Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-06-10
NATIONS CAPITAL
The Senate Divides its Time
BdYeen Silver
Aad The Transportation Abfsld oi Cat.
tie, Considered as I nslepoly.
McHas's Eill On Silver Coinsse-Ds-
cision OF Interest to Impostsrs.

WAsHISsrox, June among The Pc
titions presented and referred vas one
from Nelson, Neb., praying (sarcaskically
thst sll ex. soldiers over one hundred years
old shall have pensions Of % . month.
Ho2r introduced joint resolution pro-
posing q constitutional amendment for the
election Of po,tnsastefs. Referred TO the
cou.sitsee on privileges and elections.
The hlref bill wss taken up and Cock
rell addressed the Senate. He opposed
discrimination. ethef for or sgsinst gold or
silver. They should be ptx on perfec,
equality ~ coin and bullion. ThDe Who
favored unlimited coinage Of silver were
continually taunted with trying to fsoed tie
country with deprecated ~ cent dollars.
lie believed il the duty of Congress regard
less Of the possible action Of other nations,
to retrace its steps, correct the false i'm
preston and apprehensions Of European
nations, caused by unfounded representa-
tons, and restore silver to perfect equality
with gold both Is coin and buliioa.
At the close of Cockrell's speech the
House silver bill was laid before the SEN
ste.
laid on the table. It was 80 ordered.
Vest ssked the Senate to consider the
bill reported BY him from the select CON-
mittee on the transportation and sale Of
meat products ''to prohi6et saonopolies in
the transportation Of cattle " foreign
countries"
Plat thought that the Senate should dis
pose of the silver bill. and gave notice that
henceforth the silver bill could not be laid
aside except on yea and nay vote.
Vest intimated that the meat business of
the country vas in q very depressed condi-
ton and ,iist legislative action 10 provide a
remedy should not be postponed.
Plat remarked upon the vsste of time
owing to all Senators wishing to prepare
elaborate speeches aud consume hours in
reading them. and said evidently the SEN
ate was drifting to poin. where the rule
would have to be revised and the previous
Question provided. lie hoped that the
would not soon come. and thought the Sen
ate could act on all important measures and
transact all importeft Business within the
ordinary Iimits of Session u il would give
continuous consideration to fife particular
measure before it.
Stewart said he did not wish to have tire
pre- vious question established in the Senate.
There ought to be. at least. enc delibers-
tive body in Congress. otherwise bills
would be passed without any discussion at
all. and asked unanimous consent that
Friday next at 4 clock the Senate shall
vote on the silver I'LL, end all ame ndments
proposed.
Presiding officer (Ingalls) suggested that
there should be at least quorum pfesent
when unanimous consent was asked.
Teller-"The Senator from Missouri
(Cockrell) made a speech today, and did
not get through till o'clock, then no other r
Senator would care to go on and make a
speech, with the plain lack Of . quorum.
That had been the case every day while
this discussion had been going on. 1t was
not peculiar to thi. bin. This is the most
important question that has been before the
American people for hundred yesrs, yet
Senators who have studied the subject and
given attention to it have not bees able to
get quorum when they addressed the Sen
a.e. bet the Senators understand that the
bill is to BE- s-cresJed with until finally
of.
Vests bill was taken tfp end the discus
sion of Its provisions carried on between
Vest in the defence, with Hoar and Hale in
the attack on them. The bill provides that
no clearance shall be granted to any YES
sci plying as a common carrier from the
Unitei States to foreign country, the
owners, agents or officers of which shall
refrse 20 receive, in an any order Of
fered, osid vessel having storage room for
same, any cattle for transportation to q
foreign country. Said cattle being IN
sound condition, suitable sor transportation
and the shipper rendering & Reasonable
freight therefor; OF who shall mass any
contract or agreement creating \ monopoly
of the capacity Of said vessel for carrying
cattle in violation Of the law governing spd
regulating the duties and obligations Of
common carriers of cattl, to the public,
providing there be no unjust Discrimination
between the shippers.
Hosr asked whether Vest meant to as
sert that it was not to be right to contract
in advance for the transportation of cattle
ty land tI4er OF ocean. Vest replied that
wherever a contract was made legjtmately
and rot for monopoly, when it vas msde in
the course OF ordinary Commercial trade,
the bill would not apply. When contract
was made for the whole capacity OF 4 ship
or line of ships, that was monoroly,
against hich the bill was aimed. Reagan
defended the bill.
Hale moved to amend the bill by insert
ing the words mot already contracted for
in good faith by persons or parties having
cattle for expectation 1t the date of such
contract and sufficient to o~nrpy such
storage room" ~a
Vest opposed the amendmoet- ~ 6is
that would entirely neutraIize the bill. II
WAS well known, he said, one man con
uolled every foot of the storage room in
every cattle ship - Great Britain; that
amendment wonld simply say to thst man
'go on and make your contracts"
Hoar said in the case mentioned, where
all the storage capacity OF the ship is con.
tracted for, that ship ceased 70 he = com.
mon carrier, but became a private carrier
Vest denied the statement and said IL thsi
were decided to be the Law no harm could
result from the passage of the bill. 1t the
contract constituted a charter party ther
the law against common carries did moi
apply. He asserted that these contracts
did not constitute charter parties. Ia,
whole steamship lice was taken by ons
shipper Eastman to co o1troi the Englisf
market and shut out all other cattle deale +,
of the United States. The result was ths
the prices of cattle were put up and dowI
whenever this monopoly chose, because !
controlled transportation.
Hale argued 10 support of the amendmen
offered by him. Without il, he said. tn,
bill struck At all prudent aud ihouahtfu
business. i. would not allo the shippe
in the Senator's own State to make a con
tract for transportation At New York o
Boston that would Justify him in seniin,
cattle to the se,board. If the Senate wa
prepared .s r. jet so limited Al amendmen
as that offered by him, then il was prepare,
to take the whole business into it's owl
hands ana injure a clsss Of men Who ouzb
to be protected This bill would prostrst
and annihilsse business by taking ava
from the business man the first necssssr'
ingredient in buainess foreshought aud pro
vision.
The vote on Hale's amendment was yea
10, nsys a3. No quorum having voted. tn
Senate without further action on the bill o
amendment at 80 adjourned til. tomorrow