The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-03-21
LETTER.
WASHINGTON. March l9, 1894

WASHINGTON. March l9, 1894
VIVA, will President Cleveland d.
with tn. Bland bill for the coinage
of the seigniorage. now in his hands!
There is more anxiety among demo
Gratis 70 have this question answered
than has been observable for a long
time. 1t involves a great deal more
than the mere coinage Of $1,000. goo
silver dollars, for which it provides
Il will decide whether the attempt
now being made to unite the democrats
in Congress and the administration 90 a
basis of e-by-gones shall
be a failure, or a success that will
enable the party to go into the
Congressional campaign with a reason
able hope of retaining control of the
House. It 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 democrats 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 a law without signatare 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 at the extra
session have gone to Mr.. Cleve-
land and urged as a matter of party
policy that the bill be allowed to be-
come a law. The silver democrats OF
the west and south-how numerous
they are in Congress may be seen by
referring to the vote on this bill 10
both House and Senate-many of
whom supported the administration
against their own conviction iu secur-
ing the repeal of the purchasing
clause of the Sherman silver Law, say
that the veto Of this bill will be
accepted as proof positive by thousands
of their constituents that President
Cleveland is unalterably opposed to
silver, and that the result would
certainly be disastrous in the Congress
ional elections. Three members of
the cabinet-Secretaries Gresham,
Smith and Herbert-have advised Mr..
Cleveland to sign the bill. 1t is
believed that the delegation of New
York bankers who are here asking that
the bill be vetoed are adding to its
chances of becoming a law. In fact.
there has been a change in public opin-
ion within a week, aud a majority now
believe that the bill will become a law,
With or without the Presidents sigoa-
ture.
The revised tariff bill will be reported
to the Senate this week, aud the debate
begin Monday, April 2. 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 a
state of exhaustion, but fresh OBJ
stacles have constantly confronted them,
and as they could not be avoided they
have 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 members
of the Finance committee are present
the democrats have only oue majority.
With one democratic absentee the
committee is a tie politically. 1t was
the absence of Senator Vance that
enabled the republicans OF the com-
mittee to stave off the beginning of the
debate until April 2.
Unless all Indications are at fault the
administration will soon start a pro-
gramme that will cause the working
democrats to enter the Congressional
campaign with enthusiasm. [ cannot
without violating confidence enter into
particulars, but if this programme be
carried out the republicans who still
remain in federal Offices, outside the
classified service, would better be look
ing around for new jobs, unless they
have money enough to spend the
summer in idleness. Those democrats
who believe that the Offices under
a democratic administration should be
filled by democrats will be pleased with
some things that will occur il the near
future, unless my information is wrong.
Representative Tucker, of Va, a!
though net yet IL years old, has a right
to feel proud Of the part he has taken
.