The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-25
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-
The Senate Passes the Bill Permitting
National Banks to Make Changes.
A Debate on the Blair Bill Develops Great
Many Things Which the Sacred Consti-
tuition Doesn't Authorize
THE SENATE.
Passage Of the Bank Bill-Dreadfu1 Discov-
cries Concerning the Constitution.


cries Concerning the Constitution.
WASHINGTON Feb. 24-After the transaction
of routine morning business. the Senate pro-
ceeded to the consideration of bills on the calen-
dar
Mr.. Morrill, called up the House bill permit
ting national banks to change their name, loca-
ton and capital by vote of two-thirds of their
shareholders The bill makes the changes
subject to the approval of the Comptroller of the
Currency.
Mr.. Beck thought such important changes
Secretary of the Treasury.
Mr.. Hoar said the present banking laws placed
the banks under the supervision of the Comp
troller of the Currency.
Mr.. Harrison believed that the provision for
the change of location was too broad 1t would
authorize bank to change from one State to
another.
Mr.. Sherman, taking the floor, expressed the
belief that Mr.. Beck was mistaken in the ad-
gested. The bank laws now conferred large
powers on the Comptroller and held large &C
He was under bonds, and could
not be interested in national bank under the
law. The Secretary of the Treasury was not a
bonded officer. He might be the owner of bank
stock or otherwise interested in banks, while the
Comptroller of the Currency could not. The
powers of the Comptroller could not be taken
from him. Though Mr. Sherman thought Mr..
Harrisons objection sound one, and suggested
that the bill be amended in that respect, he
thought the change of location should be limited
to change to another place within the county in
which the bank might be already located.
Mr.. Beck had always supposed the Comptroller
of the Currency ought to be disinterested in mat
tiers relating to national banks, but his expert
ence and observation did not justify him in be-
lieving that the persons who had occupied that
position had been disinterested He therefore
believed we should deal directly with the Secre-
tary of the Treasury Cabinet officer and head
of great department. Mr.. Beck instanced
case in which the Comptroller of the Currency
had refused to credit Kentucky national bank
for sum of its money held in State bank re-
ceived from sterling exchange, though he would
have given credit for the money if Geld in a ma
tional bank. On inquiry why such ruling had
been made, Mr.. Beck was shown that Mr.. Knox
and Mr. Cannon had already so ruled. On Mr.
Beck submitting the matter to the Secretary of
the Treasury, that officer said: THAT is all
wrong and the Comptroller had written to Mr.
Beck saying that on taking legal advice he found
the rulings referred to we're not in accordance
with the law. Up to this time, Mr.. Beck con-
tnued. the efforts of the Comptrollers of the
Currency had been to drive out of business every
bank that was not national bank so as to force
the Western banks to make national banks alone
their correspondents. The Comptrollers had al
ways done the work of the national banks, and
when they resigned they went into those banks.
One of them had no sooner left the government
service than he became president of a national
bank, and another became vice president of a
national bank. Mr.. Beck did not wish to enlarge
the opportunities of Comptrolers to do the will
of the national ban ks so as to accept rewards
from those banks later. He moved to substitute
the Secretary of the Treasury for the Comptroll
er of the Currency in the bill. The motion was
not agreed to-
On motion of Mr.. Hoar, amendment was
made to the bill limiting the right of a BANK to
change its location, that it shall not change to
another State, nor to place more than thirty
miles distant from the original location The
bill was then passed.
Mr.. Van Wyck called up, and the Senate
without debate passed bill for the relief of set
tiers and purchasers of lands on the public do
main in Nebraska and Kansas. 1t appropriates
imbursing persons and their legal representa-
tives who, under the land laws. settled upon or
purchased lands within the grant made to aid in
the construction of the Northern Kansas rail-
road, to whom patents have been issued for the
land, but against which persons DEGREES have
been rendered by the Circuit Court on account of
the priority of the grant to the railroad. The
persons entitled to the benefits eff tho act are to
be reimbursed at the rate of So so per acre.
The bill authorizing the President to grant
permission TO one or more officers of the army
to accept temporary service from the govern
ment of Corea was then taken up.
Mr.. Sewell offered an amendment permitting
the officers indicated to accept compensation
from the Corean government. The amendment
was agreed to. and the bill passed.
The education bill was then taken up and
Mr. Blair addressed the Senate in reply to the
objections and criticisms made against it. He
denied that the people of the South were opposed
to the measure. and insisted that they favored
it. 1t was very easy, Mr. Blair said to criti-
cise, but that was not the way to remedy great
evil.
Mr. George said the House of Representatives
Of his State mississippi had passed resolutions
the United States Senators from
to support the measure. Mississippi
was not here, however, Mr.. George said, as a
suppliant for national bounty; it regarded the
measure as generous offer from the Northern
States towards removing the illiteracy prevail
ing in the South. Mr.. George would be com.
PEELED, however to decline the offer if he believed
it to be unconstitutional. He cited a number
of instances in which money had been appropri-
ated from tho national Treasury to purposes not
in any manner enumerated in the Constitution,
which amounts, if the theory of the opponents
of this educational bill were correct, had been
and improperly paid out. Among
the items specified by Mr.. George were the fol-
lowing: The purchase of the Louisiana Terri
tory by Jefferson; the acquisition of Florida: the
purchase of Alaska; the payment of several
thousand dollars to refund the amount paid by
American citizens captured by Algerine pirates;
the appropriation of $50 O00 in 1912. suggested
by President Madison, to relieve the people of
Venezuela. who had suffered from an earth
quake. Where did Senators find authority for
those appropriations on their theory of the Con-
stitution?
Mr.. Harris suggested (sotto voce) that the
power for the last mentioned item probably
came from the earthquake" clause of the Con-
stitution Laughter
Mr.. George inquired where, in their view of
the Constitution. Senators found the authority
for the sending of ships, in 1847, to Ireland, and
in 1876 to France and Germany, to relieve dis
tress in those eountriesl In 1876 we had given
millions of money to centennial exposition
We had. last year. given good deal of money
to the New Orleans exposition. Where was the
authority found in the Constitution for any one
of the acts if not in the general welfare clause?
Where did we find authority to establish Blu
reau of Agricultural