The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-08
CAUCUS OF THE Democrats
Resolution Adopted in Favor of Car
isles Plan.
BUT THE BILL SEEMS DOOMED
Silver Advocates and Opponents Are
Against the Mcasurc--Fifty. nine Dem.
ocrats Reject 1t in the Caucus-Sur.
prising Vote for Amendment.
By the United Press.

Washington, Jan. Three hours
were spent In caucus this afternoon by
the Democrats of the house. The pur-
pose of the caucus was to secure an
exchange of views regarding the Car
Isle banking bill. which was taken up
for debate before the holiday recess,
and which is still before the house. A
number of speeches were made in favor
of the bill, while the opposition was
also well represented. The principle
OF the vote hinged on resolu-
tlon introduced by Speaker Crisp that
1t is the sense of the house that the
Carlisle currency bill should be passed
by the house of representatives SUBJ
statially as presented"
This resolution was finally adopted by
a vote of 81 to SO. The vote showed
that seventy-five Democratic members
of the house were not present at the
caucus. This vote and the speeches for
and against the bill seemed to be diff
ferently interpreted. Mr.. Springer, for
example, believes that many of those
who opposed the Crisp resolution today
will support the Carlisle bill in the end,
the more especially as some of them
are constrained to believe that 1t Will
be amended 50 as to be more in con-
formity with their sentiments. He says
that to argue that the fifty-nine gentle
men who opposed the resolution will
also oppose the bill would be to say
that the caucus has no persuasive
power, a fact which he is inclined
strongly to dispute. He believes that
a ma ;Drity of the seventy-five absentees
vii. also support the bill, and that 1t
will carry by fair majority.
Silver Men Against 1t.
Other gentlemen regard the spirit
displayed at the caucus as indicating
the death of the measure. They say
that the speeches in opposition to the
bill show that the extreme silver men
as we'll as the opponents of free silver,
with but few exceptions, have Joined
hands in opposition to the measure and
that their opposition will be supple
mented by the solid vote of the Repub-
leans and Populists, and that as re-
suit the measure cannot pass the house.
One of the curious incidents Of the
caucus was the meagre support accord
Sperry, of Connecticut, the purpose OF
which was to commit the caucus to an
Endorsement of the bill introduced by
him last week to fund the greenbacks
and the treasury notes into bonds. An
analysis of the vote given for this
amendment shows that four of its thir-
teen supporters are western men, two
from Ohio and two from Wisconsin
and that the remaining nine are from
the east.
Equally surprising is the large vote
given to the Terry amendment which
authorized the coinage by the secretary
of the treasury of silver dollar OF
il2R grains for each inhabatant of the
fourty-four states and territories
This amendment received the support
of fifty-four members and was defeat
ed by bare majority of ten. The eau
Gus was called to order shortly before
9 o'clock by Judge Holman, of Indiana
chairman of the caucus committee, and
l52 members were present.