The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-18

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE wide differ
ence of opinion among Republicans upon
questions of finance and currency was
strikingly illustrated at the capital yes
tcrday. While prominent Republicans of
the House were addressing the committee
on coinage, weights and measures in OPP
position 90 the Senate bill for an intcrna
tional monetary conference, Senator
Chandler vas addressing his colleagues
in the Senate in opposition to the single
gold standard and in favor of the renon
citation of silver.
Mr.. Chandler had been endeavoring to
deliver his speech for several days past
and he was permitted all the time he
wanted. The address, however, did not
attract as much attention rs the utter
ances of the New Hampshire Senator
usually do The silver Senators, both
Democrats and Republicans, listened at
tentively, but the majority of the sound
money men absenteu themselves from the
chamber. Even Senator Sherman, who
generally listens patiently to financial
discussions, grew tired and withdrew.
But Mr.. Chandler was satisfied with his
small audience, especially as Senators
Mantle and Stewart appeared to be pal
ticularly interested in his remarks.
What is puzzling Senators of all parties
is the exact purpose Senator Chandler
wishes to serve with his. newly awakened
zeal l., behalf of silver. Many of the ar
guments he advanced to-day were heard
frequently from the advocates of free
coinage few months ago, and although
the Senator is.avowedly opposed to silver
recommendation. which he says would be
the result of free and unlimited coinage
by this country alone, his idea of bimet-
all;snI, expressed in his speech yesterday,
was singularly like the bimetallism
which Mr.. Bryan and his followers talked
about during the last campaign
Mr.. Chandler has appeared in so many
different roles i'll the Senate that those
who know him best are somewhat in
doubt as to his sincerity in the present in
stance. 1t is limited that he is endeavor-
ing to make matters unpleasant for Mr..
Mckinley by endaavoring to commit him
to policy whith the leaders of the party
do not entirely approve. The silver Sen
ators, however, pretend to believe Mr.
Chandler is thoroughly in earnest, and
feel like welcoming him rs II new convert
TO their way of thinking. One of them
said that whatever had been Mr.. Chan
dler's purpose at the outset, he had evil
IDENTIFY taken up the cause of.-aimetallsm
with faith in its efficacy TO Improve con.
tlitions.
This Senator declared Me-. Chandler
was proving himself Il most sngacious
statesman. He is looking ahead, he
said, 'and sees that four years from now
the present standard of values will he
overthrow and blmetallsm established
1 believe that Senator Chandler is trying
to lead his party in the right direction,
and that if it will follow him it will
abandon its present position on the
money question and come out boldly for
'bimetallism-with an international
agreement if it can he obtained hut with
out such an agreement if necessary
Among the Republicans of the House
the sincerity OF Eli. Chandler is seriously
questioned. Those members who have APP
peared before the coinage committee to
oppose the international conference bill
hold that while the party platform de.
cleared in favor of such Il conference and
also in favor of hi,nctallism the country
understood thoroughly that the cam
paign was being fought for the gold
standard, and the verdict of the people
was in favor OF that standard. lmme-
diate action to secure birnetallism, they
maintain, is IL fragrant disregard of the
sentiment of the majority of the voters of
the country and should not be counte.
nanced. They regard the proposition as
IAN effort to embarrass Mr.. Mckinley by
committing the party to IL course which
1T may not desire to follow after the next
Congress convenes and Mr.. Mckinley his
been long enough in Office to have deter.
mined upon policy.