The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-03-21
:THE BLAND BILL PASSED.
THE HOUSE ADOPTS THE
SEIGNIORAGE MEASURE.

Speaker Crisp's Vote Makes a Quo
rum and the Silver Coinage Men
Win 80 Twenty-One Republicans
Vote for the Bill and Fifty DEM
ocrats Against 1t.
The long struggle in the House OF Repro.
sentatives at Washington over the Bland
bill for the coinage of the silver seigniorage
and the silver bullion in the Treasury was
ended by the passage of the bill by vote OF
1S11 TO 1S0, majority in favor of the bill oi
81.
An analysis OF the vote shows that 1873
Democrats, 81 Republicans and 8 Populists
voted for 1t, while so Democrats and 80 Re-
publicans voted against 1t. The total vote
was: Yeas, 1877; nays. 13O.
The special order to bring the bill to vote
was adopted by o bare quorum Immediately
after the House convened. This broke the
opposition OF the f1libnsters, and they were
powerless to do anything further to place an
obstacle In the way ofthe bill.
All the amendments offered to the measure
by its opponents were defeated, the one
which polled the most votes being Mr.. Outh-
wsite's amendment to strike out the second
i section. The bill as passed wasin the nature
offs substitute for the original text OF the
measure.
The changes do not affect the material
features of the bill, which provides for the
coinage Of the silver seigniorage in the
Treasury, the issue Of silver certificates
thereon, If need be, In the discretion OF the
Secretary of the Treasury in advance OF the
coinage and thereafter the coinage OF the re-
Eainder Of the bullion as fast as practicable
and the issue OF silver certificates thereon TO-
take the place of the Treasury notes issued
under the Sherman act, which are to be re-
tired and cancelled as rapidly as the coinage
takes place. The changes made IN the sub
stitute simply make specific the fact that the
ssigniorage Is to be coined and that this bill
shall not affect the redemption Of the Treas
ury notes under existing law.
Enc following Is the text Of the bill which
passed.
Section 1. That the Secretary Of the Treas
nry shall Immediately cause to be coined as
fast as possible the silver bullion held In the
Treasury purchased under the act Of July
II, 1880, entitled, GAR act directing the pur-
chase Of silver bullion, and the issuing OF
Treasury notes thereon, and for other pur-
poses" /" to the amount OF the gain or seign.
forage Of such bullion, to wit: The sum OF
ffty-flve million one hundred and ffty-siS
thousand six hundred and eighty-one dol
lars, and such coin and silver certificates
5 'of public expenditures and the Secretary OF
the Treasury may, in his discretion, If the
needs of the Treasury demand 1t, issue
silver certificates in excess OF such coinage,
provided that said excess shall not exceed
the amount of the seigniorage as herein
anthorizedto be coined.
Sec. 2. After the coinage provided for in
the first section Of this act the remainder OF
the silver bullion purchased IN pursuance OF
said act OF July "A, 1890, shall be coined into
legal tender standard silver dollars as fast rs
possible, andthe coin shall be held in the
Treasury for the redemption of the Treas
ury notes issued IN the purchase Of said bull
hon. That as fast as the bullion shall be
conad for the redemption OF said notes the
notes shall not be reissued, but shall be can
celled and destroyed In amounts equal to the
coin held at any time in the Treasury derived
FROM the coinage herein provided for, and
silver certificates shall be issued on such coin
In the manner now provided by law, provided
TINT this act shall not be construed to change
existing law relating to helegal tender char
notes issued under said act Of July IA, 1890.
That sufficient sum Of money IS hereby ap-
propriated to carry into effect the provisions
/, Of this act sr-.t III ....
The following Republicans voted with the
Democrats and Populists In favor OF the bill !:
Messra. Aitken, Bowers, Broderick, Curtis,
Doolittle. Ellis. Funston, Hartman, Hep.
burn, Herman, Lucas, Marsh, Murray, Pick
Ter, Post, Settle. Sweet, White and Wilson, 19.
The following Democrats voted with the
bulk Of the Republicans against the bill
Messrs. Barnes, Barwig, Beltzhoover,
Brickner, Cadmus, Campbell, Causey, Clan
ey, Cobb. Compton, Coombs, Covert, Cum
mings, DeForest. Dunphy, Everett, Erd-
man, Fielder, Geissenhainer, Griffin, Haines,
Harter, johnson, Lapham. Lockwood.
Lynch, Magner, McAleer, McEttrick, Meyer.
Mutchier, O'Neill, Cultivate, Pigott, Ryan,
Schermerhorn, Somers, Sperry, Straus,
Stevens, Talbot, Tracey, Warner, Wells,
Goldzeir. McKaig, Page and Sickles, 4s.
After the House adjourned silver men said
that the result ofthe vote would lead to an
other free coinage fight. A majority Of
thfrty-seven was more than had been ex-
pected by even the most enthusiastic silver
man. Mr.. Bland has free coinage bill be-
5nKe his committee.