Evening star., 1897-06-01
A CURRENCY COMMISSION
Plan for One to Be Authorized at This
Session.
Republicans In Congress to Take the
Matter Up After the Tariff
is Disposed Of.

The present session of Congress is not to
be adjourned Immediately after the pas
sage of the tariff. One other thing will
remain to be done before adjournment. The
program of the republican managers, in
accordance with the wishes Of the admin
istration. contemplates the passage of an
act, Immediately after the tariff is dis
posed of, authorizing the President to ap-
point currency commission to make an
investigation and report recommendations
for the improvement of our currency sys-
TEN. The statement of Secretary Gage
that the business men at the Cincinnati
meeting which he attended were agreed
that a currency commission should be au-
thorized and appointed at once was not
an idle suggestion, nor one that embodied
the views of the administration alone.
1t has been known all along that the
President wanted authority to appoint such
commission. but the policy OF the House
to do nothing pending action on the tariff
has been regarded by some antagoniStic
to this desire of the Presidents. talk
with leading republicans of the House con-
cerning Mr.. Cages declaration discloses the
fact that it is intended that this currency
commission shall be authorized before the
adjournment of the present session of Con-
gress, so that the commission may be ap-
pointed and do it's work during the recess
between this and the regular December
Mny BE Some Trouble.
There may be some trouble about the
natter, however, on account Of the atti-
tude of the opposition in Congress- AS
was announced in The Star at the time
President McKir ley decided before his in
auguration upon three things looking to
the settlement of the financial question
One was that our diplomatic representa-
% 10
receive special instructions to direct their
efforts toward bringing about an agree
ment with these govern InentS to take up
the subject of an International agreement
as TO coinage; another was to appoint a
commission to represent the United States
IN an internaticIa al conference. ard the
ether was that domestic currency COM
mission should be appointed to draw up
plan for a national currency system The
latter remains yet to be done
s?hbJul :vwsuo.C cTnfwyp shrdiu etaoin vD
Position of the Silver Men,
The silver forces in Congress did not op-
pose the authorization of the international
commission which is now at work abroad,
but they were very protuse in their predic-
tions of failure. They will probably not Sc
riously oppose the proposition to authorize
a currency commission. but they will prob
ably insist upon the incorporation of some
of their IDEAS in the plan. AS the matter
is now understood, the intention of the re-
publicans is TO provide for the appointment
of a commission solely by the President
The opposition in Congress will insist that
all parties shall be represented on the COM
mission and that the silver representatives
shall be CHOSEN by their own party in the
House and Senate, instead of leaving the
choice to the President.
They will agree that the President may
appoint majority of the commissioners,
but will insist that the minority shall be
selected as stated above. They will criti-
else the proposition as "legisla ton by COM
mission but will probably not resist 1t
If they can have the minority appoint
ments made as they desire. The condition
of affairs in the Senate will make it diff
cult to secure the necessary legislation for
the authorization of the commission with
out yielding something TO the opposition,
and this may embarrass the whole plan.