Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-22
ONE MORE SCRAP
The Senate to Have Another Fight
Over Silver.
THE EICHEQUER NOTES AMENDMENT
Messrs. Gorman and Hill Fail to
Commit the Administration.
MARYLAND SENATOR'S OBJECT

The Senate Is to have one more scrap
over silver at this session. This will come
when the sundry civil appropriation bill is
reached. and the amendment is taken up
providing for the issuance of exchequer
notes by the Treasury Department to help
meet the running expenses of the govern
ment.
The maneuvering over this proposition
has been the most interesting feature of
the whole financial controversy. The par
ticipants on beth sides are thought to have
shown much skill and finesse. The con-
test has been eagerly watched There
seemed to be involved. indeed. very much
more than was appearing on the surface,
and for this reason both sides have been
moving with extreme caution. and each
apparently with settled distrust of the
other Mr.. Hill and Mr.. German have
been trying to pin the administration down
to specifications about the revenues, and
the President and Secretary Carlisle have
stuck to their text about maintaining the
gold reserve.
when the Battle Was begun.
The battle was begun by the Introduction
OF resolutions IN the Senate by MIR. Hill
and Mr.. German calling on Secretary Car
Isle tor information about the revenues,
and whether or not they would be sufficient
under the Wilson bill for the support OF
the government. MIR. Carlisle was slow In
replying. He seemed to be studying the
case in all OF its bearings and particularly
the probable motives behind the two in
quiries. was this shrewd scheme TO
commit the administration further against
the tariff bill? Mr.. Hill had worked and
hit NJ haI
assisted in adding to the revenue sources
of the bill after 1T had come to the Senate,
on the ground that it did not carry reve-
nue. enough. His votes in favor of the
sugar tax and against putting coal and
iron ore on the free list were defended by
him and his friends on that score. as IL
his aim now to secure Il confession ABOUT
the revenues which could be used as a
yielding by the administration itself to the
force of his contention?
Mr. CarliSle's replies plainly showed that
IL a trap had been set for him he was not
to be caught in II. His first statement was
brs witty itself and went no further than the
simple expression of opinion that the gov
ernment would have money enough and to
spare 10 pay all of its expenses during the
present fiscal year His second statement
presented figures from the treasury books
bearing out, as he contended, the position
thus taken. His third reply expressed APP
proval of the proposition to allow the Sec
notes to meet current expenses when neces-
sary. but only on the ground that such au-
thority should be invested in the Secretary
at all times. If the authority were given,
however, he did not expect. he said, to be
called upon himself to invoke 1T.
Neither side Has Gained.
And so the case stands today. Neither
side appears to have gained anything. The
President and Mr.. Carlisle have made nc
admissions which Mr.. Hill and Mr.. Cor
man can use against the tariff bill of the
last session.
Apparently they Will not do so, even to
secure an issuance of exchequer notes or
airy other kind Of short time treasury obli-
cations capable of utilization in times OF
the running she re of revenue for any cause.
Mr. Hiill AMI Mr.. German. for their part,
are unmoved. Mr.. Carlisle's opinion to the
contrary they are still of the opinion that
excheq.Ier notes will be necessary 10 meet
current expenses during tLis fiscal year and
the next. and they are viking to vote to
authorize their issuance. They would much
prefer doing So however, under a. different
confession from The Secretary of the Treas
Try They believe that he has adroitly
evaded the direct proposition. He could use
a gene~aI law about eXchequer notes the
same. as one drafted with IL special object
In view and relieve the treasury this year
and the next by such means, although now
declaring that no such probable actlon need
be taken into the calculation.
But regardless of the Secretary's adroit
replies. an amendment authorizing ex-
chequer notes was drawn up. ana is now
attached to the sundry civil bill Its
strength, however. is conceded to lie III Ar.
Germans explanation OF the situation. III
the government will really need this kind
of Iaper TO save itself from running behind
the senate Will probably vote 1t. Not even
.-FIt TTrS.
sitiOn put on that ground. But III MIR. Car
Isle insists upon his statement of the case,
and VIII not ask for the authority except
on general principles. the amendment in
the end may either he withdrawn. or II
brought to Il vote defeated The disposition
in the Senate seems to be to send all gen.
eIal legislation on the financial question
over To the next Congress. whether retat-
ing to stort-time or long time bonds or the
kind of coin in which they shall be paid.
Mr. Gorman's Real Desire.
This matter is a trifie complicated by a
suspicion entertained in administration cir
cles that Mr. German is playing for some
advantage in the Maryland campaign this
wear 1T the expense of the President. Every
thing points to a spirited campaign, with
Mr. German and his record on the tariff
bill as the issue. Mr.. German will seek
Justification for his course by maintaining
that the tariff bill as it came to the Senate
from the House was wholly inadequate to
the needs of the government. and that
whatever he and his friends in the Senate
did 10y way of adding to the bin was wholly
in the governments interests. More reve-
nue. was absolutely necessary. and they
simply supplied 1t. The administration be-
leves that Mr.. German wants this TO ap-
pear by some confession on the part of the
Secretary of the Treasury, and il is deter
mined that he shall not secure the mate
riaI lie must win his fight on some other
line.
DISTRICT APPROPRIATION BILL.