Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-06-22
CONGRESSIONAL.


WAsHlNaTos, June 2l. The Commit.
tee on Public Lands this morning dis.
cussed and amended Senator MitchelPs
proposed amendment to the bill to
amend the presumption and timber cul-
ture laws. 1t now provides that nothing
herein shall be construed as deprivine
holders Of military bounty land warrants
or any other scrip at any time hereto
fore issued under or N pursuance Of the
provisions OF any Of the laws Of the
United States OF their right to locate
such warrants or scrip ON public lands Of
the United States in the same manner
as ii this act had not been passed. In
this form the committee will accept the
amendment.
The bill to repeal the presumption and
timber culture acts was then taken up
aud its consideration proceeded with.
Blair, of New Hampshire. submitted
an amendment providing that as to
desert lands not more than GAO acres
should be held in single ownership.
The Senate has ratified an extradition
treaty with Japan and one for resur-
vey OF the boundary line between the
United States and Mexico.
HOUSE.
Henley, Of California. Introduced a
resolution directing the prosecution of
the officers OF the Union Pacific Rail-
road Company.
The House resumed consideration of
the naval appropriation bill. and rejected
it by vote OF so yeas, l3l nays. The
motion made ON Saturday by COT. of
West Virginia, to recemmit the bill with
instructions to the Committee on Naval
Affairs to report it back with an amend
ment making provision for the compile
ton of double turreted monitors was
carried and the bill then passed.
The House went into a Committee of
the Whole, with Reagan, OF Texas, as
Hartman, on the Sundry Civil bill.
A paragraph relating to the Bureau Of
Engraving and Printing having been
reached, Dingley, of Name, offered an
amendment requiring the engraving of
notes of the denomination of 81, 50 and
other denominations authorized by law.
Randall raised a point of order against
the amendment. and in the course Of his
argument in support of his point he took
occasion to deny the charge that the
present administration had waged war
on the silver dollar.
Weaver, of Iowa, said that while there
was difference OF opinion as to the at.
titude of the administration toward the
silver dollar, it was clear that the Score
tary of the Treasury had made war on
one and two dollar notes in violation
Of the act of May 3lst 1878. He
did not charge that the Secretary
had done so Willingly, but Willingly or
unwittingly, he had violated the statute
when he retired one and two dollar notes
and issued notes OF larger denomina-
tions.
The point OF order was sustained, and
upon appeal being taken the Committee
sustained by 81 to So the decision Of the
Chair.
Warner. of Ohio, offered a similar
amendment which met with a similar
fate. Warner then attempted to evade
the point of order by modifying the
amendment so as to authorize the issue
of one and two dollar notes in place of
mutllated and cancelled notes of like
denomination.
Randall raised the point of order
against the amendment, and also de-
clared that the avowed object of the
proposition was to compel a diff
ferent administration of the law
than was practiced at present, and there
fore changed the existing law.
Anderson, Of Kansas. stated that the
amendment was in the exact language of
the existing law. He did not think the
point Of order should be raised against
the proposition to compel the Secretary
of the Treasury to obey the laws.
Randall-"I think he has.
Mr.. Anderson--"I think he has not. "
Mr.. Randall--'sThe gentleman wants
to compel him to do something, and l
want him to exercise the discretion
lodged in him by the existing law"
Mr.. Anderson--"The Secretary has
not obeyed the existing law.
Mr.. Mills, of Texas, argued that
nothing in the amendment was in con
travention of the rules of the House.
Mr.. Ryan, of Kansas, took the ground
that the amendment was sort of sug-
gestion by the legislative body to the
Executive that il desired to have one
and two-dollar notes re-issued, and
nothing more.
Blank, of Missouri, said that the law
on the statute book required the treas
ury to keep in circulation 1916. 900. 600
legal tender notes. If this amendment
were adopted the amount Of legal ten
der notes would be increased by between
$40, 00O, 900 and $50, 000.00 which
would be piled up in the treasury.
His policy wonld be to leave the
legal tender circulation where it
was and make room for one and two dol
lar coin notes issued upon silver. Silver
needed legislation to get it in circula-
ton, greenbaclxs needed none. The
amendment he contended violated the
existing law, because IL claimed discre-
ton of the Secretary Of the Treasury.
1t was bad policy for those who advo.
Gated silver circulation to endeavor to
drive silver out of circul alton by compel.
ling the issue Of one and two dollar
legal tender notes. The chair overruled
the point of order aud then Warner adj
vocated the adoption of the amendment
Syms, of Colorado, spoke q good word
for silver dollars and Mills, OF Texas.
stated that II was the intention Of the
banking and currency committee to call
up the Certificate Bill as soon as the APP
preparation bills were disposed of. The
amendment was lost, IS and 81. War
ner then offered an amendment OF a
similar purport, but pending action the
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