The herald., 1893-08-16
THE NATIONS LAWMAKERS
Interesting Proceedings in
the Senate.
A Bill to Repeal the State
Bank Tax,
introduced by Gordon, Given q Cool
Reception.
Wolcott Makes an Eloquent Argument
- for Free Coinage and Hoar Poses
~ Gold Standard Bi-
metallist.

BY the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.-Pn the senate
this morning Gordon Of Georgia recalled
a plank in the last Democratic platform
by presenting a measure to suspend for
90 days the law imposing 10 per cent tax
on state bank Issues. He declared 1t
would give relief to the country in 15
days and make it possible to move the
cotton crop in the south. The PROPOSE
ton was not received with any particu-
lar warmth by the senate and it was
referred to the finance committee.
VOORHEES, RELIEF MEASURE.
Voorhees, reported back from that
committee the bill introduced by him
yesterday "a q measure Of relief. 1t had,
he said, the approval Of the committee
and the secretary Of the treasury, and
he hoped the senate would take the
matter up. National banks were no
favorites OF his, but that was no reason
why they should not be used to bring
about measure of relief, If they were
capable.
Cockrell of Missouri objected, saying
several senators desired to be b card on
the proposition.
RELIEF FOR LAWMAKERS.
The bill went over and Cockrell then
asked the senate to pass the house joint
resolution for the payment OF mileage to
senators and representatives for the
present session.
Frye Of Maine ridiculed the idea OF
public duty which would postpone relief
for the people and make haste to provide
relief for the eeuatore and members.
The resolution went to the calendar.
THE LEE MANTLE CASE.
The Lee Mantle case, involving tbs
question Of the right of the governors of
states to appoint senators under certain
circumstances WAS taken up and Hunton
of Virginia spoke briefly in support OF
Msntle's right to . seat.
Voorhees, introduced ajpint. resolution
axtandinq for nix mnntha thH bonded
r--.~,sa s-- ---i-ssny IA. Gvvos..naoaat war6-'
houses.
Lodge then made an address in advc.
cacy Of his resolution offered Tuesday
last. directing the committee on finance
to report at once bill to repeal the
purchasing clause of the Sherman act.
What the people wanted, he said, was
prompt action. He had no mind for
party policy or delay.
woLcoTT WAKES ELOQUENT.
Wolcott Of Colorado replied at length.
He had yet to hear any intelligent man
state he firmly believed the Sherman
act had wrought the injury under which
the country now suffers. The Sherman
act was illogical and vicious in that it
made OF silver q commodity and left si1-
yer bullion In the treasury uncoined. 1t
had some advantages, however. Its
quasi recognition of silver had been OF
infinite value in the hopeit had inspired
OF bimetallism. and in fact it had
afforded an enlarged currency from
month to month for the past three
years. It had given the country cur
rency backed by the credit OF the gov
ernment and by silver at its bullion
value. That was pretty good
better than the $50, ,O00, 900 of
clearing house certificates in circulation
in New York. The only tangible state.
ment he could get as to the injury
wrought by the Sherman act was that
there was lack of confidence in Eu-
rope, but he did not find that statement
borne out by the facts. American secu-
rites have been held enormously in
Great Britain. That country suffered
in Argentine and her own COL
onies, and had been forced to sell her
securities. Great liquidation had come,
not because there was lack of conf
1ence in American finances in Great
Britain, but because the holders OF
American securities were compelled to
,ell. j he Sherman act was not respon-
'ible for the Reading iasco, or the
whisky trust trouble, or the cord
'ge trust trouble, and yet the
New York papers, striking q bal
lnce between the quotations of now
md . year ago. argued that silver and
he Sherman act we're responsible for all
hose disasters. The real cause of the
resent financial panic was TO be looked
Or elsewhere. 1t came partly because
i European losses in South America and
partly because Brussels and
AUSTRIA were buying gold, and partly be.
ause the United States has purchased
1ore goods abroad than it has sold
broad. All the causes were utterly in
ependent of and irrespective OF silver
nd the Sherman act. All the leeisla.
on that might be enacted would not
ring back confidence to the men who
ave Withdrawn their money from the
enks.
.Wclcott expressed the conviction that
hen prosperous days came back to this
ountry 1t would be after It had an
ounced to the world that this was 4 |
alton of bimetallists, believing in hard
'oney, both gold and silver, and that it
reposed to have it's share OF the gold |
the world; was rich enough to hold
and was entitled by its resources and
'nditions to have it; that at the same
me 1t proposed to open the mints to
ee and unlimited coinage OF silver, and
lat we had returned to the paths Of the
unders of the republic.
HoAR POSES AS A BlMEYALL1sr.
Tbs Lodge resolution was then laid
ids without action and Hoar addressed
% senate on Vests resolution az to
metallism. The Republicans, be
i'd, stood ready to hold up the hands
tha preaidaht and raatnrA that nroa-