Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1886-07-16
HOUSE.

HOUSE.
A DISCUSSION ON THE SILVER QUESTION.
The floor was accorded to the committee
on. ways and means. Mr.. Harrison, of
Georgia, on behalf of that committee, called
up the bill amending sections 1852 and
1868 of the revised statutes, in regard to the
way in which manufactured tobacco shall
be put up and sold. The bill was passed.
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, then
called up the bill repeating section 315I Of
the revised statutes, providing for the ap-
pointment of inspectors of tobacco and
cigars, and providing for the inspection of
tobacco, cigars and snuff. The bill was
passed. 20
Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, called up the
bill amending section of the act to amend
the statutes in relation to the immediate
transportation of dutiable goods-passed.
By the existing law passengers baggage is
not provided for, but the proposed bill will
permit such baggage and effects to be car
ried by express companies in the same
manner as other merchandise
The house then went into committee Of
the whole on the joint resolution directing
the payment of the surplus in the treasury
on the lpublic debt. Following is the text
of the resolution:
Resolved, That whenever the surplus or
balance in the treasury. including the
amount held for the redemption of United
States notes, shall exceed the sum of $780,
100000, it shall be and is hereby made the
duty OF the secretary of the treasury to ap-
IN cayvr1 nf 1ncc k1,nv, t<,x,
million per month, during the existence of
such surplus or excess, to the payment of
the interest-bearing indebtedness of the
United States, payable at the option of the
government
MIR. Morrison said that counting the
reserve at $100,O00O 900 there was still sur
about $28,OOo,O0O was unavailable, being
made up of the fractional coin, so that all
this money that would be reached under
this resolution would be about $7OOO0,OOO
1t would make productive that which was
now unprocudtive, and unless it would
do something towards making money a
little cheaper it would save the government
something on interest and more than that
it would take away some of that tempta
ton which led men to vote large appropria-
tions and make improvident expenditures.
Mr.. Hiscock, of New York, offered an
amendment providing that nothing in the
resolution shall authorize the reduction or
payment of any part Of the S1OO,0OOOOO
reserve set apart for the payment of the
United States notes or interest bearing in
debtedness of the United States. He then
proceeded to submitan argument in opposi-
ton to the resolution declaring that it had
been brought before the house by action Of
the democratic speaker, the democratic
chairman of the ways and means committee,
and the democratic chairman of the appro-
priation committee, against most en-
phatic protest of the democratic. .administra-
ton. This was an attempt on the part of
the leaders of the house to force the pay
| ment of the national debt and obligations
in silver-to force the government in its
financial transactions to a silver basis,
which the administration earnestly and
determinedly resisted. It was practically
impossible to execute joint resolution
without using silver dollars, all of them
possible. What had induced the demo-
cratic party to antagonize the administra-
tion which it had placed in power ? Nh. Nor
rison suggested that it was none of his
business Mr.. Hiscock said: els that your
only answer? Is that the only answer the
democratic leaders advertiser" On this
question no one doubted the patriotism of
the president and secretary of the treasury
and he congratulated them for following so
closely in the footsteps of their republican
predecessors. On this great question the
president was greater than the party which
had elected him. IMr. Mcmillan, of Ten
nessee, favored the resolution and said that