Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-20
BILL.
Speculation as to What the President
viii Do With II.
AN ALLEGED COMPACT
III the Measure Is Signed There VIII Be
No More silver Legislation
Before 1907.

WASHINGTON, d. c., March l9.-The
Bland seigniorage bill reached the White
House at 2:30 o'clock today. just hve
minutes after the President lad gone
driving with Mrs. Cleveland. Representa-
tive Pearson. OF Ohio, who went TO the
trouble OF taking the bill In person to
the White House, was much disappointed,
as he had hoped TO put in word Tor
the measure in delivering Il into the
hands of the Executive. He had voted
against the free-coinage bill, and felt that
his recommendation would. therefore,
have weight.
The President will have until the after
noon Of March 18th to veto the BILL other
wise at that time 1t will become a law
without his action. There is every rea-
son to believe, however, that he VIII
dispose OF 1t in one way or another with
out delay. Both he and Secretary Carlisle
have been overrun with senatorial and
congressional callers urging the signing
OF the bill.
The full Democratic majority of the
Coinage, Weights. and Measures Commit
tee in the House. in a body, called on Sec
retary Carlisle to-day at the Treasury,
and urged him to advise the President to
sign the bill. as n measure OF financial
relief and party expediency. Among those
who called were many Of the congress-
men who last fall voted for the repeal
of the Sherman law. They based their
arguments on the ground that the Demo-
cratic party In its national platform had
promised financial relief to the people OF
the country; that the present measure was
a step in that direction; that the bill, II
carried into law. while not as much as
the silver people desired, would at least
afford some relief. and show To their con-
stituents that the Democratic administra'
ton at Washington was not unfriendly TO
silver; and that In no way would the
measure seriously or injuriously affect
the financial prosperity of the country.
GROVER STUDYING.
The President Is giving 10 this ques-
ton of silver the most careful and thor
ough investigation. lie Is now, and
has been for the past two or three days
occupied most OF his time in reading
the speeches made in the House and
Senate in favor OF the segniorage silver
BILL Is obtaining also information from
the Treasury Department as to the
probable effect upon the finances OF In.
creasing the silver circulation OF the
country to the extent OF $4,000 coo; Is in
forming himself from the best writer's
on finances as to the relation OF silver
to gold; the condition of gold countries
as compared with silver countries and in
a word. Is giving the whole subject as
complete an investigation as 1t Is pos
sble for him to make.
1t Is stated on semi-ofiicial authority
that the President will either sign or
veto the coinage BILL and that he will
not permit il to become a law by the
lapse Of time His investigations have
progressed so far that the assertion
Is made In administrative circles that
II the President can be assured that the
signing of the present seigniorage bill
will put an end to silver legislation dur
ing his present term. he Will sign II.
but unless such assurances are received
he Is inclined TO veto II. Such assur-
ances Il Is said at the Treasury Depart
ment this afternoon, have been made
10 the Secretary Of the Treasury by
prominent and influential members of
the House Committee on Coinage, Weights
AMI Measures. They have stated in their
Official capacity as members Of this
committee that II the President will
sign the present bill. no free coinage
measure by whomsoeyer introduced into
the House Of Representatives, will ever
get out Of the Committee on Coinage,
We.ghte and Measures this session. They
do this as a concession to the President
In return for his deferring his own
convictions to the preponderant senu-
ment OF the Democratic party.