A large majority of the Senate favored free silver, and it was feared that the small majority against it in the other House might yield and agree to it.

The silence of the President on the matter gave rise to an apprehension that if a free coinage bill should pass both Houses, he would not feel at liberty to veto it." In this emergency, the Republican leaders appealed to their free silver party associates to be content with compelling the Treasury to purchase 4,500,000 ounces of silver per month, which it was wrongly calculated would cover the entire output of American mines.

The force of party discipline eventually prevailed, and the Republican party got together on this compromise.

The bill was adopted in both Houses by a strict party vote, with the Democrats solidly opposed, and was finally enacted on July 14, 1890.
Thus by relying upon political tactics, the managers of the Republican party were able to reconcile conflicting interests, maintain party harmony, and present a record of achievement which they hoped to make available in the fall elections.

But while they had placated the party factions, they had done nothing to satisfy the people as a whole or to redress their grievances.