Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-01
THE FINANCIAL MEASURE
Not Likely to Be Filibustering Against 1t
in the Senate.
May Result I'm Refunding the National
Debt at a Low Rate
of Interest.

1t is stated by men in the Senate who
might be looked upon to be foremost in a
flibuster, If there were to be one that there
Will probably be no flibuster in the Senate
against the financial measure when re-
ported from the finance committee The
Senate committee is to hold meeting to-
morrow to discuss the situation, and no
doubt is entertained in any quarter that a
measure not materially different from the
House bill will be reported to the Senate
from that committee early in the session.
but before anything can be done the vacan-
cies on the committee must be filed The
apprehension has been that the silver men
in the Senate, having tGo few votes to con-
troll by regular methods. would resort to a
tlibuster when the bill shall be taken up in
the Senate. While there has been no con-
ference among the members of the minority
on the subject, sufficient is known now Of
the views of some of the strong silver men
to warrant the assumption that there will
be no filibuster. Some of the republican
senators who have a shaky constituency
are somewhat disturbed at the prospect of
being called upon by their party TO support
so frank an exposition of policy, but they
appear disinclined to join in throwing any
obstruction in the way. One senator Of
this class said today that while he would
not feel safe at home after the passage of
the measure through the Senate, he had
not the least doubt of its adoption, and
that he might feel compelled to vote for il,
1t is said that the minority will be con-
tent to emphasize their opposition TO the
measure in speeches and by their votes.
and that there will be no serious obstruc-
tion of a vote.
Refunding the Public Debt.
The ultimate refunding Of the public debt
at a lower rate of interest on the gold
basis is in contemplation. In making all
the government bonds and other obliga-
tions payable in gold it is anticipated that
there will be little difficulty in reducing in
terest to a very low per cent. While the
House hill does nOt propose this, the sug
gestiOn is made in the report that it might
be done.
Ii will be RENE mbered that when ex-Sec-
retary Carlisle negotiated a bond sale with
out seeking bids, the President asked Con-
gTess to authorize gold bonds on the ground
that offers had been made to take gold
bonds at rate of interest SO much re-
duced that there would be q saving to the
government Of somewhere near sixteen mill
lion dollars from the interest that would
have to be paid otherwise. 1t is felt that
while the situation now is not just what 1t
was then when there anxiety as 20
what sort of money the government would
meet it's obligations in, it is believed that
the greater value as q basis of national
bank circulation given the bonds by the au-
thOrity to issue notes up to par value OF
bonds deposited, and the additional safety
secured in transforming all bonds definitely
to a gold basis, would insure a successful
refunding of the entire debt at low inter-
est, with great saving to the government.