Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-15
FGRTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, july

Mcm uIan. VINO mas chdrges OF II, moved an
order that the bill be recommitted to the COM
mittee on commerce, with instructions to
amend it as voted by the Senate in committee
of the whole, except that in each item of the
bill and in the aggregate there be a reduction
of 80 per cent, that the committee amend
the bill accordingly, and not otherwise, and
report the same complete forthwith.
A long and spirited discussion followed, in
which many senators took part.
Mr.. Mcmillan finally withdrew the motion
and the Senate proceeded to vote on the
various amendments to the bill. Most of the
amendments were agreed to without chal-
lenge.
Mr. Edmunds made an argument against
the amendment which proposes to appropriate
$3.50, 900 for the purchase OF Portage Lake
canal
Messrs. Conger and Palmer replied to the
argument.
Mr.. Salisbury argued against the purchase
of artificial works belonging to individuals
or States. The amendment was agreed to
yeas 35, nays 2l-as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Allison, Blackburn, Blair,
Brown, Call, Coke, Conger, Cullom, Dawes,
Dolph, Evarts. Gibson, Harrison, Hearst,
Hoar, Jones of Ark, Jones of Nevada, Ken
ma, Logan, Mcmillan, Henderson, Miller,
L
som, Sawyer, Sherman, Spooner, Stanford,
Teller, Van Wyck, Vest, Wilson of Iowa.
N.ys-Messrs. Beck. Berry. Butler, Cock
relI. Edmunds, Frye, George, Hale, Hamp-
ton, Harris, Hawley, ingalls,, Maxcy, Plat,
Riddleherger, Salisbury, Vance, Voorhees,,
Walthall, Whittehorne, Wilson of Maryland.
The amendment accepting the grant of the
Illinois and Michigan canal and for the con-
struction of the Heanepin canal having been
reached, Mr.. Edmunds demanded the yeas
and nays, which were ordered.
The amendment was adopted-yeas 27,
nays 20.
Without progressing any further with the
bill which (atter all committee amendments
are disposed oi) will still be open to further
amendment, many of which are to be offered
the Senate at 10 adjourned.
HOUSE.
The House went into committee of the
whole for the consideration of the surplus
resolution, arrangements having been made
by which the general debate shall close at 3
o'clock.
MIR. Morrison of Illinois offered an amend
ment as follows: 1.-The surplus or balance
herein referred to shall be the available sur
plus ascertaintd according to the form of the
statement of the United States treasury of
the assets and liabilities of the treasury of the
United States made June 80, 1885,"
Mr.. Hewitt of New York took the floor in
opposition to the resolution. He reviewed
the administration of the treasury depart
ment in the early DAYS of Secretary Manning's
management in his effort to strengthen the
treasury. An effort had been made, he said,
by the republican secretary of the treasury,
under the last administration, to pay out sill
yer certificates in Boston. The result had
been to bring on a feeling of profound dis
trust. The treasury had profited by the lesson
and did not seek to force silver certificates
on unwilling creditors, but the pursued pol
lev. which from the foundation of the gov
ernment, Except during the era of suspen-
sion) had been the crowDing glory to pay
creditors of the government in any money he
desired and to keep all the money of the
country of equal value. Gold was the unit
of value, not merely by the statutes of the
United States, but by the fact that it was a
medium of exchange through the civilized
globe. In conclusion he summed up his OBJ
jections to the resolution. Four months
after its passage the country would be
brought back to the condition which it had
been on the fourth OF March, 1885, and gold
would be Withdrawn from circulation. The
10 e their daily employment. Then demand
would come for greenbacks and long strug-
gle for sound currency would end in fiat
money.
Mr. Weaver of Iowa spoke in favor of the
resolution, saying that the only trouble with
il was .at it didn't go far enough. Keeping
so large Surplus, he said was a moral mis-
appropriation of funds and the boldest kind
OF tyranny. lie contended that it was never
intended to pay the bonds in gold and said
they had shirked taxation for quarter of a
century.
Mr. Randall of Pennsylvania said he
wished to say with great respect that he
didn't find the model of figuring which he
had acquired from arithmetic justified the
dangers which the gentleman (Mr. Hewitt)
had appehended from the passage Of this res
oluuon. This was not the silver question at
all. 1t was the question whether we had
money in the treasury undisposed of, and
against which is no legitimate claim, to the
expense of $50, 900, 900 or $4,000, 900, that
might be used in the liquidation of the public
deot. He knew of no better way of main
taing government credit and strengthening it
than by paying its interest bearing bonds and
Indebtedness.
Mr. Breckenridge of Kentucky favored the
resolution.
MIR. Mckinley of Ohio, criticised the in
action of the democratic administration in
calling the bonds. In sixteen months that
administration mad called but S5s, ,000, 900 for
redemption. The speaker drew contrast
between this record and that of the republi-
can party. which since the conclusion of the
war had paid off 81 200. 900 900 of the public
debt. The republicans had averaged in the
last four years Sl53, 900 every sixteen
months. Why did not the administration Of
Cleveland pay out the balance in the treas
ury Cd the public debt? The republicans
could not prevent the democratic party from
voting today a want of confidence in its own
administration. They >ould not prevent it
from voting vote of condemnation upon the
President and his secretary. That was what
this resolution meant, and 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 demo-
cratic party controlled the House four years.
The republican secretary of the treasury ex-
ercised his discretion and a House with a
larger democratic majority than the present
one never thought of taxing that discretion
away from him
Here ensued colloquy between Mr.. Nor
risou and MIR. Mckinley, the former claiming
thst he had introduced joint resolution
compelling the Secretary of the Treasury to
pay out the surplus, and sent it TO the COM
mittee on ways and means, and it never got
out of the committee; that he offered it in
the House, but it was prevented from passing
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