The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-09
TARIFF BILL.
acceptable to Senate Republicans as
II Came From the House.
POPULAR BOND A FLAT FAILURE
Now Appears to Be the General
Sentiment.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9-The feature OF
the Republican senatorial caucus yester-
day was a discussion OF the advisability
OF amending the house tariff bill by add
ing a free coinage amendment To 1t In the
senate, and this discussion was confined
largely to the free coinage wing OF the
party. The result of the meeting was the
adoption of Senator Quay's resolution ex-
pressing the sense OF the caucus to be that
the finance committee should report the
bill as it came from the house, with n few
verbal changes which will not alter the
meaning of the measure In any essential
feature.
There was no rollcall upon this motion,
but there were few dissenting voices.
There was no formal effort to bind the
senators to support the bill when IL should
come before the senate, and it was left
open TO amendments at that stage of the
proceedings
IL was while the advisability Of at
tempting To secure a pledge of support
was under consideration that the silver
question came up. 1t was sprung by a
question as TO what the silver Republicans
would do in case free silver amendment
should be offered To the tariff bill in the
senate.
Senator Mitchell (Or.) was the first to
respond TO this inquiry. He stated that
ne should join the silver forces in the
effort TO secure the adoption of the free
coinage substitute for the house bond bill,
but that with tho silver question disposed
of in that connection ne would advise that
the silver Republicans refrain from par
ticipating i'm any effort that might be
made to amend the tariff bill by adding n
free coinage provision.
Senator Carter followed in the same line
Of argument. advising united action on
the part of the silver Republicans in OPP
position TO such amendment in the event
of the previous passage of the silver sub
etitute for the bond bill. He said that he
thought their action on the bond bill
would be sufficient indication to the
country OF their attitude. He did not say
that he would oppose such an amend
,nent by his vote in case OF failure TO Sc
cure concerted and unanimous action by
his silver colleagues, but urged them
strenuously to agree TO this line Of action.
Won't Err Again.
Senator Teller announced his intention
20 vote for silver amendment IL offered
from any source, without announcing any
purpose Of presenting such an amendment
himself. He talked very earnestly on the
subject, saying that he had, when the Nc
Kinley bill was before congress in 1890,
foregone the opportunity TO amend that
measure with free coinage provision on
the representation that the bill with such
an amendment would be vetoed only to
be told afterwards by the friends OF that
bill that the Sherman silver bill was passed
rs the only hope of defeating free coinage
He declared he would not again be placed
In that predicament.
Brief speeches were also made on this
feature OF the question by Senators Du-
bois, Mantle. Shoup and others.
There was sufficiently general express
sion OF opinion among tho silver senators
TO show that there would not be To exceed
n half dozen who would hold ont against
unanimous action to refrain from voting
= silver amendment, and this showing was
such as TO lead the anti-silver men In tho
caucus to conclude that IL those who had
expressed themselves against the policy of
amendment could he induced TO vote
against these amendments, they could de-
feat silver amendment when offered.
Senator BAKER announced himself as
friendly TO the proposition to coin the
American silver product, and said no
would offer an amendment TO this effect
10 both the bond and the tariff bills. Mr..
Baker also reiterated his declaration OF
Tuesday TO disregard the instructions of
the caucns, AMI vote against the bill un-
Gil amended on protection lines.
There was general expression OF opin-
Son that the bill, whether amended or un.
amended In the senate, never would be-
come law. Several senator's expressed
the opinion that it could not receive ex.
ecutive sanction.
After the conclusion of the considera-
tion OF the tariff BILL an effort was made
20 proceed 10 the consideration of tine re-
organizatieH ef the senate by tlft. election
of general officers. but the meeting adj
journcd without taking up this PROPOSE
tion.
Immediately after adiournment a call
was circulated for N caucus today to con-
slider this question, and IL Is understood
that sufficient numb of signatures were
secured 20 insure % caucus for that pur-
pose al the time specified.
Four Votes short
The anti-silvcr Democrats OF the senate
publican senators were In caucus The
object of the caucus was to count how
many men could b. mustered against the
free coinage amendment OF the, senate
finance committee 10 the bond bill. Ii
was found that there are IA sure votes on
the Democratic side against the silver
propositions. and the Democrats were ms.
sured that there are 26 Republicans who
could be counted against the Jones amend.
ment. This would make 40 in all. -Four
more votes would be necessary 10 ma
jority OF The senate.
Both Democratic and Republican anti.
silver men are now making an effort to
sec IL these four votes can be obtained
Among the Republicans who are not
counted in the 90 anti-silver list and upon
whom al effort will be made are Senators
Mcbride (Or.) and Wilson (Wash.). On
the Democratic side are Senator'S Bacon
and Gordon tGaD and Martin Wal.
" is not known with what hone the
snti-silyer men are working. but they said
that the vote will be very close, and that
perhapc free coinage may bc defeated.