The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-03
They VIII Use the Tariff Bill as a
Club to Force the House to Act
on the Free-Coinage Bill.
JONES'S SCHEME
HI MADE NO MOTION FOR THE AP-
POINTMENT OF CONFEREEs.
Thus Giving Mr.. Reed No Chance to
Quietly Bury the Mensure-Nevada
Jones and the Revenue BILL.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The Senate hav-
ing. by a majority of Z, passed the free
coinage bill in lieu of the bond bill sent
over from the House. the "dress parade"
as Senator Stewart has very aptly charac-
terized the proceedings in that body for the
past month, is over and the way for the
emergency revenue bill is clear. The Sem
ate finance committee meets on Tuesday,
and possibly by curiously satirical coinci-
dence that committee may on Wednesday.
Feb. 5, report the bill to afford the treasury
relief on the same day on which the Sec
retarA of the Treasury opens the bids for
the s1Oo,000,O00 of bonds with which Mr..
Cleveland will furnish himself the relief
which he notified Congress was needed. In
curious contrast to Mr.. Cleveland's repeat
ed assurance that the revenue bill is un-
necessary and that the present tariff law
will furnish ample revenue is the statement
of the receipts of the government under that
law. from which it appears that the con-
ventional deficit for the month is over
$3,OOO,OO0 and that the deficit for the fiscal
year is between sls,OOO,OOO and s19.OOO,OOO or
already nearly 100000 more than Mr.. Car
isles roseate estimate for the rest of the
fiscal year. These discrepancies between
fact and fiction will be clearly pointed out
by the Republican Senators in the course of
the debate on the revenue bill.
With the passage Of the free-coinage bill
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, temporarily
leaves the stage to repair fences in his own
State. Mr.. Jones is a candidate for re-elec-
ton, but 1t seems that there are also 9TH
ers. Governor Clarke has been manifest,ng
a dangerous strength recently. and so ag-
gressve has been his campaign among the
members of the Legislature that Mr.. Jones's
friends have wired him imperative sum-
mons to come on at once. Hence Mr.. JOnes's
anxiety for a vote on the free-coinage BILL
Senator Hill had intended delaying the vote
until after next Wednesday, because he
wisely feared the result which the passage
Of free-coinage bill would have on the
bids for the new issue of bonds. But when
the appeal was made to tine New York
Senator on the plea of senatorial courtesy"
he was, OF course compelled to submit
Saturdays vote may cost the government
many millions in the way of lower offers
which will now come in for the bonds. but
the loss of a few paltry millions by the
people of the United States cannot, in the
Senate. be regarded for an instant when
courtesy" to a brother Senator is at stake.
NEVADA JONES'S TURN.
The Arkansas Jones thus yields the CEN
ter of the stage to the sagebrush namesake
from Nevada. What the Nevada Mr.. Jones
will do about the revenue bill is still puz-
zle, although 1t is very probable that the
majority obtained by the free coinage bill,
being two more than they had really hoped
for, may induce Mr.. Jones to permit the
committee to report the revenue bill as it
|
ready announced that ne will offer the inev-
liable free-siver amendment, and Mr.. Jones
will probably insist on his sugar amend
ment. Indeed. without Mr.. Jones's assur-
ance it would only require a glance at the
tape to show that something is brewing in
Wall street to affect Sugar stock AS for
the bill, there is reason to believe that the
free silver men in the Senate will be guided
| in their conduct toward it by the fate of
the free coinage bill in the House. back to
| which it will go tomorrow. For it is a
| very significant fact that when the bill
| charge of it, did not put the usual motion
| for conference committee from the two
| houses to discuss the differences between
| the two bills as they passed their respect
| i've houses. This is the usual course, and
| it is impossible to believe that Mr.. Jones
| unintentionally neglected to ask for a con-
| ference. On the contrary, there is every
| reason to believe that the free silver men
| are unwilling to see the bill referred to con-
| ference. In the event of such reference,
| Speaker Reed, would, Of course, appoint a
sound money member of the ways and
| means committee. and that would sound the
death knell of the free silver bill, for the
| conference would never report. In the pres
ent condition of affairs the bill, when il
| comes to the House from the Senate goes
to the Speakers table, and ii seems i'm
| possible to hope that the free silver men in
| the House will not find some way of forcing
vote on the silver question under one
| parliamentary pretext or another. For
| there were many free silver Republicans
who voted for the bond bill in the House
| who have since heard a howl of indigna-
| tion from their constituents, and they are
| all anxious to square themselves with
| their people at home. Had the bill gone
| Immediately to conference, no opportunity
| for a vote would ever have presented itself
| BY keeping the bill out of the conference
| room the free silver men in both branches
have prospect of a. chance to force a vote
| some time. The silver Senators know per-
| fectly we'll how anxious Speaker Reed is fol
the passage of the revenue bill in order that
the tariff may be the supreme issue in the
coming presidential campaign. and so long
as the silver bill is kept out of the con-
| ference room they can make their attitude
toward the revenue bill in the Senate con-
form exactly to the Speakers treatment OF
the free silver bill in the House.
IN HOUSE AND SENATE.
4