The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-03-07
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
A Notable Week in Congress-Re-
publican Squabble Over Silver
Presidential Prospects.
From our Regular Correspondent

slueratlon, followed by the very emphatic ana
defiant speech of Senator Thomas II. Carter.
the chairman of the Republican National
Committee, in defense of his position ON the
silver and tariff questions, as heretofore in this
correspondence defined, together with the
other partisan ordinations and recriminations
among the Republicans and Populists which
attended these episodes made the past week
a notably eyentful one from a partisan stand
point in the halls of Congress.
The motion to take up the tariff bill was
defeated by practically the same vote as be-
fore, the same silver Republicans combining
with the Democrats and Populsts to nnllify
the party measure. Preliminary to the vote
Mr.. Allen, on behalf of the Populists, took
the floor and pledged the six votes of his party
in the Senate to vote for the Republican tariff
bill if they would accept rider upon it pro.
viding for the free coinage of silver. He said
the Populists regarded the Republican tariff
bill as n vicious measure, but they would
swallow the nauseous dose in order to ac-
eomplish rs companion measure the desired
monetary reform.
The object of the Pepulists appeared TO be
TO commit the Republicans in Congress as
completely as possible against the free coin
age of silver in advance of the national con
vention for the sole expectation of the Popu
lists in the approaching campaign is based on
the single hope that both of the great parties
may ignore the silver question or go to the
country upon Il reiteration of the old monetary
declarations of 1892. Their good offices
were, of course, declined, and in so doing
Mr. Platt. of Connecticut, seconded by Mr..
Aldrich, of Rhode Island, declared very
emphatically that if the free silver sentiment
undertook to make conflict with the doctrine
of protection the death knel of the ''free sill
yer craze would be thereby forever sounded.
He said that the one great purpose of the Re-
publicans in the next campaign would be to
indorse by an overwhelming sentiment the
doctrine of protection, which the Democrats
had fatally assailed, and that all other ques-
tons would be made entirely subservient to
that He said the Republicans in the cam
paign of 1896 would stand on the same none
tary plank as that contained in the platform
of 1892. There was altogether very decided
manifestation Of bad feeling on the Republi
can side of the Chamber.
But on the following day, when Senator
Carter a-ose to deliver himself of his carefully
prepared and pronounced speech, it is not
the slightest eXaggeration to say there was a
very decided sensation. In anticipation of it
the Senate galleries were filed to Overlooking,
while on the floor the Republican membership
of the House was largely represented. This
was Mr.. Carters first speech in the Senate,
and the importance, from partisan stand
point, of the subject upon which he proposed
to break silence and the uncertainty as to the
extent to which he proposed to justify or re-
tract his fragrant act of recalcitrancy, aroused
great interest in what he would say. He did
not keep his audience long in suspense, and
as he proceeded with his carefully worded
sentences, which he delivered with emphatic
and impressive deliberation, it soon became
manifest that his speech was to be full justi-
fieation, without any retraction of his attitude
of recalcitrancy The burden of his speech
came when he justified his action by charging
that the Republican tariff legislation was al
ways in the interest of the Eastern States,
whose parliamentary gladiators' in Con-
gress always had their own way in legisla
ton, and that the party had openly violated
platform of 1888. This, he said, had defeated
the party in 1892, and if persisted in would
defeat it again in 1896. As the Republican
chairman proceeded with his emphatic and
defiant declarations the Republican member
ship of the Senate sat as if petrified. while on
the Democratic side of the chamber the keen
est interest was manifested Mr.. Carter skill
fully, but to his party friends unsatisfactory,
avoided the direct question as to whether the
silver Republicans would bolt the convention
if their demands were not granted, by replying
that the silver men would remain in the party
and would view with sorrow the gold men of
the East who would thus desert from it.
At the conclusion of this serious family
quarrel Mr.. Frye, of Maine, declared mourn
fully that the Republican tariff bill was ''as
dead as Julius Cesar, which it undoubtedly
is, although Mr.. Sherman tried to relieve the
strain little by announcing his purpose to
make another effort to have it considered.
The events of the past few weeks have I'M
questionably cast a serious shadow upon the
supposed brilliancy of Republican prospects
in the national campaign. The strength and
determination manifested by the silver men
is seen now to be serious factor, and the idea
of walk-over is rapidly disappearing from
the minds of the most sanguine party man.
There is much that is misty and uncertain in
the prospect as now revealed. Some main
tain that the inquiry made by Mr.. Baker, of
Kansas, as to whether the silver men would
compromise on the coinage of the American
production of silver was not without signifi-
canoe, and probably foreshadowed an effort
to harmonize the Republican convention on
that basis. The better opinion appears to be.
however, that the Republican party is so com
pletely dominated by the money powers of the
East as to preclude the possibility of any such
concession.
On the Democratic side of the question the
case is said to be different. The silver Demo-
Gratis are highly eated at the turn affairs have
taken, and they predict that the Democratic
convention will surely concede the coinage of
the American product, and thereby assure a
Democratic President and both branches of
Congress as the result of the campaign. 1t
among the rumors circulating in Congress
sional silver circles that Vice-President Stew
ensen will soon announce himself as a free
oa,,J,Iata f,r tho Int harsa
does not appear to be any veriieation of this
rnmor now available.
The passage by both the Senate and House
of the resolutions recognizing the belligerent
rights of the Cuban revoutionists and express
sive of the sympathy of the American people
with the struggling patriots, which was done
by such overwhelming majorities in both
branches of Congress, appears to be the nat
nral result of the action of the Spanish gov
ernment in displacing in the command of its
armies that brave and humane soldier, Cen
Campos, with the VIGOROUSLY cruel desperate
and tyrant, General Weyler. The story of
the atrocities, rapine. and barbarous slaughter
Of prisoners which characterized the suppress
sion of the last Cuban revolt by this detested
commander, coupled with his declaration that
he proposed to conduct another war of OK
termination in the unhappy island, is unques-
tionably responsible for what in some quarters
is regarded as the hasty action of Congress.
Had the army of coercion been continued
under the command of General Campos it is
not unlikely that Congress would have acqui-
esced in the suggestion contained in the Pres
ident's message, that the time had not yet
arrived for any formal expression on the part
of this Government; but under the conditions
that have supervened there is no doubt that
the action of Congress is in full accord with
the overwhelming sentiment of the American
people. VERlTAs.
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