The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-03-23
IN CONGRESS-.
What Will the President Do With the
Bland Bill for the Coinage of Seign-
iorage2
NEW YORK BANKERS OPPOSED TO IT.
Debate on the Tariff Bill to Begin
April Q.
WASHINGTON, Mar. 70, 1894
From our Regular Correspondent.

the selgniorage, now in his hands ?
There is more anxiety among demo-
Gratis to have this question answered
than has been observable for long
time. 1t involves great deal more
than the mere coinage of $4,000, 900
silver dollars, for which it provides.
1t will decide whether the attempt
now being made to unite the demo-
Gratis in Congress and the administra-
tration on basis of let by cones be-
by cones shall be failure, or sue
cess that will enable the party to 60
into the Congressional campaign with
a reasonable hope of retaining con-
troll of the House. 1t may also decide
the fate of the tariff bill, as there are
many democrats in both House and
Senate whose constituents are more
directly interested in silver than in the
tariff. A number of eastern demo-
Gratis who did everything in their pow
er to prevent Congress passing the
Bland bill are now advising the Presi-
dent to sign the bill, or atleast to allowit
to become law without his signature
if he feels that he cannot conscien.
tiously sign it, and silver democrats
who have rot been to the White
House since the big silver fight at the
extra session, have gone to Mr.. Cleve-
land and urged as matter of party
policy that the bill be allowed to be-
come law. The silver democrats of
the west and south-how numerous
they ale in Congress may be seen by
referring to the vote on this bill in
both House and Senate many of
whom supported the administration
against their own convictions in Sc
curing the repeal Of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman silver law, say
that the veto of this bill will be ac
ceptcd as proof positive by thousands
of their constituents that President
Cleveland is unalterably opposed to
silver, and that the result would Ger
tainly be disastrous in the Congress
sional elections. Three members Of
the cabinet = Secretaries Gresham,
Smith and Herbert-have advised Mr..
Cleveland to sign the bill. 1t is be-
lieved that the delegation of New
York bankers who are here asking
that the bill be vetoed are adding to
its chances Of becoming law. In
fact, there has been change in pub
lie opinion within a week, and ma
iority now believe that the bill will be-
come a law, with or without the Presi-
dents signature.
The revised tariff bill will be report
ed to the Senate this week, and the
debate will begin Monday, April 2.
This is authentic and official. No
one can possibly regret the unexpect-
ed delay in getting the bill before the
Senate more than the democratic
members of the Finance committee
do. They have worked until they are
almost in a state of exhaustion, but
fresh obstacles have constantly con-
fronted them, and as they could not
be avoided they had to be overcome.
Since the bill has been before the full
committee the republicans have taken
advantage of every opportunity to add
to the delay, and owing to the absence
of Senator Vance, these opportunities
have been frequent. The fact should
not be forgotten by critically inclined
democrats that when all of the mem
bers of the Finance committee
are present the democrats have only
one majority. With one democratic
absentee the committee is tie politl
cally. 1t was the absence of Senator
Vance that enabled the republicans or
the committee to stave off the begin
ming of the debate until April 2.
Unless all indications are at fau'
the administration will soon start
programme that will cause the work
ing democrats to enter the Congres
SIGNAL campaign with enthusiasm
cannot without violating confidence
enter into particulars, but if this pro
gramme be carried out the republicans
who still! remain in federal offices, out
side the classified service, would bet
ter be looking around for new jobs
unless they have money enough t'
spend the summer in idleness. Thos'
democrats who believed that the OF
fees under democratic admlnlstra
ton should be filed by democrats vii
be pleased with some things that vii
occur in the near future, unless m
information is wrong.
Representative Tucker, OF va, a
though not yet al years old, mas
right to feel proud of the part he ha
taken in shaping the legislation OF tn
present Congress. Although ther
were several otner bills providing &c
the same thing it was his bill for tn
repeal of the federal election laws th'
was reported, passed and which p'
came a law. Another compllmer
has just been paid the skill OF M
Tucker by the House committee o