The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1896-01-11
THE SILVER MEN UNPLEDGED
While the Measure May BE Changed in
Minor Particulars, New Fea-
lures Are Improbable.

today was the discussion of the advisa-
bility of amending the house tariff bill
by adding a free coinage amendment
to 1t in the senate. This discussion was
confined largely to the free coinage
wing Of the party. The result Of the
meeting was the adoption Of Senator
Quay's resolution introduced yester-
day expressing the sense of the senate
caucus to be that the senate finance
committee should report the bill as it
came from the house with few verbal
changes which will not alter the mean
Ing Of the measure in any essential fea-
ture. There was no roll call upon this,
but there were few dissenting voices
There was no formal effort to bind the
senator's to support the bill when it
should come back to the senate and it
was left open to amendments at that
stage Of the proceedings. 1t was while
the advisability Of attempting to secure
a pledge Of support was under consider
alton that the silver question came up
1t was sprung by a question as to what
the silver republicans would do in case
OF free silver amendment being Offer
ed to the tariff bill in the senate.
Senator Mitchell Of Oregon was the
hrst to respond to this inquiry. He
stated that he should join the silver
forces in an effort to secure the adop-
ton of free coinage substitute for the
house bond bill, but that with the silver
question disposed of in that connection,
he would advise silver republicans to
refrain from participating in any eff
fort that might be made to amend the
tariff bill adding q free coinage pro-
vision.
Senator Carter followed the same line
OF argument, advised united action on
the part Of the silver republicans in op-
position to such an amendment in the
event OF the previous passage of the
silver substitute for the bond bill. He
said he thought their action on the bond
bill would be sufficient indication to the
country of their attitude. He did not
say he would oppose such an amend
ment by his vote in the case of failure
to secure concerted and unanimous &C.
ton by his silver colleagues, but urged
them strenuously to agree to this line
of action.
Senator Teller announced his inten-
ton to vote for silver amendment If
oHered from any source, without an
nounc1ng any purpose of presenting
such an amendment himself. He talked
very earnestly on the subject, saying
ne had, when the Mckinley bill was be-
fore congress, foregone the opportunity
to amend that measure with a free
coinage provision on the representation
that the bill with such an amendment
would be vetoed, only to be told after
wards by friends Of that bill that the
Sherman silver bill was passed as the
only hope of defeating free coinage. He
declared he would not again be placed
In that predicament
Brief speeches were also made on this
feature of the question by Senators Du-
bois, Mantle, Shoup and others.
There was as sufficiently general ex
preston of opinion among the silver
senators to show that there were not
to exceed half a dozen that would hold
out against the unanimous agreement
to refrain from voting for the 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 amendments. re-
CARELESS of the action of their col
leagues, they could defeat the silver
amendment when offered
Senator Baker announced himself as
friendly to the proposition to coin
the American silver product, and said
he would offer an amendment to this
effect to both the bond and tariff bills.
Senator Baker also reiterated his dec
1aration of yesterday to disregard the
instructions Of the caucus and vote