The sun., 1896-01-28
TALK OF A COMPROMISE.
DEMOCRATS TRYING TO GET TO-
GETHER ON A FINANCIAL POLICY.

The Missionary Work Begun In the Senate
Ycstsrday-N Is Proposed to Allow n
Vote on the Free Coinage Biii, and
Fight It Out In Conference Conmittee.
wAsHINoroN. jan. 27.-A determined effort
is being made to unite the Democrats Of the
Senate upon some fixed financial policy. The
missionary work has been going on actively
at the Capitol to-day, and frequent consulta-
tions have been held between Senators German.
Hill. Jones OF Arkansas, Gray OF Delaware. and
Others representing both sides Of the financial
question. Secretary Carlisle visited the Capitol
during tho day and had a confidential talk with
Senator German. and the impression Ia that the
Secretary Of the Treasury is in sympathy with
any reasonable plan that 10 calculated to cement
the two factions Of the party.
It Is pretty we'll assured that majority Of the
Senate favor the passage Of the Jones Free
Coinage substitute for the House Bond bill 1t
10 proposed to allow the vote TO be taken about
Friday OF this week. and send the bill to a COM
mittee Of conference. There the real battle
will begin. and tho best generalship will proba-
bly, tell in the result. The fight is the same old
story of the contest over the repeal of the pur-
chasing clause Of the Sherman law, with the
ception that tho Republicans now do not propose
to accept any financial legislation unless II Is
coupled with the provision for raising addition
al revenue. The Republican leaders assert that
tho Administration has instructed Senators
Gray, Lindsay. Palmer. and Villas to oppose tho
revenue raising bill when It comes from the
Finance Committee on tho ground that the
President does not wish to be confronted with
tariff bill under existing conditions.
Senator Lodge also threatens to further com.
plicate the situation by Offering as an amend
ment to the Bond bill his proposition for tho
sale Of 500, 900 600 of bonds for the protection
Of the coast defences. In the mean time vari-
GUS suggestions are being made on all sides. but
when they are sifted down. the situation is just
as cloudy as it was when Congress convened.
The Democrats are very an xious to formulate
some policy upon which the party may go into
the coming campaign. The free silver Demo-
Gratis Of the South do not look for any substan-
tial results to come from the recent silver con-
ference held In this city. They realize that the
best element in the Democratic party will de-
cline TO follow the leadership of the men who
are in control Of the unnamed party"
Several prominent Democrats from the South,
who few days ago were boldly declaring that
they would leave the Democratic party, IL neces-
sary, to demonstrate their devotion to the cause
OF free silver. are talking differently to-day.
These same men now say that they propose to
remain In the Democratic party and try to work
out the salvation of the white metal within the
party ranks.
By United Press
During the session Of the Senate to-day there
were conferences between silver and anti-silver
Democrats and Republicans. and there was
every evidence of q desire to get together on
tho financial question. Should there be any
compromise 1t can only come after the silver
men have put the Senate on record by q yea
and nny Totc on the free silver substitute now
under debate. The compromise can only be
> affected in the conferences COMMITTEES.
a means for arriving AT some solution Of the
problem through the instrumentality Of that
Committee Is being canvassed in the Senate.
The proposition discussed to-day came from
one OF tho most prominent anti-slver Demo-
Gratis In the Senate. 1t contempla the retire
ment of the vreenhacks and the Treasury notes
by the issuance Of $500. 600. 900 Of gold bonds,
q declaration that all outstanding bonds OF the
Government shall be paid in gold regardless OF
the language used. and the opening of the
United States Mints to the free and unlimited
coinage OF silver. This scheme. which appar-
emily gives the gold men all they ask. and the
silver men all they have been demanding. is
meeting with opposition especially among tho
ranks Of the sound money men on the Demo-
cratic side of the chamber and the silver Re-
publicans.