Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-02-11
DAILY POS. INTELLIGEkCER



whst. Al. $40 Hocsss u Congress
are broadly diszGTseins over tGisi gees
,,on Of hov far TIE rights Of ssnh en-
,.nA che Executive "a making Aevssces /
vhieh should make them unite IL an !
eHoYt % restrain the latter brsrash Of
ths Government 70 Us proper tar1ssofs.
Pa, anne wears Ias1, and especially
wtshin the last fen months. the Ffssa'
dent has asscmsd powers 1hiso seen 20
b. totally unjesst6sbls. and ~tisa
practically nuIlify certain isssIs'i'a
THIS has BEEN done suder the iufss@nee
az Nez York bankers sEd eapi'si'@a-'
and appears in the treatment 81 '~o
sabjsc.s-that Of siivsr and maj o.
lapaed land grants
The lag rsmsnssizipR silver fhskss u
q fall legal tsndet-'the equal OF s:oia ~
every respsci. Ths Treasury i<iAH-
.asnt however, sndsr Secretary Asoni-
tosb. n. nudeT bis prsdseessors- PTssfi.
oaIiy disregards this Lac, so far ~ TOE
SsS York City banks are eoneesns'-
while shs other banks throogh01i TIE
eoautry. 10 their dealings With the
Treasury. are compelled 10 aseept sisnss
silver or geld. those of NeS YORK are
o.id in gold alone. and are ALLOWED to
decline silver OF silver certificates The
NsN York sub Treasury. in il aeai'"ga
With the banks and the clearing house.
disrsoArds silver entirely and eoi'dress
iss business precisely ~ If gold, greet
backs and National Bank notes ~sFe
tho only legal tender. While this = not
n direct violation Of. Law, il il an evasion
90 paIpable az 10 amount TO nuilihca-
tiou. II ia justified by Secretary Me-
Culloeh on the ground that 1t - hns'-
Iateiy necessary 10 prevent tie tooch
ureph4aied silver panie and the driving
Of gold from the country, which w. are
told. IA certain t0 follow the unqaaiiEied
adoption Of tbs standard silver dollar
by the business and banking interests
Of the country. Even should tins b.
tfus, !. would be interesting to learn
sho constituted the Treasury Depart
msnt Judge OF public necessity higher
than Congress itself. How cat the
Secretary Of the Treasury say. this
law IL unwise and ir this particular In
stance mist not be enforced 30 long
as Congress IN determined to keep the
law IN question on the statute books
This seems TO b. most open and plain
seizure Of powers thai belong e. the
Legislative branch of the Government.
The second instance. that IN regard
10 lapssd land grants. Is exenplihsi by
che late action Of President Arthur in
regard 10 she California and Oregon
rod. Tue time Of the grant TO this
road has expired, wnrk has been indefi-
uitely suspended and bill declaring
the grant forfeited either IL pending IN,
or has been passed by, the House. The
President, however. has recently ap
pointed commissioners to examine the
twenty-five miles Of read last eoinpiet
cd. preliminary to is acceptance By the
Government, This action has aro'sed
the Pablic Lands Committee Of the
Hoase, and an effort will be made 70 ~
cure the adoption of resolution de-
mnnding tina, the President state the
authority under which tbs commission
era wore appointed. II Is possible, how
ever, that 10 the resh Of BUSINESS which
will occupy the few remaining days Of
the life OF the present Congress, the
mstter will be neglected.
These Executive advances soem 10 te
Of far more Importance than the quts
tons nov agitatina the senate and d {
House and inducing each TO stand arm
" against the other wherever II thinks
its rights and prerogatives 10 be endHn.
gsred. IL the same esprit da es7is
which actuatsa sha Represe ntatives and
Senators. a. sueh, were displayed by
them ell. ~ ConRFessmen, both Prsi
dent Arthur aud Secretary McCuliset
voald be brought up with a round turn