The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-03-21
Congressional Proceedings.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14,-Mr. Teller of
Colorado addressed the senate in support of
the Bland seigniorage bill. He claimed
that the difference between the purchase
price of silver bullion and its mint value
should be put into money and used for cur
rent expenses. Mr.. Teller said there was
no idle money in the treasury. There had
been no idle money in the treasury except
that which lay behind the treasury notes to
the extent of S35, 100000 Mr.. Teller main
tanned that every dollar of silver money
that had been coined was doing money duty
with infinitely more potency and power
than any gold money that was in circula-
ton in the United States. Countries which
used silver as standard money only were in
better condition than the United States.
This was the only country in the world
whose legislators deprecated its money.
France could float S8,000,000 or s., 900 Of
silver money because no Frenchman ever
dared in legislative body Of that country
declare that the money of the country was
not good money. Mr. George of Mississippi
also argued in support of the bill, and Mr..
Allison's motion to reconsider the vote or
dering the bill to third reading was lost.
- The house went into committee Of
the whole on the sundry civil appropriation
bill.
THuRsDAY.--Blands scheme to coin the
seigniorage was finally endorsed by the
senate by vote of "A to 81, and it went to
the White House for the presidents sigma.
ture or veto. - In the house, the bill
authorizing the board of managers of the
National Soldiers Home to employ sur
geons other than those who have been dis
abled in the service precipitated lively
debate. NO vote was reached on this
measure, and the consideration of the sundry
civil appropriation bill was resumed. Mr..
Black of Georgia read from an agricultural
bulletin to show the technical terms of the
language used, and created considerable
amusement by repeating some of the terms
and subsequently explaining their meaning
in plain English. Mr.. Sickles, New York,
suggested that dictionary be furnished to
the representatives in order that the lam
guage of the bulletin might be made more
Ineligible. Mr.. Black explained that he
had read these extracts to show the fla
grant and inexcusable misuse Of the peoples
money. Mr.. Bowers, California, said the
publications OF the agricultural department,
and especially the ones criticised, had been
Of vast benefit to the people OF his state
FRDAY.-The time of the house was taken
in discussing MIR. Enloe's amendment to the
sundry civil appropriation bill, which di-
reefs the Dockery commission to investi-
gate whether the work of the coast and
geOdetic survey could not be better per-
formed by the bureaus of the navy and in
terror departments. The amendment was
finally lost. Mr. Hopkins of Illinois moved
to strike out the section of the bill direct
ing the secretary of the navy to reorganize
the office force of the survey, so as to bring
the cost within $125,000 year-a reduction
of S1S, 900 from the appropriation carried in
the bill. He said this was a cowardly sub
terfuge to bring about what the house had
declined to do on Mr. Enloe's amendment
to abolish the survey. 1t was finally agreed
that the section that Mr.. Hopkins had
moved to strike out should be modified by
directing the secretary Of the treasury to
reduce the number of employees of the of
flee force of the survey, or the rate OF COM
pensation, to as to bring the expenditure
down to $125, 800, thus putting limit to the
reduction and abandoning the idea of re-
organizing the force.
SArURDAY.-The house again went into
committee of the whole to consider the sun
dry civil appropriation bill. The amend
ment to the paragraph relating to the fees
of clerks of the United States courts was
taken up. Mr. Reed of Maine suggested
that the amendment proposed an immense
amount of legislation which could not be
intelligently mastered under the limitations
Of the five-minute rule for debate. Several
Of the provisions, at least, certainly were
not germane to the paragraph to which 1t
was proposed to be added, and point OF
order need only be suggested to manifest
it's propriety and force. The point OF order
was sustained, and the amendment ruled
out. Mr.. Settle of North Carolina moved to
strike ont the paragraph appropriating
| S0O,UUO lot u6U6CulnR anu bringing 10 PUNISH
ment violations OF the internal revenue
laws. He declared that the money was
| largely used as a corruption fund, and led
| to the reporting of purely technical viola
| tions of the law, to the great embarrassment
| and often loss of innocent persons. Before
| action was taken on Mr.. Settles motion the
! committee rose, and the time of the house
| was occupied with eulogies upon the late
| Representative w. 81. Enochs Of Ohio, who
died last July.
| MoNDAY.-The vice president signed the
seigniOrage bill, and it was sent to the
| president resolution offered by Mr.
| PETER of Kansas was laid before the senate
| 1t proposes an amendment of the postal
| laws 80 as to allow any person publisher OF
| mott to mail printed matter in the way Of
tracts, leaflets or other publications in sacks
| as secOnd-class mail matter at the rate OF
| one cent per pound. After discussion, II
| was referred to the committee on post-offices
and post roads. Messages from the presi
dent in relation to the landing of British
forces at Bluefields, Nicaragua, and relative
| to Haw allan affairs were laid before thu
senate, and an executive session closed tn,
business OF the day - The discussion
on appropriations was continued in tn,
house. Mr.. Pickler of South Dakota OF
fersd an amendment to the civil appropria
ton bill, providing for the expenditure o
500 900 at Sioux City, Ia. That city is il
danger, he said, and needed immediate pro
all other amendments that bobbed up, wer
Immediately voted down. No clause of tn
bill reached final action.