Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-14
DISMAL OUTLOOK
For Any "ReIief" Legislation by
the Present Congress.
BACKsET FOB THE TARIFF BILL

In the Senate, While the House Defeats All
Silver Proposals, tho Free Coinage Men
Not Mastering 100 Votes - Apparent
the Most Important Matters Before
Them-LiveIy Talk in the House.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE friends OF
the thrift bill met an unexpected rcpulse
when by the decisive vote Of 81 yeas to %
nays the senate defeated the motion Of
Morrill,, chairman Of the finance commit
tee, to take up the tariff bill. The negative
vote which defeated the motion was given
by Democrats. Populists and four Repub-
lican senators-Teller. Mantle, Dubois and
Carter. The affirmative vote was entirely
Republican. but its total Of u is less than
half of the aggregate Republican strength.
MorrilPs motion had been anticipated for
some days, but it was not pressed pending
consideration Of the urgent deficiency ap-
preparation. This measure was disposed
of land the struggle to advance other meas
urcs began at once. Morrill, was hurried
ly summoned from the finance committee
room to submit his motion.
House Rejects Free Coinage.
While the senate was doing as stated
nbove in the interest of free silver coinage,
the house was destroying all the work so
far accomplished by the senate in the line
of proposed 'rclicf' to the finances Of the
country. This was only tit-for-tat, for the
senate with its free coinage bill had
knocked out one house plan tor relief and
is now trying to knock out the other. 90
far as the finances are concerned legisla-
ton is Just where it was at the beginning
of the session. After n ten days debate
the house by vote of 81 to 19o in commit
tee of the whole has rejected the senate
free coinage amendment to the bond bill
and reported the bill to the house with
recommendation to non-concur and insist
on the house bill. The strength developed
by the silver men was disappointing.
They had been confidently claiming over
100 votes.
Would Havo None of Free Silver.
After two hours debate today the final
vote will be taken. Dingley will close for
the majority and Crisp for the minority.
Propositions were offered during yesterday
TO concur with amendments as follows:
To coin the American silver product; for
the retention of the seignioragc by the
anu 10 open tuc " tilc
free coinage OF silver at the ratio OF l5H
to when Germany and Franco should
have agreed upon similar action. All
werc defeated by large majoritics The
last proposition, offered by Towne of
Minnesota, mustered 53 votes, tho high
est number Of any. Towne had stated to
the house that similar propositions would
be submitted to the reichstag and the
French parliament at the present sessions.
Moots an international Conference Bill.
The most significant statement came
in the form of an intimation from Ding
ley that n bill might be reported from the
ways and means committee looking to the
initistion by this country of u project for
another international monetary confer.
enco to meet within a year. While Ding
Icy said he was simply expressing his per-
sonal position in the matter, it was gen.
orally understood from the manner in
which he said it that the suggestion had
already maturod into well defined inten-
tion OH the part Of the Republican leaders.
of the house. The galleries were thronged
and there was n coed deal Of outside in
terest manifested in the closing OF the de-
bate, rs evidenced by the presence of Sena-
tor Sherman and Others from the other
end of the Capitol.