The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-09


House Tariff Bill had Best be Reported
Urameuded but Subject to Amendment
in the senate-Free Silver Amendments,
TO That and the Bond Bill, are Dis
cussed-Senator Bakers Declaration on
snver-Anti-SiIver Democrats Hold a
Caucus in this Connection.
Washington, Jan. S.-Wolcott of Colora-
do who has been absent in Europe for
some months, was present in the senate
today and took the prescribed oath.
Butler of North Carolina offered two
amendments to the free coinage substi-
tute for the house bond bill. The first
prohibits tn esale of interest bearing bonds
without the express consent of congress
The second makes it mandatory upon the
secretary Of the treasury to redeem
greeCbackS and treasury notes In silver
so long as the market price of 4l2l2 grams
of silver is lower than that or 2S12 grams
, Of gold.
Al 1870 the senate adjourned until to-
morrow, without taking action on il.
IMMEDIATELY after adjournment the Re
publican senators went into caucus on the
tariff bill The general impression was
that the only method open 10 the RePub-
leans was 10 pass the bill as t came from
the house and that such would be the &C
ton of the caucus.
The feature of the senatorial caucus
was a discussion of the ACCESSIBILITY OF
amending the house tariff bill by adding
a free coinage amendment 10 IL IN the
senate. This discussion was confined
largely to the free coinage wing OF the
party.
The result of the meeting was the adop-
ten of Senator Quay's resolution, intro
duced yesterday, expressing the sense or
the caucus 10 be that the finance commit
tee should report the bill as ii came from
the house with few verbal changes
which will not alter the meaning OF the
measure in any essential feature. There
was no roll can upon this, but there were
a few dissenting voices.
OPEN TO AMENDMENT.
There was no formal effort to bind the
senators to support the bill when 1t
should come before the senate, and ii was
left open to amendments at that stage
Of the proceedings. 1t was while the ad-
disability of attempting To secure pledge
of support was under consideration that
the question came up. 1t was sprung by
a question as TO what the silver RepubH-
cans would do in case a free silver amend
merit should be offered to the tariff bill
in the senate.
Senator Mitchell Of Oregon was the first
to respond TO this inquiry. He stated
that he should DIN the silver forces in
the effort to secure the adoption of the
free coinage substitute for the house bond
bill, but that with the silver question
advise that the silver Republicans refrain
from participating in any effort that
might be made to amend the tariff bill
by adding free coinage provision.
Senator Carter followed in the same list
of argument. advising united action on
the part of the Silver Republicans in OPP
position to such an amendment IN the
event of the previous passage OF the sill
YER substitute 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
merit by his vote in case of failure 10 Sc
cure concerted and unanimous action by
his silver colleagues, but urged them siren
uously to agree to this line of action.
SILVER, FROM ANY SOURCE
Senator Teller announced his intention
TO vote for a silver amendment If offered
from any source without announcing any
purpose of presenting such an amend
ment himself. He talked very earnestly
on the subject, saying that he had, when
the Mckinley bill was before congress in
that measure with a free coinage pCoVis-
ion, on the representation that the b;ll
with such an amendment would be We
tOed, only to be told afterwards by the
friends of that bill that the Sherman sill
yer bin was passed as the only hope of
defeating free coinage. He declared that
he would not again be placed in that pre-
dicameDt.
Brief speeches We're also made on this
feature OF the question by Senators Du
Bose. Mantle, ShoIpe and others.
There was a sufficiently general express
sion of opinion among the silver senators
to show that there were not 10 exceed a
half dozen who would hold out against
unanimous agreement 10 refrain from Vo-
ting for a silver amendment, and this
showing was such as to lead the anti
silver men in the caucus to conclude that
if those who had expressed themselves
against the policy Of amendment could be
induced to vote against these amend
meuJS, regardless of the action of their
colleagues they could defeat a silver
amendment when offered.
SENATOR BAKERS STAND.
Senator Baker announced himself as
friendly to the proposition to coin the
American silver product, and said that he
would offer an amendment to this effect
to both the bond and the tariff bills. Mr..
Baker also reiterated his declaration OF
yesterday TO disregard the instructions of
the caucus and vote against the bill unless
am ended on protected lines.
There was a. general expression of opin-
ion that the bill, whether amended or I'M
amended in the senate never would be-
come a law. Several senators expressed
the opinion that it would not receive exec
usive sanction.
After the conclusion Of the tariff bill
an effort was made to proceed 10 the con-
sheraton of the reorganization of tine SEN
ate by the election of general officers. but
the meeting adjourned without taking up
this proposition Immediately after ad-
jOurrme1t a call was circulated for a
caucus tomorrow 10 consider this question
ard i is understood that a. sufficient num-
Der Of signatures was received to insure
g. caucus for that purpose at the time
specified.
ANTI-SILVER DEMOCRATS.
The ant-slver Democrats OF the senate
held a meeting or conference today while
the Republican senators were in caucus.
The object Of the conference was TO count
how many men could be mustered 2gainss
finance committee to the bond bill. II
was found that there We're fourteen sure
votes on the Democratic side against the
silver proposition, ard the Democrats
were assured that there were twenIy-s.X
Republicans who could be counted against
the Jones amendment. This would make
forty in al. -Four more votes would be
necessary to major1ty of the senate.
Both Democratic and Republican anti
silver men are now making an effort 20
Among the Republicans who are net
counted in the twe11y-stX aTl;i-s.lver list
and upon whom an effort will be made. are
Senator's MsBr5ie Of Oregon, and Wilson
OF Washington. on tle Democratic
SIDE are Senators Baker and Gordon of
Georgia, and Martin OF Virginia. L is
not known with what hope the anti-s.lver
men are working. but they say tfrat the
vote viii he very close and that perhaps
free coinage may be defeated.
The Democrats counted against the bill
are: Br5ce, Camery. Faulkner Gibson.
German. Gray. Hin. Lindsay, Mills Mitch
ell. Murphy, Palmer, Smith and Villas.
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