The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-11
1t Is Expected That II Will Be Ar
ranged in the House
To-Day
Seems Quite Certain That the Bat.
tie for Silver Will Begin
at Once.
Caucuses and Conferences Filled in the
Day-scnate Com IN ittee Puts or
tho Question.

WARRINGTON, Aug. 1O.-alowly. but
surely. the lines of battle are being avn
on the financial question, and before an
other day passes the country will probably
bo acquainted with the full plan Of pro-
cedure. II 10 believed IL has been finally
solved In a way which IS likely 10 win tho
approval Of majority of all elements.
Tonight all Indications point to n drawn
battle on the floor of the house without
reference Of the question to the committee
on coinage. weights and measu es. Bland
readily acquiesoes in the programme to
fight the battle out ON tho floor of tho
house In committee of the whole. and in
this agreement the anti-silver men. OF
course, readily agree.
Tie two bills on which is to turn all dis
oussion Of the financial question were to-
day fully prepared and ready for presenta-
tion. The one drawn by the anti silver
men is brief and to the point. II tersely
provides for the unconditional repeal of so
much Of the act Of July IA. 1890, MS di cots
the monthly purchase of 4,50o.000 ounces
of silver bullion and issuing treasury notes
thereon. The measure drawn By the
free coinage peorle il longer, and is unique
velop tho greatest possible strength of the
free coinage element Of the house. The
first po t!on of she bill provides that all
holders of one hundred dollars or more of
ailver bullion of standard weight shall bs
entitled to have the same coined into silver
dollars at the mints of the United States;
the dollars 80 coined are to be legal tender
for oil debts, dues and demands. both pub
lio and private; and any holder of silve,
dollars may. at his discretion, deposit the
same In the United States treasury and re-
celve silver certificates for the same. ! he
number of grains of silver 10 be contained
In the standard dollar il to be determined
on the floor Of the house. The closing sec
tion of the bill provides briefly for this re-
real Of the Sherman purchasing clause.
The bill drawn by the free coinage men ia
| regarded by their opponents. as we'll as by
| their friends as the stIOn Qest measure that
could bs possibly presented by the silver
men, the question Of ratio being left to the
house. The silver men allege that no ex-
cuse will be given faltering free coinage
men for the abandonment of their princl-
pies.
If the opponents of free coinsRe have
the numerical st. ength they can, of course,
sucoe ssively strike out every section of the
bill relating to free coinage. and leave only
she less secaon, Wnicn provlues Iot tne I'm
mediate repeal OF the silver purchasing
clause. The great question still to be de-
termined 10 which of the two bills ia to have
priority of consideration. Silver men fear
that If the repeating bill should be first
taken up free coinage amendments, which
would naturally be proposed, might under
strict Interpretation of parliamentary law,
be declared not germane to the subject un-
| der consider alton, the main question being
that of repeal. To guard against such rul-
| ing and insure successive votes on all prop
ositions to be presented by silver men. the
| latter demand that the bill of the free coin
age men. which also contains a clause re-
psalinR the purchasing act. shall be given
priority of consideration.