The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-07
Currency, Bankruptcy, Nicaragua Ca
nal and Other Measures to he
Given Right OF Way.
"POP GUN" BILLS DOOMED
AND THE PROPOSED CLoTURE RULE
OPPOSED To ITS DEATH.
speech ny Turpie I'm Favor Of Elect
ing Senator'S by Popular vote-Rafl-
way Pools Debated I'm the House.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-To-day's Demo-
Gratis caucus directed the steering commit
tee" to prepare an order Of business which
would present for consideration OF the SEN
ate the following subjects OF legislation: a
bankruptcy bill; bill for the construction of
the Nicarauga canal; currency bill; s-A-a>
for the admission of Arizona and New Mex
leo; bin involving the interests OF the In
dian Territory; for the consideration of the
joint resolution Of the House OF Represent
atives on the election OF United States
Senators by the people, and such other
measures, including the appropriation bills.
as the steering committee" may deem i'm
portant- 1t was also ordered that in their
report to the caucus the "seering commit
tee shall provide the order in which the
above subjects OF legislation shall be con-
sidered.
The caucus was i'm session from o'clock
until 4:3o p. m, and almost the entire time
was devoted to discussion OF the first prop
osition of Senator Danels's. instructing the
committee on rules TO bring in an amend
ment for cloture, and the speeches were
at times very spirited. Senators Vest. Vi
las. Berry and George made speeches favor
ing the proposition, while Senators German.
Morgan. Palmer. Harris. Pugh and others
opposed ii with vigor and warmth.
The speeches were in the same vein as
those which have been made In the Senate
except that the speakers discussed party
questions with more freedom. pointing out
the fact on one side that the Democrats
would soon be in the minority in the Senate
and probably in need OF the protection
which the present rules would AFFORD, while
on the other side the advocates OF cloture
urged the Importance OF the supplementary
tariff bills, and admitted very frankly that
there was no possibility OF such action
without rule for the Limitation OF debate.
The opponents OF a change evidently had
the best of the argument from the begin
ming. 1t is understood that the event
evoked the ghost of the Force bill. and
urged that IL the Republicans should get
into power they would revive this measure.
Senator German took the lead in pressing
these views In opposition to cloture. Sena-
tor Palmer. who had heretofore been an
advocate of cloture, indicated a change OF
position and made a vigorous protest
against the adoption OF the resolution. He
said the Democrats would lose their ma
jority i'm the Senate within a few weeks.
and said il would be the acme OF foolish
ness to tie their hands at such a critical
time. The protest against the proposed
change was so general that when vote
was taken no one considered 1t necessary
to ask for the yeas and nays.
When the cloture provision was defeated.
the friends of the tariff bills gave up the
fight. considering IL unnecessary to make
any attempt to revive their consideration
in view of the opposition OF &. majority Of
the Republicans and because OF the fact
that any determined opposition under the
rules would insure their defeat Hence 1t
is that those House bills do not appear In
the official list Of bills to be presented for
the consideration of the Senate.
The order for the preparation OF a cur
rency bill by the finance committee carries
with it Instructions to take the recon-
mendation Of the President and Secretary
of the Treasury into consideration. The order
is also broad enough to include any other
suggestions OF financial character which
may be presented. and the Senators favor
able to silver, who were D.ssent at the
caucus, say that it is understood that .
feasible proposition for the utilization OF
silver is to be included In any currency
scheme presented to or by the committee
No meeting of the steering COMMITTEES"
has yet been called and there has. conse-
quently, been no agreement as TO the order
In which the bills agreed upon shall be
taken up.