Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-08
Currency Message Not Sent to Con-
gress Today.
OPPOSITION OF THE REPUBLICANS
Afraid to Embarass Progressof the
Tariff Bill.
VIEWS OF THE LEADERS

Fresioent mckinley Unexpectedly chang
| ed MS mind about sending his currency
| message to Congress today. Ii is not known
when this determination was reached. but
1t was officially announced shortly after
Chairman Dingley of the ways and means
committee of the House and Senator ALI
| son had talked with the President This
| was by 10 O'Clock this morning. Senator
Allison was one OF the first visitors and
was followed by Chairman Dingley. They
were not in conference together with the
President, arriving and departing separ-
| ately.
1t is thought that Chairman Dingley
| urged against the message going in today
| On the ground that it might greatly COM
| plicate the situation in the House ana de-
lay action on the tariff bill. The President
| is so anxious to get the tariff bill through
| at the earliest moment that he will not put
anything in its way.
What the Leaders said.
Republican leaders who saw the Presi-
| dent last night, as well as those who Wis
| tied HIM this morning, put the matter to
| the President in the same light as Chair
man Dinsley. They urged that the House
was at work today under a special order,
which, if not changed, would De followed
by adjournment until Monday. Should the
opposition room for various tactics and
for efforts TO have committees appointed.
In addition to the prospect held out OF
immediate delay to the tariff bill. the
President has been strongly urged since
last night 10 hold the message up until
the regular session of Congress. Numer-
Gus congressman who visited MIN today
spoke to him in this strain. 1t is held out
to him that the Senate will, under no cir
cumstances, agree TO his proposition for n
currency commission. Then he is told
tnat the message now will open the flood
gates of oratory, renew all the financial
discussion of last year and possibly on
danger the tariff bill to more serious de-
gree than is thous hit of.
These arguments have been used on the
President by those who are in favor Of his
plan al some other time, and by those who
oppose the formation of currency COM
mission altogether. number of the Pres
ident's closest friends may be ranked in
the latter class.
May Wait Until Next Session.
AS the House will be closed for business
| until Monday, the President car send his
message in any time between now and
| then, as nothing could be done In the mean
time by democrats or populists TO hold
back the tariff. 1t is not among the i'm
possibilities, however, that the President
may decide TO withhold the message until
the next session, in Difference to the wishes
of his friends. On the other hand, he may
decide to send il in tomorrow. The i'm
preston this afternoon was that the mes
sage would go in tomorrow.
The President has put himself on record
and can afford to wait If IL is the wish OF
the republican leaders of Congress.
Before noon Senator Hanna ushered
into the Presidents room and remained
there a long time in conference with the
Chief Executive. He was followed by Sen
ator Elkins.
Mr.. DinEley's Visit.
Chairman Dingley talked fully with the
President on the outlook for the tariff bill
Mr.. Dingley said to Star reporter that he
was afraid that the bill could not be put
through conference within a week. He
hoped this could be DONE but he had seri-
Gus doubts.
The conference of the ways and means
chairman and the President was cordial
and each expressed a wish that there
should be thorough cooperation.
Senator Allison was more sanguine of
sreedy passage than Mr.. Dingley. Senator
Allison thought everything could be ac-
cemplished within a week.
ImpOssfbIc Pass Congress.
With the Senate in It's present state OF
mind-and there is no prospect of a change
lit would be impossible to get through
Congress a measure authorizing the ap-
pointment OF a currency commission. Not
only are the democrats silver republicans
and populists determined that such a meas
ure shall not pass. but there is also oonsid-
cradle opposition to 1t among republicans
in the Senate. II is unierstool that both
Mr.. Allison and Mr.. Aldrich, the leaders
of the finance committee, are seriously op-
posed to the proposition.
Moreover there is a partial agreement
or rather an understanding, between the on
position and the managers of the tariff bill
that no attempt is TO made to take up the
currency proposition. The opponents of
the Hawaiian annexation say that there is
similar agreement as to the Hawaiian
treaty, as respects this session.
short time ago, when 1t was announced
that the President WIS to ask action on the
currency commission proposition. some of
the opposition leaders intmated to Mr.
Allison and other republicans that il Con-
gress was to take up other legislation
Wnen the tarin bill was voted on they
would not feel disposed to hasten action on
the tariff.
The reply was that it would obviously be
impossible to keep a quorum in the Senate
gor other legislation and that, therefore none
would be attempted. The managers of the
tar1n bill saw that their measure would be
seriously retarded in its passage II this as
surance was not given, and thereupon they
began to use influence with the President
to prevent him from asking for the cur
rency commission.
They were greatly in hopes that he had
decided to abandon the idea OF sending a
message to Congress on the subject.
Notified by the Opposition.
When II was announced at the White
House yesterday that a message would be
sent in today. the republican leaders were
notified by some Of the opposition that IL
an attempt was made to pass a commits
sion bill II would seriously interfere with
the adoption Of the conference report on
the tariff, and that congress would have
to remain In session until December IL the
effort to get the commission were persisted
in. 1t Is said that both Mr.. Allison and
Mr.. Aldrich gave assurances that the mat
ter would not be pressed.
It is thoroughly understood by the re-
publican leaders in the Senate to be utter
ly useless to attempt any sort Of financial
legislation at this session, and they are
opposed to becoming involved IN
. contest that would keep them here ali
the summer. The fact that they have been
able to pass the tarin bill has not deseived
them az to their helplessness in any case
where the opposition determines upon a
stubborn resistance. The opposition being
determined not to permit legislation, II IA
recognised that Il cannot be accompanied.