Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-08-18
FIFTY THIRD CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON. August Is, 1898.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON. August Is, 1898.
SENATE.
The Senate was presided over to-day
in the absence of the Vice-President,
by Mr.. Harris, president of the Senate
pro tenn.
A communication from the Secretary
of the Treasury was read on the subject
ofgold and silver payments. It's therein
stated that on several occasions recent
ly gold coin has been presented at the
Treasury in exchange for silver dollars
and that the exchange has not been
made because silver dollars were re-
CURED to be held in the Treasury to
cover outstanding silver certificates
and Treasury notes; and that at pres
ent the department would not, and
could not, exchange silver dollars for
gold if requested to do so.
A motion to adjourn over from to-day
till Monday was made by Mr.. Faulkner
and was resisted by Mr.. Hoar and by
Mr.. Frye, the former suggesting the
propriety approaching with the debate
in the Montana senatorial case, and the
latter urging action on the national
bank circulation bill.
Mr.. Voorhees,, chairman of the finance
committee, concurred in the necessity
of action on the national bank bill. He
had heard the taunt go around, he said,
that he was seeking to do something in
the interest of the national banks. He
was seeking nothing of the kind. He
was seeking to avail himself Of their
power, of their interest, of their cupidi-
ty in order to increase the circulating
medium and thereby supply the press
ing wants of the laboring people. 1t
was not a bill in the interest Of the
banks. There was no thought or in
spiration of that kind in his mind.
After further discussion the motion
to adjourn was withdrawn.
Dir. VOORHEES, then reported from
the committee on finance bill to dis
continue the purchase of silver bull
lion, and declaring it to be the policy
of the United States to continue the
use of both gold and silver as stand
ard money.
The Senate subsequently took up
and considered the bill to allow nation
al banks to increase their circulation.
Mr.. Allen argued in favor of his
amendment to suspend the payment
of interest on bonds on which the in
creased issue is based.
The national bank bill is still under
discussion. Mr.. Stewart has made sill
yer speech and Mr.. Mcpherson and
Mr.. Henderson have argued strongly
against Mr.. Aliens amendment
The discussion of the national bank
bill was broken into by Mr.. Harris, who
gent to the clerks desk aud had read
Phe Washington dispatch in one of to-
days New York papers with the head
ings!
"Voohees Casts Deciding Vote in the
Finance Committecn-"Senator Harris
Denounces Him as q Traitor"-"Un-
pleasant Words Spoken by All the Sill
yer Senator'S" etc.
Mr.. Harris declared emphatically that
there was not one single word of truth |
in the statement Of the proceedings in
the committee room. There was not an
understood or disrespeetfql word used: |
And the vote was not taken on the bill
yesterday, as stated in the dispatch,
but was taken this morning.
HOUSE.
The silver debate was resumed i'm
mediately after the reading of the
journal, and the floor was accorded to
Mr.. Sibley, of Pennsylvania, who is in
favor of bi-metallic standard. He
spoke in support ofthe proposition sug-
gested by Mr.. Johnson, Of Ohio, provid-
ing that the holders of United States
bonds might deposit those securities
with the government, receiving there
for treasury notes. The time had
come when the clearing houses of the
great cities should no longer dominate
and control the policy of the $1,000, 900
workers of this land. The bi=metallists
we're as anxious as were the gentlemen
on the other side to put speedy end
to the present depression, and this end
could be attained here and now by en-
acting in law the Johnson proposition.