Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-04-01
SD CONGRESS.
Senator Morgan Of Alabama In.
tfoduces Series Of Resolutions
That Would Tend to StsE. Nscuslcl
On The Silver Question
sherman Opposes and the Resolution
Laid Over till To-day.

WAsHlsGros, March 2l.-Ia the Senate,
| in reply 10 question proposed to the eoni-
miitse on toteigH relations touching the
| petition presented by Allen on the suhjeot
| OF the Nicsrssua canal. Sherman. chairman
of that committee, stated that the work Of
the Nicaragua canal YRS progressing favor
| ABLY uuder the private corporation chartered
| by Congress; the company was making
| favorable progress; Congress had done no
! thing whatever to aid it the bill for that
purpose was reported last session bnt wss
not seted on, that the bill is now under
| consideration by the subcommittee Of the
committee on foreign relations which is
now taking testimony in relation 10 the
present condition and future prospects of
| the canal, And expected 90 report ~ soon ss
| possible.
Morgan offered q series of resolutions
| instrne,lDg the committee on finance TO
| inquire and report xs 10 the effect Of the
| siiver act OF 1890 on the price Of silver
bullion; as to the issue of legal tender
| notes. etc. instructirg the committee 10 re-
port promptly on the matter.
Morgan started . discussion by stating
that it WAS his purpose to cxii them up To-
morrow and bring about rome discussion
of the financial situation Of the [ oitea
| States. lie wished TO ascertain the opin-
! ions OF the senators in regsfd 10 the neces-
sity and propriety of free coinage of silver.
| He wanted 90 know What the trouble Vas
that prevented the people Of Alabama from
| getting fair prices for cotton, whether the
cause WAS domestic and local or tereigu.
Sherman said he had no objection to the
| immediate adoption OF she resolution, but
| il they were merely offered. as these on
| which to base future discussion, 1t was
hardly worth while to refer them TO the H.
| nance committee.
al do not expect to refer them,' Morgan
brought in. ''I expect to have the com
| mitee instructed "
Sherman thought it WAS right enough to
| instruct tie committee 10 inquire into such
and such propositions and report its views
| upon them But IL the senator from Alabama
| merely offered the resolutions as basis OF
| discussion. it seemed better to let the com
| mittee invest gate the facts and present them
to ths Senste before debate commenced
| lie (Sheimsnl took il hat the senator Of
| fersd the resolutions ss mere basis for
| debate.
He suggested to him, respectfully, that
il the Senate is to deal with the question
| for the bcne fit Of the people OF the United
| States (snd If they are 10 such distress and
| disturbance az the senator itnaginedl il
should do so upon some specific measure
not by holding mere debating school. He
| hoped that the senator from Alsbams woaid d
| put in the form Of nill some proposition
which be desired the Senate to act upon,
something that would give relief TO the
people Of the United States
| Morgan said II Senator from Obio ready
now 10 have resolutions of instruction
adopted, he hoped he be quite as ready ID
dist uss them ard express lis views. lie
should expect Senator be very sctive in ex-
smining INTO question, and in presentipq
| from hi. great committee information Oh
which the country could rely. He wanted 10
know what the great ii8snce committee OF
The Senate had 10 recommend ss 20 the sil-
| yer act Of 1890. IL wanted to know s0me-
| thing shout The feet OF that bill on the
prices Of silver, on currency on tie coun
try and on the preservation Of the country
from bankruptcy and financial ruin.
When the Senator from Nevada (Stew-
ari) calls up his motion next Mondsy "a
| take the sllver bIil from the calendar. the
| Senator from Ono will not allow him "a
utter word on the subject. The rulet
forbid l.. We have got 10 vote yea OF
"no" in sileuue. No Senator will be able
| TO aive reasons for his vote; he will be able
to give sny reason he plesses eisev here ard
be fore the people. / do not propose to
furnish any cover for these gsntiemeu.
want people Of my ttste. AT all events,
| to know The votes on the subject, of sens
tors who aspire t. the Presidency, | want
it known whether they are ia favor Of fres
coinage Of SILVER, or whether they are
sgaipst 1t On its merts. We may bosst We
have got bonds upon them ss strong "a
ropes of steel, to hold them to party allie
glance; but these bonds will be oob~ebs
when we undertake 10 bind them on vhai
they believe their constitutional rights
Ths gentlemen are reckoning entirely
outside Of the horoscope Of probabilities
when they imagine the people Of the Unit
ed States car be deceived any longer by
their lodging the question
Sherman III the senator wants to find
out the position Of the Democratic candi-
dates for the Presidency why does he not
take The vote in some Democratic caucus
We have no difficulty oa this side Of the
House."
| Morgan; "The votes in the Democratic
caucuses have reference, more or less di-
rectiy, always pretty directly to more
party schemes of politicians. The votes iH
this body are not necessarily controlled By
party motives. The restoration OF silver to
the position from which the senator from
| o Ohio tore It down is not now political
| question. What apprebensions have you
got? Simply that one party may make q
| party question Of it--rasy intfpde it be
tween some one trying for the Presidency
and scsptre2
| Morgan spoke Of Shsrman's anti ti-silver
| policy as having received Democratic er-
| dofsemeDt, 80 that the senator, he said,
ought to feel easy and quiet He asked
| that the resolutions should 20 over till TO-
morrow. The resolutions were accordingly
| laid on the table.
| The Iflisn appropriation bill vas taken
| up. Without further discussion, the COM
mittes amendment, striking out the House
| provision for the assignment Of army Off
GERS to duties Of Indian agents was defeat
ed, yeas, % nays, "a. The provision re-
mains incorporated 10 the BILL The othe,
| mer dments recommended hg the commit
tse ON appropriations, were acted upon sf-
| ter come discussion.
Msnderson offered an amendment in
creasing the salary IT the sgsnt at the Sau-
tee agency from si200 to s2500-
Dawes in opposing the amendment warned
the Senate that it vonid be an entering
wedge for amendments 10 increase the
salaries Of all the other Indian agents, 81
in number.
An amendment vas suggested by Petit.
grew authorizing The President TO detail
an army efiic-r TO take the place Of tbs
agent q. tho StHtsa sgsncy.
Msnderson said II that -ss agreed to, BE-
would 4 r Ike amendment as to sll tbs
IsdaD sgsncses ia south Dakota Man
dersoh's amendment was defeated, yeas
10; nays. 30 Without further action OF
lhs bill the Senate adjourned.