Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-31
FROM THE CAPITOL.
THE SERVICE PENSION BILL.
It is Taken Up in the Senate
This Afternoon.
URGENT DEFICIENCY BILL.
The House Orders Another Con-
ference On It.
.GENT DEFICIENCY BILL.
SENATE.

Ihe Senate met this morning Gas will be the
rule until otherwise ordered) at IL o'clock.
There were twenty-five Senators present. but q
call having been ordered, the presence Of a
quorum was secured, and then the journal Of
Saturday was read and approved.
The House amendments to the Senate bill for
public building at Atchison. Kan, were dis
agreed to and conference asked.
MR.. REAGAN ON THE SILVER QUESTION.
MIR. Reagan addressed the Senate on the bill
for the issue of treasury notes on the deposit
Of silver bullion. That bill, he said, was in
tended to relieve the country from the effects
Of the worse than blunder of Congress in sus-
pending silver coinage in 1873. He regarded
it as hopeful sign that republican Senate
should join in that great work. even
although the remedy proposed might not
be the best. 1t was a proof to the
country that the existence of that great wrong
had, at least, been admitted and that remedy
might be hoped for. The bill, he thought,
would give temporary relief; but it was to be
regretted that the committee had not re-
ported bill for the free and unlimited coinage
OF silver as well as Of gold.
The bill perpetuated the legal discrimination
now existing against silver and in favor of gold
1t still retained for the government the exclu-
slve right to coin silver for its own use, while
gold was coined free of charge for any person
T.. 1
bill also recognized the idea that there was too
much silver produced and that the amount of
silver coin put in circulation must be limited
by law
The demonetization and degradation of sill
yer had reduced all values 33 per cent and had,
in the same proportion, increased the national,
state, railroad and all other indebtedness.
That bold, audacious and fraudulent piece Of
legislation had been the cause Of the sacrifice
OF thousands Of homes by making money
scarce and dear and farms, factories and all
other kinds of property cheap.
Among the remedies which he would apply
were the following: The payment Of the
bonded Indebtedness Of the government in
silver as well as in gold; the issue of coin GER
tlticates, receivable for all public dues and
taxes, and which would be legal tender in the
payment OF public and private debts; and the
retirement from circulation of all legal tender
and national bank notes of less denomina-
ton than $l0 and the substitution OF coin Ger.
tihcates therefor.
THE DEPENDENT PENSION BILL
was then taken up. the first question being on
Mr. Plumb's amendment removing the limita-
ton as to arrears of pensions making PEN
sions on account Of wounds or injuries or dis
case commence from the death or discharge Of
the soldier.
Mr.. Berry inquired of Mr.. Plumb whether
any estimate had been made Of the cost Of re-
moving the limitation on arrears of pensions.
Mr.. Plumb replied that the commissioner Of
pensions had stated, some weeks since, that the
cost would be about $478OOO, 900; and that
the chairman of the House committee
on pensions had estimated it at
$500, ,00O,0 ,0OO 1t would be somewhere about
these figures.
Mr.. Davis. chairman of the committee on
pensions, said that that committee had now
before it eight separate bills covering the en-
tire question of pension arrearages.