Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1894-03-22
Washington Letter.
(From our regular Correspondent. J
wAsHrNGroS, Mach 10, 1894.


the seigniorage, now in his hands !?
There is more anxiety among Demo-
Gratis to have this question answered
than has been observable for d 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 Adminis-
.tration on a basis of let-by-gones-b
by-gones shall be a failure, OF sue
cess that will enable the party to go
into thesCongressional campaign with
a reasonable hope of retaining control
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 Dem
ocrats who did everything in their
power to prevent Congress passing
the Bland bill are now advising the
President to sign the bill, or at least
to allow it to become law without
his signature if he feels that he cannot
conscientiously sign it, and silver
Democrats who have not been to the
White House since the big silver fight
q the ytpo cnGsin,, 70
Cleveland and urged as "a matter of
party policy that the bill be allowed
to become q law. The silver Demo-
Gratis OF the West and South-how
numerous they are in Congress may
be seen by referring to the vote on
this bill in both House and Senate
many of whom supported the Admin
istration against their own convictions
in securing the repeal Of the purchas-
ing clause of the Sherman silver law,
say that the veto of this bill will be
accepted as proof positive by thou
sands of their constituents that Presi-
dent Cleveland is unalterably opposed
to silver, and that the result would
certainly be disastrous in the Con-
gressional elections. Three members
of the Cabinet-Secretarie 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 chance OF becoming law. In fact,
there has been change in public
opinion within week. and majority
now believe that the bill will become
a law, with or without the Presidents
signature.
The revised tariff bill will be re-
ported to the Senate this week. and
the debate will begin Monday, April
y. This is authentic and official. No
one can possibly regret the unexpected
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 state of exhaustion, but
fresh obstacles have constantly con-
fronted, 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 opportun-
ity 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 the members OF the Finance
Committee are present the Democrats
have only one majority. With one
Democratic absentee they tie politi-
caIly. 1t was the absence of Senator
Vance that enabled. the Republicans
on the committee to- stave off the be-
ginning Of the debate until April 2.
Unless all indications are at fault
the Administration will soon start a
programme that will cause the work
ing Democrats to enter the Congress-
ional campaign with enthusiasm. l
cannot, without Violating confidence,
enter into particulars but if this pro-
gramme be carried out the Republi-
cans who still remain in Federal
offices, outside the classified service.
would be better looking around for
new jobs, unless they have enough to
spend the summer in idleness. Those
Democrats who believe tliat the offices
under a Democratic Administration
should be flled by Democrats will be
pleased with some things that will
occur in tn near future. unless my
information 4 wrong.
Representative Tucker. OF Virginia,
although not yet Al years old, has a
right to feel proud Of the part he has
taken In shaping the legislation Of the