Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-10-06
FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 6, 1898.
SENATE.

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The communication states that the
steamship companies have increased
their rates for steerage passengers from
S335 to S51, so that the total cost of de-
porting Chinese would be S7,S60,ooo;
and the sum required for the current
fiscal year would be SS60,OO0.
Mr.. German presented petition
signed by all the leading merchants of
Baltimore praying for speedy action
on the silver purchase repeal bill.
Mr.. Allen offered resolution which
went over till tomorrow calling on the
Secretary of the Treasury for informa-
ton as to the government borrowing
money since March, 1875.
The resolution offered on Wednesday
by Mr.. PETER for the appointment of a
select committee to inquire what legis-
lation is necessary to improve the bank
ing system ofthe country was laid before
the Senate, and Mr.. Stewart spoke
upon it. His remarks, however, were
entirely in the direction of criticism
of the Treasury Department for its nom
compliance with the law requiring the
monthly purchase of four and half
million ounces of silver.
Mr.. Blackburn offered an amend
ment to the repeal bill which strikes
out the VOORHEES, amendment to the
House bill and authorizes the free
coinage Of American silver, except
as to seignorage, the rate of which is to
be established by the Secretary of the
Treasury on the first of each month.
The seignorage is to be the difference
between the market price of the silver
and its minted value after coinage.
The seinorage is not to be coined, but
is to be sold for gold at the market
price, and the gold received for it is to
be held in the Treasury and used only
for the purpose of maintaining parity
between the two metals.
Mr.. PETERS resolution was referred
to the finance committee, and Mr.. Nor
gan's resolution instructing the iudic-
larry committee to inquire what pro-
visions of the free coinage act 1887 are
still in force, was agreed to without
discussion and without division.
The silver purchase repeal bill was
then Q2:4W taken up and Mr.. Call con-
tinued the speech against it which he
began on Wednesday.
HOUSE.
Twenty-eight members (ncluding
the Speaker) were present when the
House met at eleven o'clock. The pur-
pose of the early meeting was to afford
more time for discussion. Of those
present but ten sat on the democratic
side of the chamber.
The call of committees for reports
was, at the suggestion of Mr.. Burrows,
dispensed with and the federal election
bill was taken up.
Mr.. Hainer concluded his speech in
opposition to the proposed legislation
He criticised the State elections last in
vogue in some of the southern States;
and asserted that in North Carolina
negro had been disfranchised because
his wife had eloped with white man.
Mr.. Hicks(repl denounced the pending
measure. The Congress had been call
ed together for special purpose, and
the Senate, for not having carried out
that purpose, had become the laughing
stock of the country. He declared that
the attempt of the House to pass the
election laws was an attempt to
humiliate the President. The re-
peal of the federal election laws
was of more importance to the demo-
cratic party than was the relief of the
people.
Mr.. Ray in opposing the measure
criticised the Senate for its delay in
acting upon the silver bill. The peo-
pie, he said, were nauscated by the
amount of talk there.
Mr.. Brookshire, defending the pend
ing proposition, declared that the dem
ocrats were united in purpose to put an
end to sectional agitation, no matter
how they might differ on other ques-
tions.
Mr.. Cummings denounced the cleo
ton laws and deprecated the idea
that he was speaking for the people for
the South or for the city of New York.
He was speaking for the people of the
United States, and he denominated
the federal election laws as an ulcer
and mildew on the statute books of
the country.
Fairfax Notes.
Miss Looma Dean and niece, of Alex
andria, are visiting their aunt near Farr.
Mr.. S. E. Lindsey and daughters,
Edith and Florence of Alexandria