were present some mem
bers not tied to the 16 to ratio. A
motion was made looking to the pre-
paration OF O. bill by which the Sher-
man law should be repealed and free
coinage of silver at a ratio with gold
to be later agreed upon was provided
for. The discussion developed that a
ratio of 20 to 1 would DE acceptable to
those who felt that the old ratio
should be changed. 1t was noticeable
that the attempt to draw to the eau
Gus members of both parties was a
failure, For but one Republican mem
Der, Bowers of California, Joined in
the deliberations of the silver men,
Culberson of Texas acted as chairman
OF the caucus, which is the first of its
kind held in the house for several
years. The caucus adjourned at 2:45
o'clock after having adopted the fol-
lowing resolutions:
Resolved, We will support a bill
repeating the purchasing clause of the
Sherman act and concurrently pro.
viding for free and unlimited coinage
of silver with full legal tender qualities
at such ratio as may be provided and
maintained as a parity between gold
and silver
Resolved, That committee of seven
be appointed by the chairman of the
conference to draft and introduce such
q bill and take steps to secure q full
and free discussion and consideration
the bill and all proper amendments.
lows: Bland, Sibley, Boatner, Lane,
Bankhead, Bryan and Bailey. Mr..
Culberson, chairman of the commit
tee, was afterward added to the com:
mittee.
Besides the action reported, a motion
by Mr.. Bland was adopted authoriz-
ing the appointment Of committee of
"Whips," one from each state, whose
duty it will be to canvass the house
and discover each members standing
upon the proposed bill and see that
every friend of the measure is in his
seat ready to vote when the time
comes. The committee is not yet
named.
Mr.. Bland said this morning: II do
not see how it will be possible to come
to vote under month or probably
six weeks. cannot tell when the
committee will have the bill ready to
psesent to thu house.
SILVER GAINING GROUND.
Most of the time this afternoon
was consumed IN expression Of
individual views which clearly
demonstrated that each element
in the party was fairly welded
to its own notions. 1t is gathered
from remarks that the conditional re
peal proposition is gaining strength,
and several of ultra silver men are pre-
pairing to follow in the direction indi-
Gated by the leaders in the silver eau
Gus In the house, namely, towards re-
lape with fee coinage AZ an increased
ratio.
UNABLE TO AGREE.
Developments today have been such
a. 10 give promise ot an early discus.
sion Of The silver question in the two
houses. The Democratic senators, af
ter a caucus lasting several hours,
found themselves utterly unable to
agree upon any line of action, and
finally adjourned until later in the
day, the intention of the senate being
to adjourn from tomorrow until Mon.
day in order to give opportunity for
the fullest informal discussion among
both parties before entering upon leg
islation. In the failure of Democratic
senators to agree upon any party poll
cy the advocates OF the repeal of the
Sherman law find great encourage
ment They say the financial ques.
ton rises above the field of party poll
tics and the crisis of the hour is not
one that will down at the bidding of
king caucus, but must be met and
solved by men whose craftsmanship
rises above party considerations and
partisan advantages,
READY TO COMPROMISE.
The free coinage men of the house
held caucus today and adopted a
resolution which will be a revelation
to the ultra free coinage men of the
West, but will prove a tower OF
strength to those who are fortifying
themselves against the unconditional
repeal OF the Sherman purchasing act.
The resolution adopted at the caucus
is regarded as mastery stroke on
the part of the silver men, as it practi
cally abandons the ratio of 16 to and
agrees 10 accept such compromise
ratio as will maintain a parity between
gold and silver. This is interpreted to
mean that free coinage men are will
ing to accept ratio of 1S or 90 to if a
free coinage bill is passed as substi-
tuth for the Sherman bill, and implies
that most vigorous efforts will be
made to induce radical silver men of
the far West to WELD to the Judgment