The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-21
THE SILVER REPUBLICANS.
They Ars UpplSh and Want 10 Ilclale
Terms.
SILL FREE SILVER lGalNST TARIFF.
To Purchase Fifty Acres for a Wet Dock at
the Norfolk Navy Yard and
Improve the Elizabeth
River.

! WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-Special.-Sincc
the vote upon the consideration OF the
tariff bill nearly a week ago, when the
leading western silver Republicans dis
played their independence of party dis
ciplino and their faith in silver at the
same time. there have been frequent con-
ferences Of the Republican leaders. and
at the same time a general effort 70 get
the party together
While the resentment of the eastern
/ sound money men of the Treasury, as
/ they term the conduct OF the llee-S.lNer
l men. is intense. the situation OF the parry
Is altogether 50 prccarious, ana the uah-
ger OF increased disatection so 'mnl-
! Hent, that they do not venture c-thef TO
express their dissatisfaction or TO IN
crease the feeling OF the SILVER men by
attempting TO criticise their conduct.
On the contrary. the sound-money men
are displaying a cOnciiatory spirit that
ia commendablc from Doliiicai stand
point But the silver men commune 10
declare defiance, and having once broken
/ their allegiance 10 the party OF Hiotte-
tion, are a little inclined 10 reNel ia 'heI
new-found freedom.
AN EASY GUESS.
s. s.nator Allison. meeting one Of them
day or two ago. said, smiiinsly.
| Il suppose you gentlemen nave ct-tl-
| mined to XIII the tariff hult
Your conclusions ire .naolut.ly -
rect" replied the other. ne W'1tfih
/ silver men have been bNntUtn lvhb
enough by the protectionists OF tie pai ty.
| You gentlemen who are intcreste IN the
taTin bill can, however, choose the iltn-
ner Of its death. You car send IL nAch
10 the Finance Committee, ana permit Il
10 be smothered there, or YOU csh foIcc
"a vote upon il IA the Senate ana see IL
defeated" ." n
In making these threats the silver Re
publicans DO not Overestimatc thelI ann
", nor eNagserate the strength OF theI
/ determination a.,
vote last week. Senator Dubois who had
| infcsmed his silver colleagues on thv Ike
Dublican side OF the chamber that nc
proposed 20 antagoniza the bill toid -ac8
of Them that they would not be cApectoo
10 follow him II tie course ne had ou.@
lined would cause them the least embaf-
"'9'e THE WESTERN VOTE.
IT is understood. also. that had such a
proceeding been necessary, S'sIy ono ,iote5
the western silver men would nave No''u
against the bill. iori,,. ~
As it was. however, the maloll'y -.
them. still anxious 10 aNolu an oP'n
declarat!on against the policy Which, Us
Rapublicans they have advocated ioI
wears. voted for the tariff bill conien,.lhsE
( themselves merely by assuring bupuiS
| and Carter that when the proper time al-
rives they will be found arrayed asaiisl
| tariff legislation. except as q coiS04"'i'e~
| OF silver legislation. -. 49,. ,,~o,,oes
| While il must be held that the propos
tion TO coin an unlimited quantity oi
silver into standard dollars at a ratio, or
III 10 | is no more absurd, nor WouW ~
be more depressing in us eHoCts' sst t..'sr'
the operation of a high protective talhis
there has never been I'm the history ~
legislation in this country n more o.sh
| and audaciOus attempt 10 impoftiish we
/ nation for the benefit OF the shtrI hli.ir
| ovvners tban that now being made hN ihe
| silver Republicans. Ana IN TINS oIt" "'
/ sault uDon the credit of the country ,tIu
mon it's integrity they receive tueh
sl.fHf f.sf rnf q
silver Democrats in both houses Of Con-
sress.
THE MILK IN THE COcOANUT
Although the silver men of the ReDuh-
lican party are strong IN the Schatt, alu
| have "A considerable representation iii t41
House there is very little demand lot
| silver I'm the Republican parry H'tlpls
! because there is no general dehdh" 10y
free silver ip the country. But tneie uIc
| stiU "a majority of the Democratic meh-
1 bcrs in the House, VINO, QitteHulhS ~
! represent the interests OF tnelr cohSN'u-
ents urge the adoption or ires- -coi,'."s0 c,.s
| hin with idle and senseless lteraloii.
| But this band Of men, VINO are "iI,a.5
| responsible for one Overwhelming paIl5
| defeat. and who stand IN the way oI lu-
| trre marty successes, furnish the nsWIh-
| tion Tor the highwayman-like attitude OF
| the Republican silver men III tAe "e""'0
| of the United States. a<..,,,rr my
SILVER PARTY a POSSIBILITY.
Il is the fact that leading southern
|
/ me wnOle question of nnance ana as
! suned an attitude of hostility with -esaiu
| 70 the administration dlHeilns tti5 H1-
| tie from those OF the IOpuilsts ana litt-
/ silver men OF the West. That makes the
formation of an independent sllNei party
a possibility.
boldly that they will bolt their own con-
VentiOn and vote Tor Independent EliNei
! electors, believe their action III TINS re-
I spect will be made effective. because u
| viii probably be followed by similar ac-
| fiOn on the part of the silver Democrats
| and endorsed hy the Populists. 10 Is 10
| this certain ana logical end that the sA-
| yer movement is now tending and claim
y,hat thev will those Democrats who
| are aiding now the silver highWaymcn
| from the West are working as clearly
for the disintegiation and deteat or
their party as II they had declared thelr
| opposition to all Democratic principles.
MANIFEST TROUBLES.
| The troubles OF the Republicans are
manifest ana manifold, but the Demo
crauc organization viii be IN no better
shane IL the elort 20 carry the Chicago
! Convention for silver Is persisted ln. IL
is not enough 10 trust thar IN the event
| OF q sOunu-mOney platform tnc N4iNer
| Democrats viii support the convention
| nominees. The people OF the southern
| states are now selecting men VINO arc
TO represent them IN the convention, ana
care should be taken mat such delegptes
are chosen as VIII settle the money plts-
| ton so tar as the DciAoll.- ehn-
cerned by adopting a platform which VIII
| declare emphatlcaily for honest money
| ana the maintenance OF the dignity and
character CT the nation.
THE IMPROVEMENTS AT NORFOLK.
The Joint resolution providing for the
| improvement OF the channel In the west
| branch OF the Elizabeth river. ana an
estimate of the cost OF channel 70 the
| norfolk IttVy-yafd, was faVOlably re-
! ported TO the Senate to-day.
| The estimate on the channel contem-
| plates an increase OF Wluth 10 80 yards
| and 10 a depth OF y feet from Hampton
| roads TO the ndvy-ydrd. the Elizabeth
river channel to 30 feet wide ana " feet
| deep.
1'ne bill providing FOR the purchase OF
! "A lot OF fifty acres OF ground opposite the
Norfolk navy-yard ior tne purpose OF
| constructing a wet dock. was also Ia
| VOIaDly reported.
THE CEDAR-GROVE PURCHASE.
| The bill makes the following provisions:
| The Secretary OF the Treasury Is au-
thorized to negotiate and contract Tor
the purchase at private sale OF the tract
| OF land known as Cedar Grove containing
| fifty acres. with water front oil one
thousand six hundred feet on the Eliza
, beth river, Immediately opposite 10 the
| GospOrt naNy~yafd, Tor the purpose Of
| constructing q wet dock and FOR other
| purposes; provided. that he can obtain
the same at price by him considered 10
be fair and reasonable.
| That 70 enable the Secretary OF the
| Navy 10 make the said purchase the sum
| OF one hundred and fifty thousand dol
| lars. or so much thereof as nay ne neccs-
sary. is hereby appropriated out OF any
| N u4t atl