The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-03
SILVER MEN IN CONTROL
They Will Dictate Senate Committee
Reports.
4 DEMOCRATIC SUBSTITUTE
1t Is Thought the Measure win Suggest
the Opening OF Mints to Free and
Unlimited Coinage Of Both
Gold und Silver.

Washington, Jan. But little pro-
gresS was made in the senate committee
ON finance today towards an agreement
ON the. house bond bill No vote of any
kind was taken nor did the silver men,
who are in the majority on the COM
mittee submit any definite proposition.
There was a great deal OF informal AIS
cussion, during which the absolute and
undeniable fact was demonstrated that
the silver men knew their power and
proposed to exercise II. The five Re-
publican members OF the committee
Messrs. Morrill, Sherman, Allison, Al
drich and platt, who constitute the
only ntiSilver men of the Dody We're
given to understand that nothing couiu
he reported from the committee that
did not meet with the approval or the
silver element The discussion was at
times quite heated. especially when Mr..
Sherman was accused by some of his
silver colleagues with seeking to retire
the greenbacks. although he had, ne
said up to the day he introduced ms
resolution i'm the senate been strongly
in fayoring Of keeping those notes In
constant circulation. Mr.. Sherman, II
is understood. denied that he was III
favor of the retirement or cancellatiof,
of the greenbacks and asserted that
such senators as understood his position
in that light evidently did not compre-
hend the. purport of the resolution he
had introduced.
The committee remained in session an
hour and half, when a recess was
taken until tomorrow morning, at which
time it is expected the silver men will
have agreed upon some definite meas
ure. Immediately after the adjourn
ment the Democrats, together with Mr..
Jones Populist. NeFada) held a confer
ence and discussed the terms of bill
which they will offer as substitute.
Mr.. Jones tArkansas) was appointed as
sub committee to draw the bill and
present it 20 the silver men before the
meeting of the committee tomorrow
morning.
The Suhstiu,c Bill.
This substitute, II is believed, will
provide for legislation that will open
the United States mints to the free and
unlimited coinage of both gold and sill
Yer at the ratio of 16 to |, and the issue
of certificates thereon in the manner
now provided by law: withdrawing
from circulation all national bank notes
of denominations of less than $40 and
the substitution therefor of notes of ten
=
of the treasury to coin the bullion i'm the
treasury purchased under the Sherman
act into standard silver dollars and re-
deem the treasury notes issued for the
purchase of this bullion i'm such silver
dollars; directing the secretary OF the
treasury to redeem the treasury notes
and greersbacks in silver or gold or both,
as the condition of the treasury may re-
uuire, and when so redeemed, requiring
them to he re-issued.
The way in which these ideas will be
finally put into legal verbiage has not
been definitely determined. but the sill
yer men are fixed In the purpose to pro-
vide for free coinage and prevent the
enactment of any new authority Tor the
issuing of bonds. The substitute will be
offered at tomorrows meeAlng, ana.
while it is the present intention not to
make n reuort to the senate until next
Tuesday, the report may, of course, be
ordered to he made tomorrow.
While the silver men were discussing
this matter the Republicans were In
conference on the same bill and the
tariff measure that is now before the
committee, but which was not discussed
today. The Judgment of the Republi-
cans is that action should be speedy. sc
that the country may know what TO ex-
pect of the senate. If, however. the
silver men do agree at once the Repub-
| licans will permit the matter to come to
n vote in committee without delay, and
the measure will be reported with a
strong minority report.
Regarding the Tariff.
The Republicans of the finance COM
mittee appear to be of the opinion that
| the tariff bill as it came from the house
| should be amended in one or two par
ticulars and this will probably be done
| In this they will have the support OF
| their silver colleagues and the bill as
| thus amended Will go to the senate with
the understanding that no amendments
| shall be permitted In the senate. The
| tariff bill will not. however. be reported
and acted upon until the bond bill is out
of the way. The Republicans have been
! carefully canvaSsed and the leaders say
that their men will vote solidly with
the committee to put down all amend
ments that may he offered i'm the senate
| either with Il view to opening up the
| general revision OF the tariff or for
| the purpose Of amending the bill tC
| death. The silver Republicans will con-
tent themselves with voting to put a
| free silver substitute on the bond bill
| and will not support such u proposition
should it be made by Democrats in the
| shape of a rider on the tariff bill Lead.
! ing Democrats have stated to their Re.
publican colleagues that they are will
| ing to permit a vote to be take OH the
bill without undue delay and If the Re
publicans have the votes with which tC
carry the measure through it is prOba
Bile that it will reach the voting stage
within n reasonable short time after il
| is reported.
| Word reached the committee this
| afternoon in an unofficial way that the
| president will take notice Of today's
failure to act on the bill and the ad.
vance knowledge of what that action
will be and not wait for the senate to
vote upon the committees report I,
was reported at the capitol that an Is.
sue of $lO0, 100000 of bonds would be or.
dered before the end of next week and
that they would be raised largel,
| abroad.
Il