Evening star., 1896-07-17
SENATE AND SILVER
Chances Unfavorable for Change in
Its Complexion.
TEE new CONDITION OF AFFAIRS
Possible Changes as to the Votes
Of Some.
n O G O L d G. A I \ s

The chances are decidedly unfavorable to
a speedy change of the complexion of the
Senate as to the silver question. but it is
not impossible for the free coinage COM
biLation to sink to minority. AS it stands
today the republican party is the minority
OF the Senate, though the organization of
tie committees is in its hands. The vote
by which the Dingley tariff bill received
its death blow was not square test on the
silver question. though the bill was killed
with the assistance of five boiling silver
republican Senators. That vote stood twen-
tyone in favor of Mr.. Morrills motion TO
take up the bill and twenty-nine in the
negative. The twenty-one affirmative votes.
however, included Brown, Clark, Mitchell
of Oregon, Perkins of California. Pettigrew,
Squire and Warren, who are reckoned as
silver men, but who declined to vote
against protective tariff. The negative vote
Included such gold men as Brice. German.
Gray, Hill, Smith ard Villas. The test vote
on the silver question was taken on the
3'th of January. when free coinage bill
was adopted by a vote of - to so as an
amendment to the House bill providing for
certificates of Indebtedness. etc. In that
vote twelve democrats voted with the re-
pubhcans, and Brown, Cameron. Cannon,
Garter, Clark, Mantle, MicheH of Oregon,
Perkins. Pettigrew, Pritchard. Shoup.
Squire. Teller, Warren and Wilson, repuD-
vada and Stewart, populists. voted for free
coinage.
Under the New Condition.
Under the new condition of affairs Du-
bois. Teller Pettgrew, Cannon. Mantle
and Carter may be counted on to act with
the democrats. not only to secure free
coinage. but in antagonism in tariff legiSla-
ton until after free coinage has been es-
tablished.
Brown. Mitchell of Oregon, Shoup. VOL
octt- Squire, Warren, Clark and Wilson,
republicans, who voted for free coinage or
We're paired in favor of free coinage, may
be relied upon TO act with the republicans,
except on direct question OF the coinage
Of silver. when most of them would, unless
conditions greatly changed, be compelled
to vote for free coinage.
The gain of republican Senator in
Maryland is not gain for gold. the re-
tiriTS democrat being a gold man. In
kentucky there Is a vacancy, the silver
party losing vote and the succession
being in doubt. The gains which the re-
pu5lcans make in the next Senate. begin
nirg the 4th of March, '9I, are generally
OF Il character not TO increase the gold
strength Brice, who is succeeded by a
republican. is himself a gold man: Hill.
whose term expires is gold man; Pal
mer. gold democrat, is liable to be sue
ceeded by silver man; PETER. if he does
not succeed himself, Will probably be sue
ceeded by a silver man; Squire of Wash
ington, who is ranked silver man,
will be apt 10 vote against silver when
the party lines are drawn; whoever sue
ceeds Villas VIII be a sold man, that
there will be no change in that respect.
The greatest uncertainty for the silver
men is in the election of successor to
Senator Voorhees,.
Tke Next Senate.
The next Senate, until Senator Black
burns successor is elected, will consist o.:
e!ghty-nine Senators, a majority of which
will be forty-five. The silver Senators
Will number almost to certainty forty
three. This leaves In doubt the success
sors to Palmer, Voorhees, and Blackburn,
and does not count Squire Wilson, War
Zen, Clark and Mitchell of Oregon, re-
puhlicans, who have heretofore voted for
free coinage, and counts Caffery and Mills
amCng the gold democrats. The republic
cans and gold democrats can count with
practical certainty upon thirty-nine votes
in the Senate, and have not equal
chance with the silver men of making
gains out of the doubtful column of seven.
TIE anti-silver people, therefore, cannot
rely with any confidence. even trust
with fair hope. upon the defeat of a free
coirage bill through the operations of the
Senate. Practically the only way TO de-
feat free coinage legislation Is through
the election of Mckinley and the election
of a gold House, either one or both. Should
Mr.. Bryan re elected the only hope for
gold would lie in the House of Repre-
sentatives. and it Is fully realized by cam
paign manage that in their effort to elect
Mckinley they cannot afford to overlook
the election of representatives to the lower
house In the election to Congress they
Will have the full benefit of the democratic
gold vote.