The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-02-04
HOUSE.


WASHINGTON, February s. The
speaker laid before the House, a COM
munication from the Secretary of the
Treasury, recommending an appropri-
alton of $25, 600 to enlarge the United
States Penitentiary at Boise City, Idaho.
| Referred.
Also communication from The Post
master-General in response to the House
resolution calling for information as to
what changes should be made in the
law regulating compensation to railroad
companies for carrying mails. The
Postmaster-General states that up to
the present time he had been unable to
form any clear opinion as to what
changes should be made in the law. At
future day, he states he Will be able
to place before the House all the infor-
nation, which inquiries that have been
instituted and are approaching COM
pletion will afford. Referred.
Bland, from the committee on coin
age, weights and measures, desired to
report hack the resolution offered by
him calling on the Secretary of the
Treasury Tor certain information reIa-
tive to silver circulation. The resolu-
ton quoted at length from an address
made by President Coe, of the Ameri-
can Bankers Association, which de-
clared that the Secretary of the Treas
ury had acted in concert with the New
! York Clearing House Association to
maintain a gold standard until Con,
greSs could convene. The resolution
then reads as follows:
| Whereas, near the close of the second
session of the Forty-eighth Congress. to
w.t. on the 26th day of February, 1885,
this House refused by decided vote to
consider a then pending proposition,
looking to the suspension of the coin
age Of silver dollars; therefore be it
Resolved, by this House, that the Sec
rotary of the Treasury be, and he is
hereby, requested to inform this House
whether or not any agreement or ar
rangement was effected by the manage
ment of the Treasury Department with
the clearing house committee in New
York, or with any other association or
person as alleged in the address of Mr..
Coe, and if so, by what authority of
law such arrangement was made and
carried out, and further, to inform the
House what amount of silver dollars
were in the Treasury on the 4th
day of March last, unrepIesented by
amount of silver certificates was in cir
culation, what amount of such dollars
are now in the Treasury unrepresented
by outstanding certificates, and what
amount of such certificates is now in
circulation; also what amount of. silver
dollars were in the Treasury on the
4th day OF March last, that could have
been applied in payment of the interest
bearing debt and other dues of the
government, and what amount of such
dollars now held in the Treasury could
be applied; also what amount of silver
certificates are held in the Treasury
that could be reissued also what
amount of interest-bearlng debt is now
subject to call, and will the same policy
be pursued in the payment of silver
coin and on other public dues in the
future as in the past.
Morrison would not object to the re-
solution. but thought it went too far in
asking what was to be the policy of the
Treasury Department.
Bland replied that the past policy of
the administration was known, and that
it was proper that Congress should
know whether it was to be pursued or
not.
Randall inquired whether there was
any way of getting in a motion to strike
out the clause in regard to the future
policy ofthe administration The policy
of the administration could be Judged
by its acts.
The Speaker replied that he would
examine the resolution to see whether
its clauses were divisable.
Hewitt-Will it not be in accord to
move to recommit with instructions?
The Speaker-That is in order.
Hewitt-Then move to recommit the
resolution with instructions to the COM
mittee to strike out that portion which
asks the Secretary of the Treasury to
define the policy of the administration.
The motion to recommit with instruc-
tons was lost, yeas, 8S; nays, 1853; and
the resolution was adopted.
Mr.. Morrison of Illinois, from the
committee on ways and means, re.
ported a resolution calling on the
Secretary of the Treasury to re-
port to the House the total
amount applied to the sinking fund
between June 30, 1884, and July l, 1885,
and under what dates and in what sew
eral amounts the same was applied.
Adopted.
The following committee reports were
submitted:
Mr.. Cobb, of Indiana, from the COM
mittee on public lands-To forfeit At
lantie and Pacific land grant. House
calendar.
By Mr.. Wilkins, of Ohio, f,om the
committee on banking and currency
Providing for the issue of circulating
notes to the Nation Banking Associa.
ton. House calendar. ~
By Mr.. Miller, of Texas, from the
same committee (adyersely)-To make
the shareholders in National banks in
diyidually responsible for the debt of
the bank. Laid on the table.
By Mr.. Hatch, of Missouri, from
the committee on agriculture-To
enlarge the powers and duties of the
department of agriculture. Committee
of the whole. =. st-r-F sf.f
By McRae, of Arkansas, from the
committee on public lands-To protect
homestead settlers within RAILWAY
limits. House calendar.