Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-22

said this was contest between the funding
bill and electoral count.
Mr.. Mills hoped ths gentlemen would allow
full and free debate on the bill. He (Mills) did
not want to dispose Of the bill until after the
holidays.
Mr.. Keifer inquired whether the gentleman
from New York intended to press the bill to
final consideration before the holiday adjourn
ment
Mr.. F. Wood repliedl he thought it was
practicable and possible for the House to ex-
haust general debate and pass bill or reject
it before tomorrow night and it was his in
tention to press 1t If he were permitted.
Mr.. Kelfer called attention to the fact that
there was scarcely quorum present to-day.
He thought there would be no quorum to-
morrow.
Mr. Mills inquired whether he could not
move to postpone the whole subject until after
the holidays bnt received negative answer.
Mr.. Wood-The condition Of the bill is this:
Under the law as it now stands the secretary
OF the treasury is obliged to give three months
notice that he intends to pay the 5 per cent
bonds, which constitute two-thirds of the
bonds which mature next summer. Unless
we pass the bill before vacation it will be ut
terly impossible for us to take it up in Janu-
airy under the pressure of other bills, and
postponement may prejudice its passage.
Mr.. Weaver-That would be great bless
ing:
Mr.. Wood-If the gentlemen will absent
themselves from sessions of the House to-day
and tomorrow they will assume the greatest
official and political responsibility they have
ever done in political life, and if the gentle
men choose, las the gentleman from Ohio( Keifer)
intimates, to 60 away pending the determina-
tion of bill of this character, hope their
consti tuents will hold them to strict reck-
oning.
Mr.Weayer said it was proposed to'force this
bill through between now and adjournment.
It could not be done and he protested against
the attempt in the name of his constituents
and the people of the United States, and if
twenty-five men would stand by him he would
see that it was not done.
MI Keifer said the Republican side of the
House had been afraid, not of the gentleman
from New York pressing his bill,
but at his dangerous silence for many
months. He (Kelfer) complained that the
gentleman should bring it up at this late day
and put it through without any kind of con-
sideration.
Mr. F. Wood desired to reply, but con-
fusion which had existed throughout the con-
troversy rose TO such pitch that the speaker
declined TO permit debate which was out of
order TO continue.
Mr. Gillette took the floor in opposition to
the bill, which he declared to be In the interest
of bankers, and should be entitled a bill to pre-
vent the payment of the national debt. He
opposed the bill because it conflcted with the
free institutions of the country, and was in
the interest of a few at the expense of the
many. After speaking half an hour Mr. Gil
lette yielded the remainder of his time to Mr..
Weaver, who, however, expressed desire to
postpone his speech to some future day
Mr.. Mills thereupon moved the committee
rise.
Mr.. F. Wood moved that the bill be read by
sections, inasmuch as there was no person
who desired to speak upon it in somewhat
excited manner.
Mr.. Weaver said he hoped the gentleman
would not force the bill now.
Mr.. F. Wood-I do not intend that few
men in this House, less than one twentieth of
tho whole, shall force me and control the
time of this house. There arc two ways of
defeating measure. One is never being
ready to speak and asking the house to delay
action until the gentlemen are ready. The gen
tleman from Iowa CWeaver] said he wanted
the floor for one hour If he is not ready to
proceed any of the other gentlemen is entitled
to the floor, but if nobody is ready IL is my
right and duty to move to proceed to consd-
Grafton of the bill by sections.
Inc about the rights of which | may
avail myself, and he need not
permit his zeal to serve a syndicate of bankers
of Wall street to lead him SO far as to insult a
member on this floor who is asking for grave
and deliberate consideration of great ques-
tion which involves nothing less than con
demnation to slavery of generations after us
in order to satisfy the goddess greed of the
people the gentleman represents in Wall street.
He says few men shall not control the
House. That he shall not control it as long as
the chairman maintains parliamentary rights
of members. have some rights, and l will ex-
ercise every right before the gentleman should
-. L. H.. u Il T. z
Of Wall street.
Mr.. F. Wood in reply said:-I doubt wheth-
er anything I have said would be construed by
the gentleman into any Intentional
personal insult to him. ! had
notice served on me to-day by the leaders of
small party, that every parliamentary strategy
and right they could possibly command would
be exercised to prevent thepassage of the fund
ing bill
Mr. Weayer-And | renew that declara
ton.
Mr.. F. Wood-The gentlemen assume that
position publicly and openly, and on their
heads rests the responsibility.
Mr.. Weaver-We can bear it,
Mr.. Wood-As far as | am concerned
am not connected, directly or indirectly, in
the remotest degree, with any Wall street
operators, nor am controlled bv any selfish
interest. l am controlled by the majority of
the committee on ways and means, which has
reported bill to the House in pursuance of
imperative public necessity, which compels ME
and, in my judgment, every member of the
House, to lay aside every other question in
order to reach conclusion on this subject |
am not welded to the details of the bill, but
am welded to the necessity of before the holdi-
day vacation reaching conclusion on the
bill that will enable the government to main
tain its honor and credit, will enable the gov
ernment to redeem the bonds that mature next
summer, and that will not in any way dishon-
or our credit or impair the high position we
hold before the nations Of the world There
fore, acting in pursuance not only of duty, but
justice and right, will press in every way @
speedy conclusion of this measure.
Mr.. Bland called attention to the fact there
was barely quorum present. 1t was not
proper to consider an important measure of
this kind with such small House Let it
go over until after the holidays. He pro-
tested, against the attempt to press the bill
through notwithstanding large number of
absentees.
Debate was continued at length, during
which Mr.. Wood said that in the former re-
funding law one-half of per cent. was al
lowed, which was to cover commission and all
expenses of printing and issuing bonds. In
this bill one quarter of per cent. was allowed
for the cost of disposing of bonds, but that
did not include the cost of printing. Claflin
remarked that the cost of printing would be
about ne-quarter of l per cent
Mr Russell-Then let us call IL printinu