Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-16
THE GREAT DEBATE.
The Silver Propositions in the House
Still Being Discussed.
Mr.. BRYAN THE CHIEF SPEAKER TODAY.
Finance is Also Discussed in the
Senate.
MR.. COCKRELL's AMENDMENT
THE SENATE.

NIX. COCkRELL'S AMENDMENT
THE SENATE.
Among the petitions presented in the
morning hour was one from Cass county,
Ind. 1t was directed (said Mr.. Voorhees, in
presenting it, against the manifold in
EQUITIES of the present civil service. In
which opinion heartily concur
Mr.. Henderson CNeb.) introduced two
bills. which he said had been prepared and
sent to him by gentleman of financial
ability. and which were read by their titles
and referred to the finance committee The
titles are:
Directing the purchase Of silver bullion
and the issuance of treasury notes therefor
and for the appointment of a mint commits
sion.
Providing for the issue of treasury notes.
their redemption, and for other purposes.
MI; morrill, Nto gave, . notice ina. as ne
address the Senate on Monday next on the
Vest bimetallic resolution very briefly.
The Public Buildings Of Washington.
Mr.. Quay Pa.) offered a resolution, which
was agreed to. directing the architect of the
Capitol to examine forthwith the govern
ment property known as the Maltby build
ing. and to report whether the structure Is
secure and can be occupied with safety to
life and property. He said that facts de-
veloped before the committee on public
buildings and grounds showed neces-
In connection with the Maltby building
and other buildings in Washington occu-
pied by the government Mr.. Vest (Io.)
on the first floor Of the Maltby building to
such an enormous weight as to be pulling
1t down. The folding room Of the Senate
and the Malty. contained now over 10000
volumes belonging to Senators, a large por-
ton of which would never be called for
and Congress was continuing to order
IncC fhn rlriv, fts,sr S.fI
uments at enormous expense. The old fe-
It'd smell of decaying paper in the folding
room of the Senate affected the whole
Capitol. and was polluting the air all the
time
Mr.. Hoar (Mass) suggested the propriety
Of furnishing all surplus books and docu-
mentS printed by order of Congress to pub
lie libraries in the states; and in further
ance or that idea q resolution was offered
by Mr. Butler Is. Co. directing the sergeant
alarms of the Senate to distribute to pub
lie libraries in the United States all public
documents found on hand and not claimed
by Senators on the 18th of September next.
No action was taken on the resolution, but
Mr.. Vest argued in favor of the passage of
q bill appropriatfng SSOO0U for site and
He generally favored the idea Of locating
future government buildings in that part OF
the city and the grounds Of the botanical
The amendment was withdrawn and Mr.
Vests bill was passed.
The National Bank Note Bill.
Mr.. Voorhees,. chairman of the finance
committee. said that he had been appealed
to by several Senators who required more
time not to call up today, as he had in
tended. the bill to enable national banks
to increase their circulation to the amount
Of the par value of the bonds deposited by
them. but he gave notice that ne would do
so tomorrow.
Mr.. Cockrell Cdo) offered an amend
ment requiring the Secretary of the Treas
ury to pay to the holders Of 2 per cent
bonds who may present them for redemp-
ton their face value, with accrued inter
est, in United States legal tender notes.
Mr.. Sherman (Ohio) stated the objections
which occurred to his mind against the
amendment. The very moment that the
treasury notes were paid on these bonds,
which were not now due and the interest on
the notes. he said. would be presented to
manded.
That would be an unbusinesslike PROPOSE
ton and complicate the situation. The
President of the United States had called
attention. in clear and forcible language,
to the fact that the treasury notes issued
under the act of 1890 were presented for
redemption in gold. and that caused the
first failing off of the $100, 900, 900 gold re-
serve. The proposed amendment he re-
garded as most dangerous financial prop
Mr. Cockrell ridiculed the objections made
by Mr.. Sherman. whom he spoke Of as the
great friend and patron of the national
banks and as the great gold-monometallist
be allowed to increase their circulation by
$l9,0OO,0O0 on their bonds now deposited,
while the government itself could not issue
greenbacks to redeem it's 2 per cent bonds?
Mr.. Mitchell tOre) asked MIR. Cockrell If
1t was not a fact that a great portion Of
the q, OOO,0O of per cent bonds was not on
deposit by the national banks.
Mr.. Cockrell-"Twenty-one millions, or a
little over.
Mr.. Mitcheii-"Does the Senator think
that any considerable portion of these bonds
would be SURRENDERED for the treasury
notes?'
MIR. Cockrell-I think that every one of
them would be surrendered.
Mr.. Mitchen-Do you mean that they
would surrender those bonds now deposited
to secure circulation?
Mr.. Cockrell-I suppose that when We
have adopted this amendment we shall put
in the bill another provision that no ma
tional bank shall get any circulation on
these per cent bonds.
Mr. Cockrell-It will be in before we get
through with the bill. l have got all the
points in my mind.
Other questions were asked by Messrs
Mcpherson On. j.. PETER Kan.), Aldrich
Or. L. and Gray Del.). They were all re-
piled to by Mr.. Cockrell who expressed his
amazement and modification at the objec-
tons made to his propositions by the friends
of the national banks.
Finally the bill and amendment went over
till tomorrow.