Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-23
General Inability to Outline Its
Policy.
FIGHT ON TEE CURRENCY QUESTION
Representative Eddy Says He Does
Not Expect Results.
THE ALASKA AIRY

little IDEA OF what is to be Its policy as
now. Though all the committees of the
House have now been appointed, none has
had a sitting to outline work. During the
extra session members did not know how
they would be associated on committees,
and it was so well understood that there
was to be no general legislation during that
session that there was no considerable ex-
change OF VIEWS. Members, got in the habit
of having a line of policy marked out for
them by those in authority, and there has
been very little expression of Independent
thought. The few representatives who
have come to Washington after their sum-
mer vacation have generally talked about
the approaching session much as if they
had no particular responsibility in connec-
ton with it, and as if they were waiting
for some higher authority to give the word
of command.
that the Fifty-fifth Congress is not going
to be negative quantity for the rest of
its existence. Another Congress is to be
elected shortly after the close of this COM
ing session. No sooner will this years
work close than will begin the campaign
for the new Congress. The shaping of that
campaign will depend upon the develop
ments in Congress this winter. The lines
Tor congressional battle have not vet
been drawn. There is likely to be an en-
tlrely new alignment If the interest of the
session is directed toward the money CUES
tlon-if there is an attempt at currency
legislation of any character. the member
snip or the next Congress is likely to be
distributed differently as to parties from
what it is in this. If there is to be any
new issue of paramount Importance it must
develop during this session. If the cur
rency issue is to return its position it will
be under different conditions from those
existing during the campaign which re-
suited in the election of the present Con-
gress.
In this Congress there are men elected as
democrats who do not in their hearts be-
i1eVe as the democratic party does on the
money question. There are also republic
cans who are loyal to the administration
and who recognize the authority of Sneak
err Reed, who either are silver men or who
represent districts supposed to be strongly
favorable to silver. 1t is not regarded as
at all probable that such state of things
can exist after another congressional cleo
.ioh at winch the money question is the
issue. "
Dilemma of Silver Republicans,
The failure of the international agree
ment scheme and the success of the adj
min1stration under gold standard and a
protective tariff will settle it once for all
that the republican party is not going to
fool around with any pretense of doing
something for silver" The districts repre-
sented by men in the House who, being re-
publicans. base their adherence to the par
~ on the grounds that Something for
silver is to be done by the republicans
Will probably be placed in a position where
they will either have to abandon their IA
vorite silver theories, acknowledging the
wisdom OF the republican policy, or will
elect to Congress men pledged to the sup
port of the opposing party. On the other
hand, the so-called democratic districts
which do not stand on the doctrines of
Organism will, have either to revise. their
al oil A1s<a,~
gress. .... o. - .. ..-..l-.-.-
The coming session of Congress is ex-
pected to fully develop the situation which
will compel this. If an international con-
ference were pending the issue would not
be so sharply drawn ana the choice so i'm
peratively forced upon republicans repre-
Senting supposed silver. districts. Though
their districts really demanded silver they
would still have an excuse for remaining
loyal to the republican party.
On the other hand. with some other ques-
ton uppermost-a question on which they
could unite in opposition to the republicans
democrats representing sound money dis
tricts could find an excuse for urging upon
their constituents, with some hope of be-
ing listened to, that they still retain their
allegiance to the democratic party.
Sticking to the Old Issue.
The failure of the Wolcott commission
answers for those who would trim sail on
one side, and the success of the present
policy of the administration gives sufficient
assurance that the republicans will not
raise up new issues that would save the
democratic party from the division in it's
lines. AS clearly as it is given any one to
see, the course of the coming session of
Congress will be such as to define more
sharply, if possible. the issue on which Nc
Kinley was elected. The controlling ele-
ment of the democratic party is as deter
minedly bent upon making up the next
congressional campaign along the old lines
of the '96 battle, and it may be fairly as
sumed that if the leaders of the two great
opposing parties can prevent it nothing will
be permitted to divert attention from the
pending issue. The gold democrats have
given up all hope of the development of
situation which would admit of the two
factions of the old party getting together,
and they expect that the next congressional
election will result in the selection OF a man
who will affiliate with the republican party
to represent each of the formerly demo-
cratic districts where the sound money
sentiment prevails. The republicans as
fully expect districts formerly republican,
but which are dominated by the silver sem
timent, to send Bryanites to the next Con-
gress.
The silver advocates have it all arranged
in their own minds what they will do If
they can succeed in electing d majority of
The members of the Congress to sit during
the last two years of President McKinley's
term. Their plan is to get that Congress
if they can, and to send to Mr. Mckinley a
"free-and- unlimited-co ge-o f-silver-at-the
ratio of-siXt teen -to-one-wthout-the
-of-any-ot her-nation-on-earth' bill, so as
to put him in a hole and so to "let
him veto it If he dareS." etc. OF course,
they know he would veto it, but they think
that such a veto would be great thing
in the campaign.
Attempts ut Currency Reform.
Representative Eddy of Minnesota, who
has just arrived in Washington. to take up
his quarters for the winter. speaking of the
prospect of legislation at the coming ses-
sion of Congress, said that he supposed an
effort would be made to reform the cur
rency system, but that he did not antici-
pate the accomplishment of anything. He
said that while he thought it was general
ly conceded that We had too many kinds
Of paper money and that the system de-
manded reform, yet 1t would be difficult to
decide upon some particular method of re-
form which would meet general approval.
1t might be that a suggestion would be
made which would strike majority in the
House as just the thing needed. bat even
then it would probably not be possible to
secure legislation in the Senate.
The Alaska boundary.
"a subject" he said, which will demand
attention this winter, and which should be
settled, either through the action of Con-