The record-union., 1895-01-09
The Chances Slim for Any Bill Be-
ing Passed in the Senate.
SECRETARY CARLISLE CONFERS
WITH SPEAKER CRISP.
Probability That the Republican and
Populist Members of the Senate
May Unite in the Reorganization of
That Body After the Fourth of
Next March,
Special to the REcoRD-UNrox.

Special to the REcoRD-UNroN.
WASHINGTON, Jan. S.-Senator Vest is
not optimistic as to the chances of nnan-
cial legislation by this Congress. The
Senator was on his way to the meeting of
the Finance Committee to-day, when
asked about story published in one %
the morning papers that compromise
bill had been agreed upon in the Senate.
1T is all rot" he said. 81 suppose you
mean the stuff about a financial measure
to be offered in the Senate by certain
Democratic Senators. There is nothing
in it. Furthermore, in my opinion, there
is no possibility of passing any financial
bill in the Senate. We have no rules, and
i've Senators can prevent action on any
bill during this session. The only hope
for prompt and efficient action was in the
Democratic party, and we failed at the
outset of the session. Instead of chang
ing the Senate rules so as to provide for
stopping debate. and then resolutely TAX
ing up the financial question and the
tariff bills from the House, the Demo-
cratic caucus of the Senate deliberately
refused to do anything of the kind.
LAS matters now are in the Senate,
nothing will be done except by unani-
nous consent. If the ayes and nays
could be called on taking off the ditferen-
tial duties of one-tenth and one-eighth Oh
sugar, the majority would be for the re-
moval.'
The action Of yesterdays caucus is the
absorbing topic with members of the
House. Representative Walker of Massa-
chusetts, Republican member of tho
Currency Committee, said: The caucus
establishes beyond a doubt that the bill
is dead. On the ratio Of the caucus vote
yesterday, the vote in the House, if every
mem ber attended, would be l35 for the
bill and 221 against. But as there will
not be full attendance, estimate the
vote as so for the bill and I57 against.
The adverse vote includes every kepub-
lican and Populist-twenty-two in ali
and many Democrats. The number of
votes for the bill in caucus is its greatest
strength
Democratic friends of the measure con-
tend, however, that in the caucus some
mem bers who opposed il will vote for it
in the House
a canvass of the House made before the
caucus by Democratic Congressman
showed ll3 for the bill, l60 against and
73 dou bttul.
Springer saw Secretary Carlisle last
night aud went over the developments Of
The caucus. Springer expressed conf
dence that the bill will pass.
Secretary Carlisle arrived at the Capt.
tol shortly before 3 o'clock to-day, and
conferred with Speaker Crisp regarding
the prospects for the passage of the cur
rency bill. Mr. Carlisle remained in
Speaker Crisp's private office thoughout
the afternoon, and saw those most active
IN support OF the bill. No effort was
made to conceal from hun the doubt the
House managers had as TO the passage of
the bill.
Mr.. Carlisle was apparently as hopeful
as ever, however, and expressed the be-
ilef that the bill would pass. Messrs.
ID all OF Missouri, Cox of Tennessee and
other active supporters of the bill
pointed to the Secretary the probable tao
tics OF the combined opposition This
was, first. to attempt to defeat the rule
closing debate, and failing in this to move
TO strike out the enacting clause.
The names of the prominent Democrats
and Republicans who had combined in
this line of opposition were given during
the discussion of the plan. They in
cluded the Democratic members from
New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and
Nebraska, representing the extreme of
Eastern and Western sentiment on the
currency.
The friends OF the bill reached the un-
derstanding that they would meet the
hight on rules by insisting that caucus
was binding on matters Of parliamentary
procedure, even though it was not on the
merits of the bill.
Late in the day a draft of a special rule
was proffered. 1t fixes the final vote for
next Friday afternoon. The debate until
then IS TO be under the five-minute rule.
The special rule will be offered at tba
opening of the House tomorrow.
The leading meu of the various ele-
ments opposed to the Carlisle currency
bIll-Democrats, Republicans and Popu-
Ilsts-held several informal conferences
to-day, with view to agreeing on plan
ior forcing the contest to speedy close.
AS result of the talks the combined on
position may vote against the rule to be
reported by the Rules Committee. AS
the rule is regarded as Indispensable to
the passage of the measure, the defeat of
the rule would be equivalent to defeat
of the bill