Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-15


House. one thiag is certain, taking that dis
cretiou from republican president and sec
Fetsry, Mr.. Morrison said, was prevented by
the operation of the democrats with that side
of the House.
Mr. McKinley-That is, the two wings of
the democratic party were not in harmony at
that time, and one wing, with the aid of the
republicans. prevented you from taking
the statutory discretion away from the secre-
tsry, but now when you have the president
and secretary of the treasury, both wings of
the democratic party unite in denouncing
them for not calling in the bonds and absorb
ing the surplus. Laughter Suppose this
resolution passes the House, suppose it passes
the Senate, to give it any sort of force it must
have the approval OF the President of the
United States. ELaughterl You are ask
ing by this resolution that the President shall
do what for sixteen months he has refused to
do. He will lay down the pen, which with
him has been mIghtier than the sword, and
he will use that pen for another purpose. He
will veto your bill and the surplus will vet
remain in the treasury.
If it is anything on which the majority of
this House and the President are in accord,
would like to know it. Laughter. During
which the republicans suggested that they
were in accord on the pension vetoes. In his
annual message the President asks you to re-
tire greenbacks, to suspend silver coinage,
and to revise the tariff. You have not retired
greenbacks, you have not suspended silver
coinage, you have not revised the tariff, at
least you have not revised it under the lead
ership of Mr.. Morrison. l don't know what
you may do under the leadership of Mr..
Randall. Laughter.
There is not a single thing upon which
this democratic party agrees and is in positive
accord except getting offices, not one.
Mr. Reed of Maine, maintaintained that
the foremost duty of the treasury of the
treasury of the United States wa. to maintain
public confidence and secure firm basis tor
sound business of the country. The saving
OF one or two millions year was too silly to
be maintained bv grown men intrusted with
power and living under obligations under
which Congressman lived. He referred to
the fact that the resolution had been brought
in at a late stage of the session and said in
that fact, political game, the democrats
thought they could pass it In the House at
time when the Senate was busy upon appro-
prlation bills and could not act upon it, and
that 1t would thus escape being vetoed.
Then they could go the country for the second
time with the second edition of the story they
told in the last campaign of S400, ,OOO, 900
surplus.
Mr.. Dingley of Maine regarded the propo-
sitlon as an attempt on the part of Congress
to interfere with the question which properly
appertainec to the administration. This was
the first attempt in the history of the govern
ment to determine by legislative resolution
what should be the balance in the treasury.
Mr.. Morrison closed the general debate in
support of the joint resolution.
five minute debate then ran on without
interest for half an hour
The amendment offered by Mr.. Morrison
this morning was then adopted without dis.
cussion.
The amendment offered by Mr. Mckinley
yesterday, providing that SlOO, 900, 900 be set
apart for the purpose of redeemng legal
tender notes OF the United States shall not be
used for any other purpose was rejected,
l04 to 1872.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Reed, auth.
orizing the secretary of the treasury at any
time TO suspend action under this resolution
until the balance shall equal Sl3O, ,OO0,O 900,
was rejected, II to I4O.
number of amendments were then of
fered and either rejected or ruled out on
points of order.
The joint resolution was then passed. yeas
207, nays 67.
4 These New England representatives all
voted in the negative. as follows:
Massacnusets-Mess Aller, Collins,
Davis, Ely, Hayden, Long, Rice, Rodewell,
Stone, Whitney, Lowering.
Maine-Messrs. Boutelle, Dingley. Milli-
ken, Reed.
Vermont-Messrs. Grout, Stewart.
New Hampshire-Mr. HAYNES.
Connecticut-Messrs. Buck. Seymour and
Waite.
Rhode Island-Messrs. Pierce, Spooner
The joint resolution will now go the Sem
ate, and if agreed to there will require the
Presidents signature before it becomes law.
Adjourned.