The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-15

which they now had authority to do under Sec
\ ton of the act of March 8, 1881. Yet, IN
| eighteen months of Democratic administration,
that administration had called but P5S OOO GOO OF
| government bonds for redemption. 1t leaves
outstanding $40 000, 600 of the per cents; ex-
tended, now known as the per cents, which
| are redeemable at the pleasure of the govern
/ ment In view of the record of the Democratic
/ party; in view of its declarations in platforms
and the public rostr1m IN favor of the distri-
| button of the surplus in payment of government
bonds; in view of its frequent characterza-
ton of the Republican party as dishonest
for keeping surplus in the Treasury; in view or
the record made by its administration. 1t was
| not surprising that majority of the COMMITTEES
on ways and means, under the leadership
OF the leader OF ore wing Of the
President of the United States and the Sec
rotary of the Treasury should keep the pledges
which had been made to the people This action
was the more suggestive when gentlemen TOOK
into consideration the record which the Kepue-
llcan party had made on this question. Since
the conclusion of the war the Republican ad-
minstrations had paid off 81 200 900 600 of pub
! lie Indebtedness. 1t was not surprising that,
looking at the record of the Republican party
and looking at the record OF the first sixteen
months of the Democratic administration, the
| two wings of the Democratic party should nap
together and demand that the President shall
pay out some Of the surplus on the bonds or the
country. Laughter In 1881, with asurplus
| the Treasury had calico in 1921. 00O,O00
| in government bonds; liz 1882, with surplus of
! $l66, 600, 900, a Republican Secretary had called
| in $l73. 600. 900 of bonds in 1885, with surplus
| of $134, 900. 900, a Republican Secretary had
called in $50 600 900 of bonds, and in 1884 $7O,-
| O0O O00 The Republican party had averaged, in
the last four years. 1888, 00O, 600 every sixteen
months, while in the past sixteen months the
Democratic party had made q record of but $685.
OoO oO0 Why did not the administration of
Grover Cleveland pay out the balance In the
Treasury on the public debit Some gentlemen
on the other side, in confidence with the admin
istration, ought to explain why the Secretary did
not exercise the discretion given him by law.
He Mr.. Mckinley believed it to be wise discre-
ton to permit the officer charged with
the administration of the fiscal affairs
of the government to call bonds or withhold
a call of bonds when the condition of the public
Treasury permitted or demanded the or the
other. Therefore, unless the amendment he had
offered were adopted, he would feel constrained
to casta negative vote upon the resolution or
course, Republicans could not prevent the Demo-
cratic party from voting to-day want of conf.
dence in its own administration. They could
not prevent it from voting vote OF condemna-
ton upon the President and his Secretary. That
was what the resolution meant. Think of it--a
Republican Secretary of the Treasury presided
over the fiscal affairs of the government from
1879 to 1885. During that time the Democratic
party controlled the House for four years. The
Republican Secretary of the Treasury exercised
IL,
cratic majority than the present one never
thought of taking that discretion away from
him.
Mr.. Morrison-The gentleman is mistaken.
Mr. McKinley-Did you ever pass resolution
compelling the Secretary of the Treasury to pay
out the surplus2
Mr. Morrison-I introduced joint resolution,
and sent it to tie committee on ways and means,
and it never got oni of the committee
Mr. McKipiey-Exactly.
Mr. nd n Ia
and had the support of the gentleman from
Pennsylvania Mr. Randall, and we We're kept
from passing it by point of order from that
side of the House Applause on the Democrat
ic side
Mr. McKinley-But did you ever pass it? You
had control of the House. You had control of
the committee rules. You should have fixed
time for considering 1t, exactly as you did now.
You had a larger majority then than now.
Whatever you may have done in committee, or
ATTEMPTED to do on the floor of the House, one
thing Is certain, you never did adopt resolution
taking that discretion from Republican Presi-
dent and Secretary.
Mr. Morrison-I was prevented by the copper
alton of 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 Republicans,
prevented you from taking the statutory discre-
ton away from the Secretary. But now, when
you have President and the Secretary of the
Treasury, both wings of the Democratic party
unite in denouncing them for not calling in the
bonds and absorbing the surplus. Laughter.
1t is not to be wondered at. Governor Hen
bricks stated all over the West what large
surplus the Republicans mad accumulated.
know that the distinguished gentleman from
Pennsylvania Mr. Randall, in his famous
speech at Nashville, when he was making his
triumphal tariff march through the South from
Atlanta to the sea, carrying the banner OF pro-
tection-I know that he said there was $500, 000,
900 of surplus in the public treasury, and that
~ .;cf~ 81 of Ciaue and
take it out and pay the government debts
with it.
Mr. Randall-I am beginning in that direction
now. Applause on the Democratic side.
Mr. McKinley-Yes; you are beginning but it
is sixteen months after your administration has
failed to do it. [Laughter.l You have not gone
very far along yet. Suppose this resolution
passes the Houses suppose it passes the Senate.
To give it any sort of force, it must have the ap
prevail of the Presidentof the United States. You
are asking by this resolution that the President
should do what for sixteen months he has
fused to do. He will lay down the pen, which
with him has been mightier than the sword
llaughtcrl, and he will use that pen for another
purpose. He will veto your BILL and the sur
plus will yet remain in the Treasury. Your
Secretary says this resolution means a trench
ing upon the 800 ,000, 600 which is kept as a re-
demption fund for the greenbacks of the coun-
try, and he asks you not to do 1t, and yet you do
it This Congress seems to be given to doing
just what the President does not want done. If
there is anything on which the majority OF this
House and the President in accord would
like to know it. Laughter, during which Re-
publican suggested that they were in accord on
pension vetoes. In his annual message the Pres
ident asked you to do three things. He asked
you to retire the greenbacks he asked ycn to
suspend silver coinage, and finally he asked you
to revise the tariff What have you donel You
have not retired the greenbacks; you have not
suspended the silver coinage; you have not re-
vised the tariff-at least you have not revised it
under the leadership of Colonel Morrison; don't
know what you may do under the leadership of
Colonel Randall. What a delightful situation it
isl The gentleman from Pennsylvania, about
three or four weeks ago, showed his contempt for
the tariff bill Of the chairman of the committee
distinguished chairman of the committee on
ways and means showed his positive contempt
for the attempt of the gentleman from Pennsyl-