Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-03
Uncertain Whether It Will Be
Tonight or Next Monday.
ADMINISTRATIONS FRIENDS ALARMED
The Proposition for Funding Sub
stitute Growing in Favor. g
WHAT REPUBLICANS SAY

The democratic leaders have decided that
they want caucus. This morning they
were considering whether it shall be held
tonight, as many are anxious it should or
a few days later. The opposition of Gull
berson of Texas, supported by the entire
Texas delegation, to both the Carlisle bill
and the substitute has greatly dismayed
the friends Of the administration, and now
both the friends and the opponents of the
measure are anxious for a caucus. 1t was
fully intended early in the day to have the
caucus tonight. Culberson had announced
an intention to make a speech today in op-
position to the Carlisle plan, and the
friends of the measure want him to make
the speech in the privacy of the caucus
rather than in the House They want to set
tie the matter there before the extent of the
division of the party in the House is fully
disclosed. The deputy sergeant-at-arms,
however, called Mr.. Springer's attention to
the fact that about forty democrats, on
leaving for the holidays announced that
they would probably not return before the
7th of the month. In view of such a large
list of absentees, Mr.. Springer wants the
caucus postponed until Monday evening.
The Funding Plan Growing.
The proposition to substitute a funding
plan for the Carlisle bill appears to be
growing rapidly in the House, and it is
believed that it will have a strong support
In the House caucus. The friends of the
Carlisle plan are more than ever appre-
hensive of failure. The decided antagonism
of the eastern tinanciers, the equally posi-
tive antagonism of the radical silver men,
and the lukewarm advocacy Of the commit
tee and the southern men and special
friends OF the administration renders the
outlook for the bill very far from prom
iSing. Those democrats who are striving
for the perpetuation of the present national
bank system by the issue of low-interest
bonds and the retirement of legal tender
government notes are very hopeful of sue
cess, II not In the caucus, by the assistance
of republicans. The intention Is that the
caucus shall not be directly on the question
of supporting the banking and currency
bill, but on the general question of a
financial policy.
II the democrats who favor a large bond
issue for the basis of national bank cur
will probably get assistance from the re-
publican side.
What Republicans Say.
Representative Dalzell said to a Star re-
porter this morning that the opposition of
the republicans to the proposed legislati
was not factious nor partisan, but that
1t was based on the fact that the plan pre-
sented was, in their opinion, a bad one.
If the democrats or any number of them
would present a measure in accordance
with the republican sound-money policy,
the fact that it was proposed by democrats
would not cause republicans to oppose
he said that he thought that many republi-
can votes would be had for a proposition
to issue bonds as a basis Of currency, If
the democrats presented it.
Representative Hit said about the same
thing, while doubling that the democrats
would present such a measure. 'If large
number of democrats unite on such d
proposition" he said, ''it will simply
amount to this, that the House will be
turned over to the republicans few months
earlier. 1t will be the republicans who will
leglSlate with the assistance of a demo-
cratic contingent. We have no desire to
shirk a responsibility, and if they give us
the power at this session instead Of wait
ing until the next Congress, we will not
fear the responsibility. Certainly if they
want to adopt republican policy we will
not oppose it."
Represe ntative Harmer said that In his
Judgment the time had come for patriotic
action. He did not think the republicans
would be influenced by any partisan mo-
tives, but would be willing to help the
democrats to do the right thing, making
1T entirely a non-partisan matter. They
could not support the Carlisle plan, for
the reason that they did not approve of it.
He thought that immediate relief should
be given by the issue of low interest bonds
and that the function CT issuing currency
banks, the government being relieved from