Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-10
THE CURRENCY MESSAGE.
resident Deiers Sending Message 10 Congress,
Asking for q Commission.

Washington. July S.-The proposed mes.
saga of the President to Congress recon-
mcnding the appointment of a commits
i.on to consider the question of re-
Vision of our currency and national bank.
ne laws, was not transmitted Thursday
nor will it be for several days. if it goes
IN at all. which is matter of doubt.
The President is now undecided
whether or not to send any message, fol
Inc reason that n number of the most
Important leaders of the party in the
senate and House have made strong rep
.6sentations to him of the inadvsability
If sending message to Congress while
he tariff bill is in conference.
Senators Allison and Quay. Chairman
oingley and other party leaders called al
he White House and had a long confer
nee with President Mckinley. They
urged him to reconsider his determine
ton to send a special currency message
20 Congress. and gave as a reason that
he sentiment in Congress was such tina;
would be likely to arouse feeling and
3ause friction that would delay speedy
inal action on the tariff bill.
After the conference. Secretary Porter
announced to the newspaper men that ii
lad been decided that it would not be eX-
,edient TO send the message, Thursday.
md that it would not go in for several
lays at least. and might be deferred alto
sether during the special session of Con-
sress.
Upon their return to the Capitol. Sena-
,ors Allison and Quay denied having con-
ferred with the President up the cur
rency. Senator Allison expressed the
opinion that if a message should be re-
,eived it would be extremely difficult, if
lot impossible, to secure action by The
senate under existing conditions. Neces-
nrily. he said, the matter would be re-
erred to the financial committee. a ma
tority vote would in all probability be
opposed to the scheme for a currency
committee and would therefore hold the
matter up indefinitely.
Independently of the statement of SEN
itor Allison. it is known that the Re
publican managers of the Senate agreed
three weeks ago. not to press any meas
Ire providing for Il currency commission
1t the present session fothe Senate The
promise was made at a time when the
fate of the tariff bill was by no means
'ertain and when it was in the power
If the opposition to at least indefinitely
ielay action upon that measure.
The agreement provided that there
should be no effort on the part of the
opponents of the tariff to unnecessarily
lelay action and that the Republicans
should not urge the currency scheme
upon Congress at the present session
though the President should send in q
message recommending such a commits
sion.
|. The Republican senators feel that any
fort to get currency legislation through
"cuu " lutie. ASiue from the ulIHcutty
If getting a measure such as that pro
'osed by the President out of committee
he scheme would. if reported. be de
bated at length. and then. upon vote
would probably be defeated
I'VE think we have the votes in tn,
Senate to beat such Il measure sale
senator Jones of Arkansas. a member o
the finance committee, "but if 1t Shout,
De reported we should feel that it woult
De of sufficient Importance to demant
exhaustive debate. I think that it woul,
be difficult to dispose of it in less tim
than three or four months"
The prevailing opinion on the Republi
can side of the chamber is that tn
President will not Immediately send
message but it may come later The Re
publicans senators seem to think it bet
ter that all proceedings in the matter b
dropped until after the final disposition
of the tariff.