Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-01-15
The House Debates Representative HOl-
mans Resolution.
THE RESOLUTION IS WITHDRAWN
And the Language Of the Second Clause Will Be
Amended by the Author and Presented Again.
lively Tits Between Members of the Two
Sides on the Question.

of Congress shall be strictly limited to
/ the monies necessary TO carry on the
several departments Of the government
When an adjournment was taken this
afternoon, Mr.. Holman had so far re-
ceded from the strict spirit Of his reso-
luton as to ask that the previous ques-
tion be reconsidered in order thet he
might tomorrow consider the advisi-
bility Of accepting an amendment modi-
! flying the sweeping declaration Of the
second clause Of the resolution.
/ AS the resolution at present reads II
IS generally Interpreted as presenting
an insuperable bar, not only to steam
ship subsidies, but also TO the sugar
bounty, the Nicaragua canal bill, the
Worlds Fair loan, the Improvement Of
rivers and harbors appropriations for
public buildings, etc.
The resolution came up under pre-
vious order of the House for two hours
debate to a side, and was read as fol-
lows:
"ReSoIred, That in the Judgment Of
! this House the granting Of subsidies or
bOuntieS by Congress in money, public
lands, bonds or by endorsement, or by
| pledge OF the public credit To promote
special private industries or enterprises
of corporations, independent OF the
| question Of the constitutional power Of
Congress TO make such grants, is unjust
! and impolitic, and in manifest conflict
with the spirit of our republican insti-
tutions as IL directly tends to create and
foster the wealth of favored classes at
| The expense of the whole people, who
I ~ anH
manifestly furnishes undue facilities for
the enlargement Of great private estates
"a policy which government OF the
people cannot justly nor safely encour-
age by any form of favoritism iU legis-
lation.
''RCSolUed, That In view Of the pres
ent condition OF the treasury and be-
cause efficient and honest government
can only be assured by frugal eXpeDdi-
ture Of the public money, while unnec-
essary and lavish expenditure under
any and all conditions leads inevitably
to venal and corrupt methods in public
affairs, no money ought TO be appro-
priated by Congress from the public
treasury except such as is manffeSty
to carry on the several departments
frugally, efficiently and honestly ad-
minjstered."
''Mr. Speaker" said Mr.. Holman, in
opening the debate, sin view Of past eK-
perience, had not supposed that this
proposition would give rise TO any de-
bate. In former years the same propo-
sition'has been twice before this House,
and gentlemen upon the other side Of
the House, as well as upon this, have
deemed those propositions in former
years appropriate expressions OF the
sentiments and purposes OF the House,
| tending in some degree to indicate the
policy to be pursued
Mr.. Holman here called the attention
OF the House TO similar resolution In
trOduced by him and adopted by the
Forty-fourth Congress in 1873.
ResolUed, That in the Judgment OF
the House IN the present condition OF
financial affairs Of the government no
subsidy in money, bonds, public lands,
Endorsements, or bv pledge OF the public
credit, should be granted by Congress
to associations or corporations engaged
or proposing TO engage in public or pri-
vate enterprises, and that all appropri-
atinns from the public treasury ought
to be limited at this time to such
amounts only as shall be imperatively
demanded by the public service"
Said he: "I find upon the yea and
nav vote that upon the other side OF this
house, such men as James A. Kasson,
James A. Garfield and James G. Blaine
voted for the resolution" Democratic
applause,l
THE gentleman is mistaken" inter-
| rupted Mr.. Burrows, "tn stating that
| the whole Democratic side supported
that resolution. Some very distinguish
ed Democrats voted against it-among
! them Mr.. Mills and l.. Q. c. Lamar"
Republican applause.
Eyes, sir; that IS true" assented Mr..
Holman, "but the resolution was
adopted by vote OF 223 yeas TO 80 nays.
! And it affords me satisfaction to say
that not a single solitary member on
YOUR side who voted against the reSolu-
tion occupies n seat upon this floor now.
| TLaughter on the Democratic side.
! While of those who voted for it, well,
there are several OF US here yet" Re-
newed laughter.
Continuing Mr.. Holman said that IN
the forty-ffth Congress resolution
copdemning subsidies had been adopted
on motion of Mr.. Baker, a Republican
of Indiana. He supposed that the OBJ
lection now made was directed against
the first resolution, and for one, he was
Glad thu: this issue was fairly and
souarely made. 1t could not be made too
soon. It was fortunate for the country
that the question was fairly presented
to the American people as 70 the atti-
tude Of gentlemen representing the two
great political parties in reference to
the granting Of subsidies.
When the resolutions had been adopt
| ed In the Forty-fourth and Forty-ffth
| CONGRESSES the revenues and expendi-
| tpres Of the Government were substsn-
| TALLY balanced; but now the expendi-
lures were in excess OF the revenues
| and the necessity Of 4 second resolution
was manifest.
While inveighing against class legis-
lstion and subsidies he was interrupted
by Mr.. Raines, of New York, who said:
~ want TO ask the gentleman, for the
purpose OF getting at his definition OF
subsidy, whether, II we pass legislation
here which will give the purchaser OF
fsilyer one dollar for seventy-eiEht cents
worth Of metal, that would be in the
nature Of a subsidy to the producer Of
silver aud therefore Objectionable to the
gentleman from Indisna?" daughter
on the Republican side
ST will answer that question:" said