The evening times., 1896-02-03
REED has BEEN TRAPPED
House Bond-Free Coinage Meas
ure Has Done the Work.
SET BY McKINLEY'S HACKERS
The Speaker Has Been CIeverly Led
Into u Situation Where He May BE
Obliged TO Announce Himself for
or Against the White Metal-The
Ohio NupOleOn'k Scheme.

The Transformations Of the House bond
bill into free coinage measure, brings
Speaker Reed to the mouth OF the pit which
the friends OF ex-Goy Mckinley have dug
Tor him.
1t will he remembered that the passage
of the bill in the House was only made pos
sibie. at least by the semblance OF re-
spectacle majority, by the receipt OF a tele-
gram on the very day the vote was taken
from representatives or Mckinley, init
mating that he would lie pleased to have the
mca sure passed.
Acting upon this suggestion, men who had
made strong speeches against the bin,
stultified themselves by supporting it. As
consequence of these eleventh hour con-
versions, there was mach conjecture and
speculation among :heir associates, and
the reason was finally found to be that
the leaders OF certain faction were con-
vnccd that the bond bill would bc:ond all
peradventure come back from the Senate
with a free silver amendment.
This action would compel Mr.. Reed TO
/ come out OF the underbrush and fall into
line Oh one side or the other of that ques-
tion. II was pointed out that Mr.. Reed
had not announced himself as on the side OF
sound money or silver, and such a decara-
Dental aspirations.
:. BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
If the Speaker accepts the Senate substi-
tute he would at once become the idol OF
the far Western members, but at the same
time lose the confidence OF those in the
East. II, on the contrary, he directs non
concurrence in the Senate amendments. he
will from hcnceforth be openly anita gonized
by all those representing free silver con-
stituenCies.
1t was long ago foreseen that in forcing
Mr. Reed 10 cheos ebetween Two evils Nc
kiHley would have nothing TO lose, but
everything to gain 80 far gaining dele
gates Ia the next Republican convention is
concerned.
Mr.. Reed viii! today be brought face to
face with situation In extricating himself
from which II will require more than diplo'
| macy or ingenuity. II Will neCessitate the
performance OF miracle.
Never before has the man from Maine
been placed in such predicament. 1t must
now been apparent to him tbatit wOuldhave
been thousand times prefera bic to have a l.
lowed the appeal OF the President for legis-
lation to relieve the Treas ury TO bav.
gone by default.
He could have found plenty OF plausible
| II not logical excuses for the adoption OF
reason for smiting the sound money men oi
the East on one cheek. or the free silvel
men Of the West on the other cheek.
But there is no avenue open Tor escap
| The pit dgged hy the friends OF Mckin-
| ley was well covered anu the walls thereof
| are smooth and deep. No artifice or cum
ming will avail to secure release.
| The chances are III the same ratio as
| the prrpunderance OF sentiment in the
House that Mr.. Reed Will cast in his lot
| with the advocates of sound money and
direct nUn-cpncurrcnc" in the Senate dmcud.
| ment.
This will then aBSulve the silver men OF
| the great West and South from all their
bonds Of allegiance, and IL is safe to pre-
dict they will strain NO points in attempt
ing 10 further the candidacy Of Mr.. Reed
for the Chief Magis;rlcy.
FREE SILVER STRENGTH.
The free silver sttength of the Rcpub-
licans in the House i4felyeen seventy-f!ve
and eighty. Add to ibis say forty silver
Democrats. and the titaI silver strength
is seen to be- not I'M excess OF l3o. With
this minority uf sem inierit as opposed 10
22o members belicvpg in sound money IL
| is plain that the latter can pursue their
| own course withoub,ler or hndrance.
The fluctua,inu ur sentiment in constitu-
| enci-s is always an Interesting study, and
| is no more strikinglv Illustrated than by
| the fact that i'll 1877 the House passed
| free coinage bill by u vote OF l6i to "a,
| only ten members from outside OF New
| England voting against ii. The Senate
! substituted the limited silver bullion pur-
| chase bill. which Hayes vetoed, but ii
| was passed over his veto.
| The vote OF Saturday in the Senat te brings