The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-09
NO CURRENCY
LEGISLATION.
impossible to Garry Out the Ad-
ministration's Plan.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DIVI-
DED-THE SENATE WILL NOT
TOLERATE THE IDEA OF DE-
STROYING THE GREGNBACKS.
SENATORS AND REPRESENTA-
TIvES DISCUSSING THE SUBJECT
AID INDUCING IN ADVERSE
CRITICISM.

Washington, Dec. S.-The impossibility
of the Republicans effecting any legisla-
ton on the currency question at this ses-
sion of Congress WAS strikingly ..iIlustra-
ted yesterday by the family row in the
House over the disposition of that part of
the message relating to monetary mat
ters. While this was being discussed on
the one side, Senators were quietly talk
ing about the possibility of doing any
thing in the Senate. Leaders OF the
finance committee have looked into the
question, and one of the most prom inenr
last evening said that it would he an ab-
solute waste of time to attempt to 90
anything: that the situation would be
made even worse than it .is and that the
sure result of the agitation of the sub
Ject would be II free coinage bill.
The severe criticism of the Presidents
message has only been accentuated by
the annual report of Secretary Gage and
his recommendations The President
might have been little ambiguous, but
there is no an biguity about what Score
tary Gage seeks to accomplish. Both the
message and the report will be ignored
Not one republican could ,be found yes
terday who would express the belief that
there was the least possible chance for
leGislation
If the leaders in the Senate have their
way they will avoid counting RESPONSE
bil!ty. Debate cannot. however, he
stifled, aDd there will be much said about
the money question, but the passage of
the biz by the House would eventually
bring the matter before the Senate, where
it would remain rs q standing subject for
discussion for weeks.
Repu blicans who talk freely in private
are condemning the President for forcing
this matter upon the Congress. Que of
the most influential Senators on the Re-
publican side said yesterday that the
President was urged not to take this sub
ject up seriously for the reason that his
own party WAS not agreed upon it and
the recommendations would only show
the weakness OF the party to the opposi-
ton.
1t is clear that the President with the
lack of dec ision characteristic of him, has
sought to straddle the currency question.
He has attempted to--Conciliate the gold
men with the indirect suggestion of the
retirement Of the greenbacks. and has
thrown out palpable bid for silver
friendship by suggesting the possibility
of something further from the Wolcott
comm ission. The silver men accelU the
challenge that has been given them. anu
in his message Mr.. Mckinley has given
the Democrats some of the best campaign
literature they have had since the money
question became the great issue of the
day. No party can 90 before the people
advocating the retirement OF the green
back and the substitution of non
interest bearing debt for one that draws
interest.
Several Senators are preparing TO rip
this message open and show it's weak
ness in debate. Never before has the alb
solute statement been made by anv Pres
ident that the greenhacks should be re-
deemed in geld. 1t is not a matter of law,
but or Treasury regulation, and public
men point ont the self-evident fact that
the whole problem. so far AS The Green
backs are concerned, would be solved, if
the regulations were changed so az to re-
quire the Treasury and not the holders of
these notes, to designate in what kind of
money they shall be redeemed
Senator Bacon, Of Georgia, character
ICES the currency scheme as ouly Shift
to supply the deficiency in the quantity
of the currency by fictitious and repre-
sentative money instead of real money.
Senator Vest says there are great
MANY men in both
the Presidents ps rty who will not agree
to the retirement of the greenbacks nor
10 their conversion into gold notes. Nor
does he believe the plan to reduce the
taxation upon national bank notes aud
give the banks power to issue circulation
TO the face value Of the security bonds
will he adopted.
Senator Zones thinks the WOlcott com
mission is referred to only to be let down
easily. 10 suggest that we may e> pect
ANYTHING from the work of that commits
Sion s,he says, utterly absurd.
CHILDREN'S HI, 2S-CHEAP.
larne va riat,r of INlata In oil nnInrs