The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-21
The outlook for Action In the
Next Congress.
cANyASSING THE CHANCES
For the Gold Standard Policy in The
United states seaate-Probable that
Proposed Monetary Reform Bill
wmNet be1Isdy Pablo Before Com
gross Meets Confidence Express
cd In Prospects for Legislation.

leaders herr. that the senate finance
committee Republicans and the menu
bers Of the Republican caucus commit
tee of the house win agree upon a
financial measure. the general purport
OF which win b satisfactory to sound
money men. atleast In 80 far as 1t will
deal with existing conditions, 1t is COM
Ing to be the impression among we'll
informed persons here that the measure
upon which the agreement win be
reached Is not to be made public before
the opening Of the session Of Congress
in December A Republican member of
the senate finance committee, who
spent some time at the conference over
the monetary question at Narragansett
Pier, said few days ago that the OBJ
ject Of the committeeman in maintain
ing absolute silence respecting the
plans under consideration, and the
probable result, was beeaHse the COM
mitteemen understood better than the
general public does the immense
amount Of work which the sound
money Republicans Of the senate win
have to perform in order to secure an
agreement among Republicans of the
senate to pass a measure that will be
satisfactory to sound money men
throughout the country. The senator
added that while 1t might seem deslra-
BILE to adopt the suggestion that was
made by the Republican caucus COM
mltteemen favorable to the early pro-
mitigation OF the plans 70 be agreed
upon, 1t was believed blythe senator's
that such policy would be inlmleal to
success with the measure in the senate.
One of the chief officials Of the treas
ury department. who hascb to some
extent in the confidence IF the senate
finance committee during the consider
alton of the monetary measure, said to-
day that while he shAreAthe confidence
generally felt by sound mepey men that
Congress viii adopt measure making
secure tie gold standard, and doing
other things which viii tend to improve
the money situation. he was also conf
dent that the senate committeeman will
not disclose, the. purposes IN view until
the senate Republicans lhCaucus shall
have had an opportunity to consider
the plans to be sugsested!9or at least
until after the hnanee cemmittee Re
pubueans shall have had an opportu-
nifty. to canvass the ttsFthoroughly
with some of the western Republicans
upon whose votes the pHssge Of any
monetary legislation BY the next Con-
grssSfaepends.
"The country" said this treasury oFh-
cfal fhas come to believe that matters
are shaping themselves in a satisfae-
torys%ay 70 bring about, through legis-
iatioS 'by The next congressj p measure
Of monetary reform which, shall at least
establish tie country rofs securely
upon a basis of soundnesS lp,monetary
affairs Too little sttentiOh: however.
has been given to the situation in the
senate. and the difficulties which will
there confront the Republican leaders.
Already there have been vigorous ex-
pressions by some Republican senators
in doubtful states OF the ,sst, against
any EFFORT by the next CONGRESS- to leg
islate 30 that the gold standard shall
be made secure against hostile action
on the part OF a future President or
secretary. of the treasury without the
sanction Of the legislative branch Of the
government 1t is not that these Re-
publican senator's are opposedto sound
money principles but they have large
constituency that Is opposed to any
change in monetary laws looking to
what they would term further debase-
ment OF silver. 1t is regarded, as prob
able that measure can be prepared
for which all these Republican senators
viii vote, when the time comes. and
that their votes will be endorsed by
their constituency But 1t Is matter
that must be handled with great care,
or failure will surely result.
The basis of these utterances is the
fact that although the Republican par
~ viii have a clear dozen majority in
the next senate, there are seven or
eight Republican senators from the
west who have been urgent in'request-
ing of their party friends to Net well
enough alone and not agitate the money
question pending the presidential cleo
tIon." The marked success of the adj
minlstratlon policies In the financial
world during the past year. and the ire
mendous strides which have been made
in all lines Of Industry and commerce,
have done much to weaken the opposi-
ton OF these seniors to financial leglS-
latIon Intended to make secure sound
money policies. And yet, unless pro-
posed monetary legislation is handled
with great cnre during the next ninety
days, 1t is not impossible to foresec con-
dIuons which would prevent action by
the next Congress.
It Is regarded as highly probable that
any measure upon which the Republic
cans Of the senate finance committee
and the house caucus committee shall
agree would pass the house. In the
senate, however there is much less
certninty In that body n union Of
tbIrty-eIght Democrats with seven or
eight Republicans from far western
states would block legislation on the
money question. There are 1--WE states
10 The west-Nsbraska Wyoming. Mon
taua md the two pakotas--whercin 1t
70 possible for the Republicans to lose