Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-19
THE SHERMAN LAW,
The Recent Canvasses of Senate and
House on Its Repeal.
A VERY UNCERTAIN INDICATION
Of the Actual Way Votes Will Be
Cast.
PROBABLE COMPLICATIONS.

The canvasses Of the House and Senate to de-
termine the chances for the repeal of the Sher-
man silver law give but very uncertain indi-
cation of the situation. While q great deal is
now being done to develop that state of mind
among Congressman which w1lllead to the re-
peal Of the law, most Of the work Of organizs-
tion and the securing Of votes for the repeal
will have to be done after Congress meets. In
view OF the strong position which Mr.. Cleve-
land and his cabinet take against the further
purchase Of silver by the government, a very
large number Of Senators and Representatives
are loath to commit themselves against the
repeal for fear OF prejudicing their prospects
for patronage at the hands Of the administra-
ton. And. again, some who will be elected to
sickle over the terms of the repeal are in
clined now to indicate by equivocal expressions
that they may be brought to vote against silver.
The prospects,, however. are that men who
have heretofore voted with the most radical
silver men, and who have thus far said nothing
TO commit themselves, will be foremost in their
efforts to bring about the repeal Of the Sher-
man law and to devise other legislation to cor
rect the evils of the present financial situation.
There are quite number CT Representatives
In the House and a few Senators who, while op-
posed to gold as q single standard and preju-
diced against anything that looks like Wall
they find it before them and are ready to do all
In their power to bring about a change.
FREE COINAGE MEN.
Some who earnest in the conviction that
the free coinage Of silver will be benefit to
the country will, it is believed be perfectly
willing under existing circumstances to vote
for and work for the repeal of the Sherman
law. believing that that law is q hindrance to
ultimate free coinage.
The Senate has already been organized on
what appears to be q silver basis, yet there is
sufficient doubt and probability Of change there
to make 1t uncertain how a vote on the simple
proposition Of repeal Of the Sherman law would
stand. II is probable that the silver question
will not enter into the organization of the
House. II it does not, the prospect OF getting
rid Of the Sherman law will be better than
otherwise, since any struggle over that ques-
tion In the organization would put a number of
men In awkward positions and excite bitter
ness which would interfere with harmonious
action afterward.
on WHOM THE ADMINISTRATION MUST RELY
1t is the opinion OF the best informed men in
the House that the men who are friendly to
silver are the ones on whom the administration
must rely for reasonable action, as it is known
that any number Of them are ready to make
considerable sacrifice of their theories in order
to improve a bad situation, and still others who
are earnestly in favor Of free coinage of silver
believe that the Sherman law should be repealed
independently Of any other proposition, leaving
the question OF free coinage to be fought out
afterward There is little dolbt left among |
those men who have been carefully considering
the question that the great struggle of this Com
gress when it once begins will be over the silver
question. They think, however, that it is q |
mistake to argue from this that the tariff re-
vision Is going to be abandoned or even neg
lected. Their idea is that the revision of the |
farM will no aos,lv haI. xkax
will be practically no fight over that, though a |
verv considerable cut be made. and that while |
the financial questions aGitating both houses |
and causing the most excitement the tariff re-
vision will 60 on quietly and be easily and |
speedily disposed Of.
THE BANK TAX REPEAL
Theye is a very serious question about the |
practicability Of including the repeal of the 10 |
per cent bank tax in bill for the repeating of |
the Sherman law. A great manv Representa-
tives and Senators are in favor of a combina- |
non OF the two bills as a compromise, but a dif- |
fculty arises from the fact that many who |
would vote for a repeal Of the Sherman law |
would not vote for the repeal of the bank tax |
and many who would be willing to vote for the |
latter on the other hand would not vote for the |
former. SO that the combination would be lia- |
bic to weaken both propositions. 1t is thought, |
therefore, that each proposition will be pre- |
sented separately and that they will both be |
carried through the House certainly and proba-
bly, through the Senate after a hard fight.
The question of an income tax is one that will |
probably come MP late in the session, as the |
necessity for it will depend largely upon the |
figures produced by the ways and means COM
mittee after they have perfected their bill for
the revision Of the tariff. II by their caicula-
ton it is shown that there is a reasonable pros
pect OF a large increase of customs revenues by
reason Of increased importatons after a heavy
cut of duties the necessity for an income tax
will not be as pressing, but the need of raising
revenue will probably not stand in the way of |
very heavy cuts to the tariff, and if deficiency
in the revenue is caused thereby then effort
will be made to make it good by an income tax.