Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-05
SILVER R---CANTEENS.
The Two Questions Absorb the
Senate's Attention.
THE LIQUOR FEATURE AGAIN UP.
The Conference Report on the Army Appro-
priatIon Bill Finally Agreed TO-MOrrin
Speaks Against Silver Remonetiza-
ton and Harris For.

QereQ on the Naval Appropriation Dill
and Messrs. Hale, Allison and German
were appointed conferees on the part of
the Senate.
Petitions were presented as follows:
From Kansas City for reciprocity in
trade with Mexico; from Memphis,
Tenn, protesting against the Missis-
sippi outlet system, and from New
Hampshire and Vermont against further
concession to the Pacific railroads and
IN favor Of the Government taking pos
session Of them.
Among the bills reported from COM
mittees and placed on the calendar was
the Senate bill to grant rights of way
through the public lands for irrigation
purposes.
Mr.. Plumb introduced bill prepared
by Mr.. St John, of New York, for the
purchase Of silver to use as lawful
money. It was referred to the Commit
tee on Finance.
The resolution heretofore offered by
Mr.. Spooner calling on the Attorney.
General for information as to the prac.
&ice of the United States courts at Fort
Smith, Ark. and Paris, Tex, in regard
70 offenses in the Indian Territory was
taken up, discussed and agreed to.
Mr.. Hale gave notice that he would
to-day ask the Senate to consider the
Fertilization bill
The Silver bill was taken up and Mr..
Morrill, spoke. He said the wage earn
ers of the United States were to be
counted by millions and were the most
numerous creditor class of the country
and he believed the largest in amount.
It was that class that it was now pro-
posed to pay off in cheaper or in depre-
ciated standard money and to require to
pay higher prices for any thing they
had to buy Could there be any thing,
he asked, more likely in all parts of the
country at an early day to provoke
strikes for higher wages. The silver
miners of California and Colorado
wanted every thing about gold struck
out and simply to say ''we want 400 per
cent more profit" Silver would toler-
ate no rival near the throne. He be-
neved that by wise and moderate legis-
lation a sufficient amount of silver
might be utilized and yet bi-metallic
standard be maintained. He did not want
to have the United States divorced from
the commercial world. But that was
not the policy of those who bad led off
IN the debate. Their transparent de-
sign was (onty thinly attempted to be
eoncealed) to 60, by single bound, to
silver standard. If the country was
TO have but a single standard he pre-
ferred that that standard should be gold
rather than silver. lie would. however,
like to have both maintained and with
the eXpectatjO that. with a very liberal
increase of silver and with good man.
agenleht on the part of the Treasury
Department. the parity of value would
be preserved-silver advancing a good
deal and gold receding somewhat in
value. He argued against the PROPOSE
tiOn to issue legal tender treasury notes
(in exchange for silver as an unaOnsti-
tutiOnal measure.
The conference report on the Military
Academy Appropriation bill was pre-
sentcd and agreed to.
The conference report on the Army
Appropriation bill was again taken up
and the question in regard to the pro-
vision as to canteens was diScuSsed-the
conference report being that no intoxi-
eating drinks should be supplied in
canteens or traders stores in States or
Territories where prohibition legisla-
tiOn existed. Mr.. Allison, who pre-
Sented the report, spoke in defense of it.
Mr. George asked Mr.. Allison why the
rule should be restricted to enlisted
men and should not apply also to Off
GERS.
Mr.. Allison replied that the Senator
must answer that question himself.
Mr.. Hale predicted that if this canteen
system went into effect it would become
so obnoxious that it would last but
little while.
Mr.. Plumb suggested that the move
ment against the canteen system was
III the interest of the post traders. The
whole matter, he said, was a fight be-
tween those post traders and the can
teen. If he had his way about the
amendment reported by the committee
he would not stop with the man who
had S13 a month, but would make it
apply to every man in the army from
the General down.
Mr.. Hale replied to Mr.. Plumb and
said that the movement against the
canteen was an honest and serious one
and did not originate with the post
trader who was going to lose his profits
Mr.. Plumb suggested to Mr. Hale
that he should sit down and write out
such proposition as he would like to
see applied to himself as well as to
others.
Mr.. Hale replied that the question
was one not to be settled by personal
illusions. 1t was a serious and grave
question-whether the United States
Government should for the first time
embark in the selling of liquor to its
soldiers. 1t was not question to be
settled by a taunt or sneer or a per-
sonal allusion.
Mr.. George remarked that if the
proposition could not be made to apply
TO officers as well as to men, ne would
vote to strike the whole thing out.
Mr.. Allison defended with much
warmth the action of the conference
committee.
The conference report was agreed to-
yeas IS, nays S-the nays being Messrs.
Blair, Colquitt Dixon, George, Teller
and Turpie.
The Silver bill was again taken up
and Mr.. Harris addressed the Senate,
He said that he should vote for the free |
coinage of silver, and if he failed in Sc
curing that he should support the near
est approximation to it that he might |
be able to secure. If he were forced to |
decide between the bill as reported by |
the Finance Committee and the legisla- |
ton of 1878 flor the coinage of at least |
2.c09. 900. silver dollars a month"; he /