Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-24

Some gentlemen Of the majority
IN the confidence OF The admiDistra-
ton ought to explain to us why
the Secretary Goes not exercise the
discretion given him by the statute
and distribute the surplus. There
must be some valid reason for it.,
some controlling reason, which
those charged with the management
of our financial affairs know and
realize better than we can. The
Secretary has got the power TO do
it now, full and complete, as have
shown you by public law. | believe
that discretion ought to be left
with the executive officers of the
Government. ] believe it to be a
wise discretion. believe it to be a
judiciOus thing to give the officers
charged with the management of
the financial affairs of the Govern.
ment, charged by the people, the
power to call the bonds or withhold
call for bonds whenever the con
dition of the Treasury will permit
the one or the other. The hands of
the President and the Secretary
should not be tied they should
have full power to act under the
laws as they are, and then held to
the highest responsibility and strict.
est accountability.
Therefore, Mr.. Chairman, unless
the amendment offered at the be-
ginning of this discussion, and an
other amendment which will be Of
fered by the gentleman from Maine
Mr.. Reed and still another which
will be presented by the gentleman
from Massachusetts Mr.. Long |,
shall be adopted by this House, [
shall feel constrained to give aneg-
atiye vote on the resolution pre-
sented by the Committee on Ways
and Means. OF course we can not
help, can not help, no gentleman
on this side can help, the Demo
cratic party voting to-day want
OF confidence in its own administra-
ton. We can not prevent you
from passing vote of condemna-
ton on the President of the United
States and his Secretary, and that
is what this resolution means if it
becomes a law, and that is what
you are doing when you vote for it.
Why, think of it, Mr.. Chairman
A Republican Secretary of tue
Treasury presided oyer the financial
affairs of this Government from
1861 to 1885, a period of twenty
four years, and no such proposition
as this ever passed. A Republican
Secretary of the Treasury was in
charge from 1875 until 1885, cover.
ing the years of redemption, a pc.
riod of more than ten years ; eight
years of that time the Democratic
party had control of this House. -
The Republican Secretary of the
Treasury exercised discretion I'M
der the act of March 3, 1881, and a
Democratic House, with a majority
larger than you have to-day, never
thought of taking that discretion
away from the Republican Presi-
dent or the Republican Secretary
of the Treasury.
Mr.. Morrison. Oh, the gentleman
is mistaken.
Mr.. Mckinley. Did they ever
pass a resolution to compel the Sec
rotary of the Treasury to pay out
the surplus2
Mr.. Morrison. | introduced the
proposition and sent it to the Com.
mittee on Ways and Means, and |
never could get it out.
Mr.. Mckinley. Yes but you new
er passed it. YOu had control of the
House You had the Committee on
Rules; you could have fixed a time
for considering it, just as you fixed
a time for considering it in this Con-
gress; you had larger majority
then than you have now. But,
whatever you may have done in
the committee, whatever you may
have attempted to do on the floor
of the House, one thing is certain,
you never did pass a resolution TAX
ing away that discretion from the
Republican President and the Re-
publican Secretary Of the Treasury.
Applause on the Republican side.
Mr.. Morrison. was prevented
by the cooperation of Democrats
with that side of the House.
Mr.. Mckinley. That is, the two
wings of the Democratic party were
not in harmony, and one wing, with
the aid of the Republicans, prevent.
ed you from taking away that stat.
utOry discretion from the Republi. |
can Secretary of the Treasury
But now that you have got the |
Presidency; now that you have got |
the administration of the Treasury |
Department, both wings of the |
Democratic party slap together"
in denOuncing a Democratic Secre-
tary and a Democratic President of
the United States for not calling in
the bonds and absorbing the sur
plus. And this is not to be won
dered at, Mr.. Chairman. Why,
the campaign of 1884 was waged
and won upon the howl raised all
over this country that the Republi-
cans had 800, 100000 of idle Snr.
plus in the Treasury, and would
not pay the honest debts of the
Government.
Governor HENDRICKS, tits alleged,
said that all over He West. | have
no doubt that my greenback friend
rom Iowa Mr.. Weaver said it all
over his State. l know that the
distinguished gentleman from Penn
sylvania Mr.. Randall in his famous
speech at Nashville, Tenn, when
he was making that triumphal tariff
march through the South laughter
| remember that when he was max
ing that grand march fro m Atlanta
to the sea renewed laughterL oar
rying the banner of protection, he
said therewere three hundred mil
lions of surplus in the public Treas.
ury and tint the administration Of
Grover Clgeland would take it out
and pay tlB public debt with 1t.
Mr., Rarlall. lam beginning IN
that direction now. Applause on
the Democratic side.
Mr.. Mckinley. Yes; you are begin
ming sixten months after your ad'
ministratDn has failed to do IL APP.
N Ia 4 e.l m Il