The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-12
THE BOND MESSAGE
The House Ways and Means Com
mittee Still Undecided.
PROSPECTS OF AN AGREEMENT.

Secretary Carlisle Before the Committee
To-day 60 Explain the Latest Bond Con-
tract-Action Predicted on which Demo
Gratis and Republicans Can Unite.
WASHINGTON, Feb Il. The house com
mittce on ways and means held another
conference over the presidents bond mess
age yesterday, and again adjourned with
out reaching any conclusion, but with n
brighter prospect for agreement ahead of
1t. To-day Secretary Carlisle will appear,
1t IL expected, with the contract for the
snlc of the forthcoming bond issue to set
tie question which arose nt yesterdays S
meeting.
Democratic members OF the committee
prophesy that the Republicans will unite
with them on plan. This belief is based
on no definite statement from the opposi-
tlon, but ON the general demeanor Of the
Republicans and the sight Of Mr.. Reed in
conference with Mr. Cochran for an hour
The Republican contingent took small
part in the proceedings, and individually
It's members are diplomatic In speaking Of
their intentions. II Mr.. Reed has arrived
at any understanding with the admins
tration men, as was freely rnnored, he
has done it, his colleagues say, on his per-
sonal responsibility.
Most Of the time yesterday was CON
sumed in discussion Of plan offered by
MIR. Cochran to meet the present emer-
gency and possible cxigcncies of the fu-
ture, which would confer large discretion
airy powers upon the executive branch of
the government, He made it as !, verbal
proposition, but after the meeting re
duced the plan to writing and will pre-
sent 1t to-day in the following form:
Whenever it appears TO the secretary of
the treasury that an additional supply of
gold or silver is necessary to the treasury
to enable it to maintain the parity between
the various coins and forms of money of
the United States as required by law, the
said secretary is hereby authorized to pro-
cure such gold or silver as may be neees-
sary for chat purpose by issuing therefor
Obligations of the United States condi-
toned for the return OF n like quantity of
the same metal as may have been thus OBJ
tained, and for the transfer to the holder
OF such obligations of an additional
amount of said metal, not to exceed 8 per
cent. of the whole amount thus obtained"
Mr.. Bynum withdrew his resolution In
defercnce to Chairman Wilson's plan,
which covers in part the same ground,
and Mr. Wilson had amended tho form Of
his resolution by adding o clause which
stipulates that none OF the proceeds of the
bond issue snail be used to defray current
expenses Of the government The change
was designed to meet the obligations ut
tered by Republicans at the former meet
ing, but their views upon it were not
elected during the session
Another change was made in Mr. Will
sons resolution by loavlng blank the term
OF tho bond issue, and question was
raised whether the contract with the
bankers did not stipulate for thirty year
term. The exact terms of the contract
We're not known to any member of the
committee, aud Mr. Hopkins, Republican,
made Il motion that Secretary Carlisle be
invited to appear before the committee
and explain the contract, The Rcpubli-
cans asserted that thoy had a right to
know the torms of the document.
Earlier in the meeting Mr.. Cochran
made speech in favor of his proposition,
claiming for II that it did not discriminate
against either metal. Mr. Bryan, of Ne
braska, asserted that its intent was solely
in the interests of gold
Among the Democratic meInbers of the
committee who were listed as doubtful a
conciliatory feeling made itself manifest,
but it may not result in an agreement
Republicans say that their course cannot
be decided upon until the Democrats pre-
sent some definite measure to them.