Pawtucket Tribune

BLAND GIVES IT UP.

Famous Free Coinage Bill Now Dead.

WASHINGTON, March 28.—Mr. Pierce of Tennessee, who had been trying to secure the signatures of a majority of the Democratic members of the house to a petition asking the committee on rules to report a cloture rule in connection with the silver free coinage bill, announced late yesterday afternoon that the petition was withdrawn and that the free coinage men had given up the fight in the house. Mr. Pierce said: "We will make no further effort and have decided to let the committee on rules assume the responsibility. I have seen Mr. Bland and spoken for him also."

The silver bill now appears to be quite dead. There are at least forty-five silver Democrats who announced their determination to vote against the cloture proposition if it should be brought before the house. This settled the question, and the indications are that no farther serious efforts will be made to pass the Bland bill or any other free silver measure. The Republicans and the anti-silver Democrats are jubilant and feel that under the circumstances they have accomplished a great victory.

There is much ill feeling expressed by the silver men on account of Speaker Crisp's stand yesterday on the claim that, by deciding against reporting a cloture rule, unless supported by a majority of his party, he has broken his word given to Mr. Bland, Mr. Pierce, Mr. Stone and others.

Mr. Bland said yesterday afternoon that Thursday night, just before he moved to adjourn the house and thus lost the support of the special order for voting on his bill, he had a consultation with Speaker Crisp, and that Mr. Crisp assured him that if he moved an adjournment the committee on rules would bring in another special order providing for a direct vote on the bill and pending amendments and also a provision for cloture. Satisfied with this, Mr. Bland moved to adjourn, and next day, under the guidance and advice of the speaker, drafted the resolution which he introduced, setting apart yesterday for a vote on the bill, and also providing for a cloture. Mr. Crisp assured him, says Mr. Bland, that he would vote for this order in the committee on rules, and that it would undoubtedly be brought in. In view of these assurances Mr. Bland thinks the speaker's present attitude is inconsistent and hard to explain, and he says he cannot understand why Mr. Crisp went back on the promises he gave to himself and the other gentlemen mentioned.

Speaker Crisp, when shown Mr. Bland's statement, said he was surprised that Mr. Bland should have endeavored to mislead the public by such a statement. A majority of the Democrats voted against tabling the bill, and thereby demonstrated that they favored its passage. The speaker had assumed that gentlemen so voting favored a rule which would bring the house to a direct vote on the bill and prevent filibustering, and so believing, had said to Mr. Bland that he had no doubt the committee would report a rule. Mr. Crisp further declared that if a majority of the Democrats in the house signify a desire that the committee on rules make a report which will enable the house to come to a direct vote on the silver bill, the committee will make a report. If they do not so signify the committee will understand that the majority do not desire it and the responsibility will rest with the majority of the Democrats of the house and not the committee on rules. The speaker stated that he still favored and would vote for free coinage of silver.