The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-09-30

sciences?
This policy of boarding was accepted by the
Democrats In Congress as the settled policy OF
the administration. So slow TO pay out the
Treasury surplus, SO greedy 70 hoard, so fearful
an attempt was made by Democratic leaders in
the House To take from him that discretion
which Democratic House had never Attempted
10 deny TO Republican secretaries On the litn
day OF July, 1886 the following resolution. in
troduced by Mr. Morrison, OF Illinois, passed
the House Of Representatives
Resolved, etc ., That whenever the surplus or
balance in the Treasury, including amount held
for redemption of United States notes, shall ex-
coed the sum of SlJO,0)O,0OO 1t shall be, and is
hereby made the duty of the Secretary of the
Treasury TO apply such excess, in sums not less
than ten millions per month, during the exist
ence OF any such surplus or excess, 10 the pay
ment OF the interest bearing Indebtedness of
the United states, payable at the option OF the
Government
The surplus or balance herein referred TO
shall be the available surplus, ascertained nc
cording to the form OF statement of the United
States Treasurer, OF the assets and liabilities OF
the Treasury of the United States employed ON
June 80, 1886
This was a direct emphatic denunciation OF
President Cleveland's administration in its
most distinct and prominent policy. IL said
We cannot trust you with the discretion we have
safely confded to Republican administrations
we must put the constraint OF law upon you,
and leave you no discretion When this resolu-
ton came TO the Senate, Mr.. Farchild, Acting
Secretary OF the Treasury, in the absence OF
Secretary Manning was called before the Com
m1tteo on FINANCE OF the oeuuIe 10 give us
views upon il. He said:
Congress has always heretofore permitted the
Secretary of the Treasury TO decide at what
times and for what amount bond calls should
be made. 1t has been left TO the dis
erection of the Secretary of the Treasury, he be-
ing always on the watch and in a position daily
to get information to guide him in the exercise
of this discretion. am not aware that this Gus
tom has been harmful TO the country under for
mer administrations, some mistakes may have
been made but ON the whole the country has
haa cd mo a A "a
ton under this administration and by the pres
ent Secretary Of the Treasury, prefer not TO
speak. It's only effect as to him the
Secretary is TO take from him discretion
which has always been his honce the funda-
mental idea of this resolution, SO far as the
Secretary of the Treasury is concerned IS that
his judgment is not considered worthy Of trust"
The Committee on Finance OF the Senate
amended the resolution so as 70 allow the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury II he Thought IL neces-
sary, TO keep on hand working balance OF s2O,-
900 600 in addition TO the 500 900 referred 10
| in the resolution, and TO allow him discretion
| in az extraordinary emergency, not now exist
| ing, TO suspend the bond calls, reporting his
reasons therefore at once TO Congress. The res
oluton, finally adopted by both houses, was
as follows:
"Resolued, by the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatives etc, That whenever the surplus or
balance in the Treasury, including amount held
| for redemption of United States notes shall eX-
coed the sum of 500, 100000 it shall be, and is
hereby made, the duty Of the Secretary OF the
Treasury 20 apply such excess, in sums not less
than ten millions per month, during the exist
ence OF any such surplus or excess, to the pay
ment of the Understanding indebtedness of
the United States payable at the option OF the
Government. The surplus or balance herein
referred TO shall DO the available surplus, as
certained according to the form OF state
ment OF the United States Treasurer, OF
the assets and liabilities Of the Treasury
of the United States employed on June 30, 1856.
Provided, That no call shall be made undor
the provisions of this resolution until a sum
equal TO the call is in the treasury over and
above the reserve herein mentioned. And pro-
vided further, That the Secretary OF the Treas
ury, in his discretion, NAV have in the treasu-
ry, over and above the foregoing sums work
ing balance not exceeding $500 10000; and when
ever, in the case of any extraordinary emergen-
cy not now existing, aud when, because thereof
in the opinion Of the Secretary of the Treasury
the public interests shall require it, he may, by
written order, postpone the further call for the
payment of such Indebtedness for such period
of time as shall be necessary TO maintain the
public credit unimpaired; and that such post
pOnement, and the reasons therefor, shall be
reported TO Congress within ten days after its
| next meeting, or Immediately, If Congress be in
session"
In the House more than two-thirds voted in
| favor of the resolution as amended. 1t went TO
the President for his approval on the 4th day OF
August, 1886. His attention had already been
called to the discussion upon the resolution and
he had ample time to have returned it if he had
| been so minded. Since the adjournment of
| Congress he has filed with the Secretary OF
State his objections to the resolution in the fol-
| lowing words
This resolution involves so much, and is Of
| such serious import, that do not deem IL best
| 70 discuss IL ut this time. IL is not approved,
because 1 do not believe il TO be necessary. and
because | am by no means convinced that its
| mere passage and approval at this time may not
endanger and embarrass the successful and use
! full operations OF the Treasury Department and
| impair the confidence which the people should
4 have in the management OF the finances OF the
| Government.
| II is thus made clear that if Congress had re.
| NAMED enough
| President to return the resolution 10 the House
| il would have come back with veto message.
| II the resolution as finally passed-giving as il
| did, TO n Democratic Secretary Of the Treasury
| some small part of the full discretion that Re-
| publican Secretaries had possessed-met Pres-
| dent Clevelands disapproyal it is clear that
the original resolution which left him no dis
erection, would have been vetoed. And yet Gov.
| Gray. in his recent speech at Logansport, said
| of the Morrison resolution:
! The Republican party, true TO its seryility
| 70 the money power emasculated it of all its
| efficient features, so as TO make it useless for
| the purposes IL was intended.
| Whose "servility TO the money power was il
that boarded this surplus and held it with u
| death grip? Democratic Presidential Dom
| ocratic Secretary of the Treasury did that. They
| do not pay il out because they will not though
the present law suggests and authorizes it. And
| Yet the platform indorses and comments them.
! Governor Gray's assault upon the Senate passes
| over that body-his charge OF - servility to the
money power" rests at the White House and at
the Treasury. Indiana Democrats who be-
| lleNeu WIN 11snullcks tnhJ n large sur
| plus in the Treasury was hurtful to all public
and private interests asked in this cam
paign TO indorse the policy of President Cleve-
land, which in this respect. as in almost every
| other, was out Of harmony with the teachings
| of that State leader whom they so much loved
| and so implicitly trusted. If Mr.. Hendricks was
right in saying that distribution Of the Treas
| ury surplus would bring fair prices for farm
| products and good wages TO the laborer, we
| can fix the responsibility for 7j-cent wheat and
the hard times which have come upon our work.
| ingmen.
But our Democratic friends, in 1884. supple
mented their complaint that we had too much
money in the Treasury with the further sugges-
ton, apparently a little paradoxical, that there
was not enough-that some of it had been made
away with Slandsrous and vague imputations
| upon the integrity of those who were disbursing
public money as class were freely INDUCED.
| They did not know who, but somebody-they
did not know whore, but somewhere. They
| pTofessed their inability To give bill OF par
| ticulars until the books were turned over 60
| them. Well, the books have been turned over
and the cash has been counted. The balances
have been verified, and the result has been
an unwilling but magnificent tribute to
the integrity and intelligence with which
| the public affairs have been managed
| The malicious charges against the integrity Of
| instances OF defalcations have been rare and
smaller than under any Democratic administra-
ton. An attempt has been made, in recent
publication issued by the Democratic congress
la4g