The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-22
THE SILVER MEN PROTEST.
CLAIM A RIGHT TO BE HEARD ON
PROPOSED CURRENCY BILL.
Being Reached In the Committee
Are Considered Doubtful, Owing
Two Wide Differences Of Opinion.

WASHINGTON. Jan ef.-chairmaa
icwce. OF the Silver Republican committee.
and A. j. Warner of the Bi-meiallic
League. today gave their reply 20 the bank
Ing and currency committee relative 10 the
application o. Warner and ToWne Tor
nearing. The committee said II would
hear the gentlemen in support OF any hsll
Tor which they might assume the aHtaor-
snip OF responsibility. The reply SAYS:
I'VE think Il proper 20 advise you and
the committee OF the circumstances under
which the application Was made on our De-
nalt for hearing. A. meeting OF the s tx!
metallic Union. held IN this city on the
10th inst, some information was had re-
specting certain propositions of currency
legislation now pending before your COM
That OF the administration. commonly
referred 20 as the Gage plan. and tn I., So %,
by the Indianap polls sound money conveu-
ton OF a year ago and recommended N
advance by the president in his special
publication of an ex parte measure by It's
supporters. such as Ia the purpose or the
party governing me hearing thus far; vas
calculated 10 create a wrong suppression.
Therefore. a resolution was passed pro-
vidng that an application be made to your
h hom,oraeie s9iee Tor a h IA on 9e
Bi-metallic Union and We were selected as
such reprerse Natives
having Tor some years been ia1Hltitr
with the procedure of committees In con-
gress in similar cases we could not antici-
pate the refusal of such request. So far
as we are aware. this Is the first time that
IN a matter of so much Importance. a great
congressional committee engaged in giving
hearings on a proposition before II. has re-
fused TO accord a full and fair hearing TO
botn sides Al all events. the important
committees of ways and means and coin
age and weights and measures has uni
formly. under such circumstances, opened
tn rSN 1fa-f of ~
shade OF opinion.
Not to our knowledge has Il ever before
been required as a condition precedent to
being heard. that each witness should have
MS own individual bill introduced and re-
ferred TO the committee. n seems clear TO
US that such requirement is wholly IL
logical and unreasonable. Under il the af
irmdtive would always have monopoly of
testimony and no person not satisfied with
me existing law on any subject could be
heard against any proposition 20 change Ii,
unless ne should first have gravely intro
duced a bill to keep the law as it is.
IN conclusion we beg to assure your
honorable committee that Ii was not the in
teation OF the American Bi-metaliic Union
to cause them any embarrassment. The
purpose of the application was TO furnish a
way whereby the country at large might
learn in their appropriate connection the
views held by that numerous body of citi-
zens who oppose any and all plans to sub
sfitute bank paper for government cur
rency- TO commit the country more thor
oughly to the gold standard E"
The committee on banking and currency
having concluded Its hearings extending
over many days, on the question of revis-
Ing the currency, will begin next Wednes-
day to consider the question of report on
some one OF the numerous propositions SUBJ
United. The members of the committee
differ widely as to the outlook for afflrma-
tive action, some of those in leading posi-
tons declaring that the hearings have
demonstrated that 1t would be impossible
10 secure majority for any one PROPOSE
ton.
Others are more hopeful and say that a
composite measure. embodving the essen
tial features of the Gage bill and monetary
commission bill. is likely to commend suffi-
cient votes TO be reported There is a gen.
eral agreement that no one of the bills be-
fore the committee viii be reported in It's
present form. There are seventeen men,
shers OF the committee five of them DEM
ocrats. Numbers favorable to the none
tary commission bill say they hope TO get
seven votes at the outset and later 10 Sc
cure the additional votes necessary. Some
Of the members counted In this seven say
however. that they will not vote for the
bin. The situation within the committee
is conceded 10 be very complicated In
view of this condition a number of the
members hope to have the general question
OF currency revision pat aside for the pres
ent and n bill restricted to three recon-
mendations of the president reported. This
also aroused counter objections. so that
there is little on which 10 base predictions
Of the outcome.