The Portland daily press., 1888-04-04
Lth CONGRESs--.FIRST SESSION.
SENATE.

WASHfNGTONs April ..
In the Senate today among the petitions
presented and referred was one to send Uni
ted States troops to Chicago to protect the
lives and property of citizens against Social
lists of Illinois and Iowa.
The resolution heretofore offered by Sena-
tor Riddleberger to suspend so much Of the
rules as provide for executive sessions dur
ing the consideration of the fisheries treaty
was taken up.
Senator Edmunds said he desired to sub
NIT some observations to the Senate which
he did not care to submit to her Majesty's
Minister just at present. He therefore
moved that the galleries be cleared and the
doors closed.
The motion was agreed to and the Senate
went into executive session. At $40. after
two hours secret session, the doors were
opened. During the secret session, Senator
Riddleberger's resolution to consider the
fisheries treaty in open session was the only
subject of debate. Several Senators ven
tured to discuss briefly the merits of the
treaty itself, but were called to order for SO
doing.
Senators Edmunds and Hoar made strong
fight against the resolution. Upon the mo-
tion of Senator Butler, the resolution was
ordered to be referred to the committee on
foreign relations, only eight Senators voting
in the negative. "a
When the doors were reopened, Senator
Sherman asked unanimous consent to offer
resolution to have the following bills consid-
cred in the order named: First, the bill for
the re-establishment of a bureau of animal
industry; second, the bill for the admission
of Dakota; third, the bill for the investment
of certain funds in the treasury. Objection
was made by Senator Plumb, and a vote tax
en- on Senator Palmer's motion to rec0mmit
to the finance committee the bill to provide
for the purchase of United States bonds.
The motion was rejected, yeas, 20; nays, 81.
Senator Stewards pending amendment was
hold it until the bill should be reported to
the Senate. To this Senator Stewart agreed.
Then Senator Spo0ner offered as a substitute
for the wholeibill the following, THAT section
2of the act making appropriations for sundry
year yea ending June 80, 1855, in these w words: G
That the secretary of the treasury may, at
any time, apply the surplus money in the
treasury, not otherwise appropriated or so
much thereof as he may consider proper, for
bonds; provided the bonds SO purchased
shall be part of the sinking fund, but shall
be cancelled was intended to be a per-
manent provision of law and the same is
hereby declared to have been. since its en-
actnent, and to be now in full force and
effect"
The substitution was agreed to without
division, and Senator Beck then offered an
amendment, as an additional section, provi-
ding that the circulation, or any portion
thereof, ofsany bank not in liquidation shall
be surrendered, and shall not be taken up by
other national banks, and that the secretary
of the treasury shall purchase, at market
price, an equivalent amount OF silver bullion
in excess of the minimum monthly silver
coinage, which shall be coined and used, as
provided for in the silver coinage bill of
Feb. %, 1873.
Senator Stewart proposed an addition to
the amendment, and Senator Beck accepted
it, providing that nothing in the act shall
alter or repeal the silver coinage act of 1878.
stitute as agreed to and thought it an i'm
provement on the House bill. but thought 1t
better to postpone consideration Of Beck's
proposition till a more convenient season.
He thought he could see some objection to
that proposition. 1t involved questions of
serious difficulty. One was whether it was
wise to continue the coinage of silver when
purchased. He was clearly of the opinion
that it was not wise. There were now in the
treasury and sub-treasuries over 5000 000, 900
in silver dollars, and only between $50, ,000, 900
Beck's proposition were stripped Of the sill
yer coinage feature and applied only to the
purchase and deposit of silver bullion, it
wonld be relieved of the objection he had to
IL He was as much in favor of bi-metallic
currency as any man in the United States.
He believed that both silver and gold were
necessary to carry on the financial affairs OF
the country, but gold was the only represent
alive of value in the operations with foreign
countries. He suggested, In CONSIDERATION Oh
the important question involved In Senator
Beck's amendment, that 1t be postponea Tor
a week or two, so as to see how 1t might pc
modified or changed without disturbing the
business of the country. He therefore ap-
pealed to the Senators whether 1t would not
be best to let the bill, as it now stood, unob-
jecti0nable in form, go to the President to De
the proposed amendment land iall propo-
sitions as the silver question, 60 to the COM
mittee on finance to be carefully considered.
Senator Stewart congratulated the Senate
and country on the position In which the
bill now stood, but still thought there was
good deal of poison in the bill, in the way of
contraction, and was in favor of sending
ment.
Senator Beck reminded the Senate that he
had favored the passage of the bill just as it
came from the House, and had twice voted
against Senator Plumb's amendment. But
there was no principle in the amendment
which he had offered. 1t merely provided
against contraction Of the currency. He did
not care to 60 into the question suggested by
Senator Sherman as TO confning his amend
ment to purchasing silver bullion Hedid.pot
propose to make any difference between the
two coined metals.
Senator Allison suggested some verbal
changes in Senator Beck's amendment which