The record-union., 1897-07-09
REVISION OF THE CURRENCY.
NO MESSAGE ON THE SUBJECT
TO BE SENT TO CONGRESS.
The President Requested to Defer
Action Until the Tariff Bill
Has Been Disposed Of.

WASHINGTON, July S.-The pro-
posed message of the President to Con-
gress recommending the appointment of
a Commission to consider the question
of a revision of our currency and ma
tional banking laws will not be trans
mitted to-day nor for several days, if
it goes in at all.
The President is now undecided
whether or not to send in any message,
for the reason that a number of the
most important leaders of the party in
the Senate and House have made
strong representations to him of the in
advisability of sending a message to
Congress while the tariff bill is in con-
ference.
Senators Allison and Quay, Repre-
sentative Dingley and other party lead
ers had a long conference with Presi-
dent Mckinley to-day. They urged
him to reconsider his determination to
send a special currency message to
Congress, as it would be likely to
arouse feeling and cause friction that
would delay speedy final action on the
tariff bill
After the conference Secretary Por-
ter announced to the newspaper men
that it had been decided that it would
not be expedient to send in the mes
sage to-day, and that it would not go
in for several days, at least, and might
be deferred altogether during the spe-
cial session of Congress.
Upon their return to the Capitol SEN
ators Allison and Quay denied having
conferred with the President upon the
advisability of sending in a message
upon the qestion of the currency
Senator Allison expressed the opin-
ion that if a message should be re-
ceived, it would be extremely difficult
if not impossible, to secure action by
the Senate under existing conditions
Necessarily, he said, the matter would
be referred to the Finance Committee,
a majority of which would in all prob
ability be opposed to the scheme for a.
Currency Commission and would there
fore hold the matter up indefinitely
Independently of the statment of Sem
ator Allison, it is known that the Repub-
lican managers of the Senate agreed
three weeks ago not to press any meas
IRE providing for a Currency Commits
sion at the present session of the Sem
ate. The promise was made at a time
NIieu Tie IdlG Vi the ldIlII Dill WAS hV
no means certain, and when it was in
the power of the opposition to at least
indefinitely delay action upon that
measure. The agreement provided that
there should be no effort on the part
of the opponents of the tariff to un-
necessarily delay action, and that the
Republicans should not urge the Cur
rency Commission scheme upon Con-
gress at the present session, though the
President should send in a message rec
ommending such Commission.
The Republican Senator'S feel that
any effort to get currency legislation
through would be futile. Aside from
the difficulty of getting a measure such
as that proposed by the President out
of committee, the scheme would, if re.
ported, be debated at length, and then.
upon a vote, would probably be- de-
feated.
I'VE thing we have the votes in the
Senate to beat such a measure" said
Senator Jones of Arkansas, a member
of the Finance Committee, "but if if
should be reported, We should feel that
it would be of sufficient Importance to
demand exhaustive debate I think
that it would be difficult he added.
Ito dispose of it in less time than
three or four months"
The prevailing opinion on the Re-
publican side of the chamber is that
the President will not Immediately send
a message, but that it may come later.
The Republican Senators seem to to be
satisfied that all proceedings in regard
to the matter be dropped until the final
disposition of the tariff.