The Washington times., 1895-01-02

The prospects OF the currency bill in the
House and the Nicaraguan Canal bill in the
Senate are discussed with good deal OF in
terest by the few members who have re-
turned from their holiday outing a. home.
The Southern members. especially. report a
strong feeling in favor of the Nicaragua
Canal bill while the lack of interest in the
pending financial measure among the masses
is reported as strongly marked.
1t is among the financial people OF the
Eastern cities that there is The strongest feel
ing in reference to this measure.
The general feeling among the members
is that the bill will have a hard fight in the
House. There will be sharp attack upon it
this week. Representative Haugen, of Wis
eonsin, who is a strong member OF the Bank
ing and Currency Committee, is preparing to
make a speech in opposition to the bill. Mr..
Haugen is a thorough student OF the financial
question. and his speech is hooked for with
much interest by members on both sides of
the House.
There is a growing feeling among members,
especially those from the North and East, in
favor OF substituting bill authorizing a
sufficient issue of bonds to take up all the
gold-bearing notes. 4 good many Democrats
are now favoring this. 1t is understood that
the President himself has strongly intimated
belief that this plan might be advantageous.
The Republicans are playing a waiting
game on the bond issue question. They are
not talking much about it. They will make
their fight against the Springer Carlisle bill,
and beat 1t if they can. They believe they can
do so. The Democrats are so much divided
on this measure that the Republicans believe
they can defeat the bill i'll the House, or il
not. at least in the Senate.
What would be done with a proposition to
issue $500, ,000. 600 worth of % per cent. bonds
with which to take up the Treasury notes and
United States notes is not quite so clear.
| There are some reasons to believe the Repub-
licans would quietly support it, or, at least,
would not oppose il. They recognize the
fact that the passage of such bill will give
the national banking system q new lease of
life; and the national banking system is so
much favorte with the Republicans that
! they are not likely to oppose anything which
will give it half century more OF life and
! prosperity.
There is reason, too, to believe that the
! Southern members might, many OF them,
! favor the bond proposition if there Is coupled
| with it provision that the State banks may
use the bonds, as basis of circulation on
something like the same terms that national
banks use them. 1t is suggested that bill
which would permit State and national banks
to issue S120 of circulation on every 500
bond deposited, would prove popular. pro-
vide a safe circulation. and might get very
| strong vote from the friends oil State banks.
All these matters will probably be discussed
| in caucus. There are not enough Demo-
cratic members here to call caucus at pres
ent. but it is likely that one will be called for
Friday or Saturday evening. Meantime the
Republicans will wait and watch. If they
can see the Democrats pass measure which
will settle the financial troubles and make
the national banks an assured fact for a half
| century. they will not oppose it. They know
that if this Congress does not do something
the next one must. and they would not be
unwilling to be released of. .thlsi idelicate and
difficult duty.