Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-09
WHITE METALMEN,
How They Stand as to the New
Tariff Bill.
FREE SILVER AMENDMENT MoorED.

Talk in the Republican Caucus Gives the
'sound Money" Men HoPes-No Change
II Importance tU He Made in the House
Tariff Bill by the Observation-Disclosures
Democrats Meet and Count the Vote
Against "Dad's Dollar"
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9-The feature Of
the Republican senatorial caucus held
bility Of amending the house tariff bill by
adding free coinage amendment to it in
the senate. The discussion was confined
largely to the free coinage wing of the
party. The result of the meeting was the
adoption Of Quay's resolution expressing
the sense Of the caucus to be that the
finance committee should report the bill
as it came from the house, with few
verbal changes which will not alter the
meaning of the measure in any essential
feature. There was no roll-call upon this
motion, but there were few dissenting
voices. There was no formal effort to bind
the senators to support the bill when it
should come before the senate and it was
left open to amendments Mt that stage of
the proceedings.
How the Silver Question Came Up.
1t was while the advisability of attempt
ing to secure pledge Of support was I'M
der consideration that the silver question
came up. 1t was sprung by Il question as
to what the silver Republicans would do
in case n free silver amendment should be
offered to the tariff bill in the senate.
Mitchell of Oregon was the first to re-
spond to this inquiry. He stated that he
should join the silver forces i'll the effort
to secure the adoption of the free coinage
substitute fer the house bond hill, hut
that with the silver question disposed of
III that connection he would advise that
the silver Republicans refrain fIOm par
ticipation in an effort that might DE made
to amend the tariff bill by adding q free
coinage provision.
Position of Senator Carter.
Carter followed in the same line of argu-
ment, advising united action on the part
of the silver Republicans in opposition to
such IN amendment, in the event of the
previous passage of the silver substitute
for the bond bill He said he thought
their action on the bond bill would be a
sufficient indication to the country of
their attitude. He did not say that he
would oppose such an amendment by his
vote in case of failure to secure concerted
and unanimous action by his silver col
leagues, but urged them strenuously to
agree to this line of action.
Nothing Halfway About Teller.
Teller announced his intention to vote
for n silver amendment if offered from any
source, without announcing any purpose
OF presenting such an amendment him
self. He talked very earnestly on the sub
ject, saying that he had, when the Nc.
kinlcy bill was before congress in 1899,
forcgone the opportunity To amend that
measure with Il free coinage provision on
the repre- scntation that the bill with such
an amendment would be vetoed, only to
be told aftcrward by the friends of that
bill that the Sherman silver bill was
passed "a the only hope of defeating free
coinage. He declared he would not again
bc placed in that predicamcnt
Anti-Silver Men Hopeful.
There was a sufficiently general express
sion of opinion among the silver senators
to show that there were not to exceed a
half dozen who would hold out against
unanimous agreement to refrain from
voting for a silver amendment, and this
showing was such as to lead the anti-sil-
yer men in the caucus to conclude that if
those VINO had expressed themselves
against the policy of amendment could be
induced to vote against these amendments,
regardless of the action Of their colleagues,
they could defeat silver amendment
when offered.
One Man Who Is Uncomfortable.
Baker announced himself as friendly to
the proposition to coin the American sill
yer product ard said he would offer an
Ia, r..
and the tariff bills. Baker also reiterated
his declaration to disregard the instruc-
tions of the caucus and vote against the
bill unless amended on protection lines
There was general expression of opinion
that the bill, whether amended or I'M
amended in the senate, never would be-
come law. Several senators expressed
the opinion that it could not receive exec
utive sanction.