Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-01-27
THE OUTLOOK FOR SILVER.
Senator Jones on Prospects for
the White Metal.
HOW THE SENATE STANDS.
Chairman of the National Democratic
Committee Denies That That Body Is
Opposed TO sixteen to One Eatio-
He Claims "a Ma jority in Upper House.

Senator James X Jones, chair
man of the democratic national
committee, has written letter to
Hon. George S. Bowen OF Chicago,
assistant secretary of the American b.
metallic union. in which he sets forth
the prospects for silver legislation in
the United States senate. 1t is as fol-
lows:
Ny Dear Sir: The claim Of the re
publican papers that the senate is al
ready irrevocably against silver. and
will so stand until 1908 at the earliest.
is. like many of their extreme claims
in my opinion. not we'll founded
Upon the passage OF what is known
as the Teller resolution. of Jan. 2S.
1898. which declared that the bonds of
the government are payable, "prinei-
pal and interest, in silver dollars. coins
OF the United States, containing 412l2
grains of standard silver" and that TO
restore to its coinage such silver coins
as legal tender in the payment OF
such bonds, principal ard interest, is
not in violation OF the public faith. nor
in derOgatiOn of the rights of the pub
lie creditors" there was a majority Of
fifteen votes in the senate in its ia
yor. This may be reasonably accepted
as test vote on the silver question.
A gold man has since been elected from
Oregon TO fill vacancy, which re-
duces eur majority now 10 fourteen.
/ OF those who voted in favor Of that
proposition at that time. seven sena-
tors viii probably be succeeded on the
4th OF March next ny senator's opposed
to the unlimited coinage OF silver,
namely: Senators Allen (Of Nebras-
ka). Mitchell (of wisconsin,, Murphy
COT New York;. Roach (Of North Da-
kotal. Smith COT New Jersey). Turpie
(Of Indiana), and White (of Califor-
nia).
This viii leave the two sides equal.
and the deciding vote Will be in the
hands OF the vice-president. This con-
dition of things hardly warrants the
triumphant claim Of the gold men that
they have captured the senate and will
hold it for many years TO como.
This year an unusual proportion Of
bimetallists who come from close
states have had their terms expire. In
1900. however, all this will be evened
up by larger proportion of gold men
retiring who come from close states.
What is likely to be the condition of
the senate in 1901 can be easily seen.
The terms of thirty senators expire
at that time OF these thirty, eleven
who are now friendly TO silver may
safely be counted as absolutely certain
to be succeeded by silver men. These
senator's come from the following
states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado.
Georgia Idaho. Mississippi, North
Carolina. South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas and Virginia. The following
states may be expected to elect gold
men 10 succeed gold men at that time:
Maine Massachusetts and Rhode ISL
and.
New Hampshire is now represented
by a silver man. whose term will ex-
pirp in 1901. Much will depend in
that state upon the personal popularity
of the present senator, Mr.. Chandle.',
but if he should be succeeded by q
gold man, Louisiana and Kentucky.
now represented by gold men, are Ger
tain to send two bimet3lli.ts in their
stead, leaving the advantage so Ear
with the silver men.
In two StatcS-South Dakota and
Delaware where we now have silver
senator's. there will &c contests. and
the most that can be claimed by the
gold men is that we are not positively
certain to hold these states; while the
following states, now represented by
gold men, can certainly net be claimed
Is sure to return a solid gold delega-
ton, namely: Iowa, Kansas, Hichi-
gan, Minnesota. Nebraska, New Jer-
sev Oregon, West Virginia and wy
oming
From all this it is perfectly safe to
assert. without feer Of contradiction,
that if the bimetallists succeed In
clecting The president in 1909, they
Will unquestionabfy have clear work
ing majority in the United States sen
ate. Very truly yours,
JAMES X. JONES.