The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-11
THE QUESTION.
Is Warmly Discussed In Both Branches
Of Congress
THE FREE SILVER SENATORS
Claim to Have Votes Enough to
Min the Day.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE house gave
its time yesterday to discussion of the pro-
posed amendment OF tho rules of the
Fifty-frst congress, which were provision
ally adopted early In the session to gov
ern this house.
Two interesting discussions relieved
the monotony OF the technical debate.
One was precpitated by Mr.. Walker
tAlass.) chairman OF the committee on
banking and currency, who made fight
against the proposition To drop the COM
,nittee on banking and currency from
the list OF committees privileged to re-
port bills 10 the house at any time.
A partisan debate resulted. in which
Mr. Walker was supported by the Dem
ocrats and Republican contingent which
included many free silver men. The last
congress had added the committees on
banking and currency, and on coinage,
weights and measures to the privileged
list, but the COMMITTEES on rules decided
not to alter the list of the Fifty-frst con-
gress, which did not include them. Mr..
Walker failed TO carry his point.
Mr.. Hepburn (la) inspired the second
discussion by an amendment to direct tho
speaker TO recognize any member who ad.
dressed him when no other member was
on the floor, and he spoke against tho
growing power, given by tho rules, of the
speaker.
He withdrew his proposition, however,
after speech by Mr.. Bell (Col.), who
claimed that IL would secure for the Popu-
list members the recognition of which, he
claimed they were deprived The discus
sion OF the rules was not finished.
In the Senate.
Senator White (Cal.) made forcible
speech yesterday afternoon upon the.ques.
fion of change of rules of senate pro-
cedure. He especially deplored the olnls-
sion OF any provision by"which subject
may be brought to vote except by unan-
imous consent.
So long as any senator cares to talk or
20 have anything read, either relevant or
Irrelevant, nothing can be done. Another
ancient but not honorable fiction, as tho
speaker termed it. is that majority may
be in the senate and no quorum present
That the senate rules had been a source
of annoyance in times past was shown
from citations from Scheouler's history,
going back 20 tho days OF Randolph. To
suppose that rules adopted In a nations In
fancy for her senate must be adhered to In
all the fntnre Is 10 deny capacity for prog
re5s.
Senators declare that it Is always posi-
BILE TO pass bill whenever majority de-
sires It, but 1t can be done only when the
opposition Is taken out on stretcher, a
proceeding, although undignifled, by no
means novel here. We are at the mercy
OF the physical powers OF one man, and
only when he Is weakened can we march
TO rollcall over his PROSTATE form.
Senator Whites speech was an exceed
ingly apt expression of the follies OF sena-
torial procedure, especially In the part re-
iating to past flibustcring attempts In
that chamber.
silver's Prospects.
Tho debate on the senate free coinage
substitute for the house bond bill was
opened yesterday by Senator Jones (Ark.)
In two hours Speech which was fol-
lowed with close attention by senators on
both sides OF the chamber.
Mr. Jones took strong grounds In favor
OF the free and independent coinage OF
silver, contending that was the only
method by which the distress Of the coun-
try could be alleviated and the treasury do
partment relieved from It's present depend
ence upon the speculative holders of gold
There was no reply 10 Mr.. Jones' argu-
mcnt, but the debate will be resumed
when the senate meets again on Wednes-
day.
Mr.. Morgan Dem, Als.), the former
chairman of the committee on foreign re-
iations. offered a resolution, which was re-
ferred, without debate, conveying the con.
gratulations OF congress To President Kru-
ger.
Some of the Republican silver senator's
held conference after the adjournment
Of the senate yesterday 10 canvass the
chances of passing the silver substitute
for the house bond bill through the senate.
They went over the list very carefully,
comparing notes on senators considered
doubtful, and reached the conclusion that
the substitute would win by majority of
about three votes. They also considered
the alternative of postponing action until
after the new senator's from Utah shall
arrive, but concluded that in view of tho
facts developed at the meeting. the post
ponement would not be necessary.
Burrows to the Fore.
Senator Burrows (Alich.) NAV become
the aggressive leader OF the sound money
Republicans in the senate. He takes ad.
Sanced views upon the relation of the
greenbacks to our fiscal system, and is
Tree 20 say that zone of two things must
be done, either the grecnbacks must be re.
retired or some means devised by which