The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-05
STAMFORD'S SILVER BILL
Offered in the Senate and Referred
to Committee.
THE PURE FOOD BILL STARTS A
DISCUSSION ON STATE RIGHTS.
Opposition to the Bill for Relief of Rep
resentatives of Major Sibley-The Pen
sion Appropriation Bill Completed.

resentatives of Major Sibley-The PEN
sion Appropriation Bill Completed.
WASHINGTON, March Ain the Senate
today, among the bills reported from
committees and placed on the calendar
were the following: TO establish lineal
promotion through several lines, artil-
lery, cavalry and infantry of the army.
To encourage the establishment and en-
dowment of institutions of learning at
the national capital.
Senator Henderson introduced bill to
prevent and punish corporations, associ-
ations or individuals from making OF us
ing scrip OF metal tokens of denomina-
tions less than one dollar in payment for
labor or other debts. Referred.
Senator Stamford introduced bill di-
recting the purchase of silver bullion
and the coinage thereof. 1t directs the
Secretary of the Treasury to purchase
silver bullion offered, at market price,
not exceeding 81 for 371} grains of pure
silver, and to issue in payment therefor
legal tender money of the United States,
without regard to the material Of which
it is composed. A sufficient amount of
such money to be prepared by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, and the money is
sued in accordance with the act to be le-
gal tender in payment. of all debts, pub
lie and private, except where otherwise
stipulated in contracts; to be receivable
for customs, taxes, all public debts, and
is (when so received at the treasury to
be re-issued, and to be counted BY ma
tional banks as part of their lawful re-
serve. The Secretary of the Treasury is
to coin the silver bullion SO purchased
into standard silver dollars to such an
amount as may be necessary to supply
the general want or convenience of the
government. The silver bullion so pur
chased is to be subject to the require
ments of tho existing law, and to the
regulations of the mint service. Ali acts
or parts of acts inconsistent or in con-
fiict with this bill are to be repealed, and
the act to take effect 30 days after the
passage of the bill. The bill was refer
red to the committee on finance.
Senator Walthall offered resolution,
which was agreed to, directing the com
mittee on privileges and elections to en-
quire and consider whether further legis-
lation be or be not necessary to put at
rest such questions as from time to time
have arisen out of the construction OF
the existing law regulating the time and
manner of holding elections for the
United States senators.
Senator Vest on the Pure Food Bill.
The pure food bill was taken up. Sena-
IL, cta +hor CT CONT.
ment worked UP all over the country in
support of the bill. The oranges. ALI
ances and the newspapers all demand,
by petition, or otherwise, the enactment
of such bill. He believed the Consti-
ton of the United States intended the
inspection and quarantine laws to be in
the hands of the states.
According to his reading, the COM
merce clause of the constitution simply
meant to do away with the evil of one
state excluding by its laws the products
of another state and provide that the
power to fix the manner of conducting
commerce among states be lodged in
Congress. People of the United States
are being taught Gnstead of going to
their state authorities), to go to Congress
for everything. The states are rapidly
having constitutional power taken away
from them, and power is being vested in
Congress today which was intended by
the trainers OF the Constitution should be
left to the states exclusively. There was
found in every state growing sense
that the state authorities amounted to
nothing. The splendid centralized govern
ment at Washington was able to do any
thing.
Mr. paddock,s defence of the Bill.
Mr.. Paddock I'm charge Oh piil) mace d
long and elaborate argument in its de-
fence. He renlied to the assertions of
80 D. - -, 49, o,,orn;o,,s ov,,on
oehaOoi D"le % W ',lo ei'oi mus o.lpoA- :,
diture the bill would entail. lie sald the
experiences under Massachusetts law of
like character. disproved those assertions
and showed that the expenditures are
yery moderate. He defied either Sena-
tors Bate or Coke to point to one provis-
ion line or word in the bill, that discrim-
mated against any honest and honestly
branded article of food in favor of any
other such articles. As to extravigant
criticism that the bill would be used for
imaginary political purposes, he said that
if bill Of the character described was at
II ;x,c+,,,,,,an+,1 Y,rouo Otin0 politioc it