The Topeka state journal., 1897-07-03
The President is Inclined to
Send a Special Message
TO Congress Asking For a Spe-
cial Currency Commission.
OPPOSITION Is
Manifested by Financial Advis-
ers and Congress,
Because of Reluctance to Stir
the Matter Up.

washington, July 3.-The question
whether the president will send a spe-
cial message to congress recommending
the creation of a currency committee
Will be definitely decided next week.
The president is strongly inclined at
this time to send a special currency
message to congress, regarding himself
as in a considerable measure pledged
to this course. In fact, it was semi-of-
fcially announced at the White House
late yesterday afternoon that such
message would be sent to congress next
week, but some of the presidents most
influential advisers on financial ques-
tions are opposed to a message as inn
polite at this time owing to the hosti1-
ity to commission on the part of con-
gresS and the final determination, as
stated, will not be reached until Mr..
McKinley's return from Canton.
The executive committee of the In
dianapolis sound money convention
has been actively advocating the COM
mission scheme ever since the advent
of the present administration. 1t had
also the sympathy of the president, who
committed himself to it in his inaugu-
raj. President Mckinley, however, did
not care to recommend it to congress
while the tariff bill was pending lest
it might complicate and delay action
upon the measure. But all along the
chief difficulty which presented itself
to those who favored a commission for
the investigation of the currency Sys-
tenn has been the opposition it would
encounter in congress. While bill
for the creation of a commission could
easily be passed in the house, where
fac;ious opposition would be unavailing
against the operation of a cloture or
der that would bring it to a vote, such
opposition in the senate might be al
most interminable. Several of the sill
yer senators have openly aVoWed their
unalterable hostility to the creation of
a commission, and Senator Teller (Col.)
has declared that he would remain here
until December to defeat it.
This being the situation, 1T is under
stood that some of the members of the
executive committee of the Indianapo-
lis convention now believe it would per-
hapS be a mistake to press their re-
quest for a commission by congress.
A better and wiser thing to do, some
of them now think, would be to with
to investigate the currency question
and present their conclusions through
the public press. If those conclusions
were such as the administration could
subscribe to, they could be the basis
of an administration measure, modified
as Secretary Gage, conducting an in
dependent investigation, might Sug-
geSt,
The secretary will be at work for
some time on a comprehensive currency
reform scheme, and some suggestion
has been made as to the wisdom of not
having a further agitation of the Ques-
ton, but of permitting Mr.. Gage, who
has the full confidence of business men
generally, to frame a measure after
such consultation as he may desire with
financiers, business men, members of
the house and senate, and others.
The matter was under discussion at
the cabinet meeting yesterday, but not
in a maner' to lead to a definite con-
clusion or policy 1t is probable that
Mr.. H. H. Hanna, who is chairman of
the executive committee of the Indian
apolis convention, and perhaps other
members of the committee will come to
Washington, after the presidents re-
turn from Canton, to discuss the situ-
alton with the president and Mr.. Gage.