The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-03-14
Congressional Proceedings.

before the senate for discussion. An at
tempt was made to put the bill through
declared that he did not think the bill
should be rushed through without some
discussion as to the effect of the law which
was thus proposed to be enacted. He said
it evidently was not clearly understood that
the bill had passed its third reading and
was no longer subject to amendment. Mr..
Sherman spoke briefly and in an impas-
stoned manner, but with great earnestness,
against what he termed an attempt to rush
a bill through. The precedents OF the sem
ate had been set aside, and the day would
come when this would return to plague the
senate. - In the house, the senate joint
resolution providing for the appointment by
the president of six commissioners to the
Antwerp exposition OF 1894 was agreed to
after being amended so that no liability
shall be incurred to the United States by
the passage of the resolution. The discus
sion of the pension appropriation bill was
resumed and the debate took wide scope.
Mr.. O'Nel, a democratic member from
Massachusetts, eulogized the character and
services of Commissioner Lochren, Secre-
tary Smith and President Cleveland, and
declared that the bill was a generous ex-
preston OF the democratic party on the sub
ject OF pensions. Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio
moved to amend the bill by making the to-
tai appropriation for pensions S165, 200, 600
instead of $50, 1000, 900. Mr.. Blair OF New
Hampshire argued from the testimony Of
Commissioner Lochren, and OF the fiscal
official of the bureau, that the proposed in
crease should be made, but the amendment
failed. On this amendment the debate re-
Cured to points covered in the general de-
bate, particularly as to the charge that the
pension bureau has been used for political
purposes. The amendment was lost. Mr..
circuit Of Vermont offered an amendment
intended to effect revival Of the practice
which by which local examining boards
reported ratings Of disabilities This met
a point of order from Mr.. O'Neil that it
changed existing law by restricting the
right of the secretary of the interior to make
regulations for the pension bureau, which
point the chairman Sustained. Mr. Grout
appealed from the decision, but the chair
was sustained-99 to 80. After adopting an
amendment offered by Mr.. Picker Of North
Dakota, making the reports Of the local ex-
aiming board open to claimants and their
attorneys, the bill passed without division.
THURsDAY.-In the senate, bill granting
$50 per month to the widow of General
Ethan Allen Hitchcock was passed. The
Bland seigniorage bill came up as unfinished
business. Mr.. Sherman of Ohio argued that
the bill was violation of the public faith,
as declared in the act of $780, which pledged
to the redemption of the silver certificates
the entire silver bullion purchased by them.
He believed also that it was the beginning
of an unlimited issue of paper money to
meet current expenditures and he believed
that it would substitute for the hi. metallic
standard Of gold and silver while its coin
age value was S1S0000,000 and that differ
ence was the seigniorage for which the bill
provided. The fact was, however, that the
present market value of the silver bullion
in the treasury was only SS4, 100000, so that
there had been loss on the transaction of
S41, 100000. Mr.. Sherman declared that there
had not been dollar gained by the govern
ment in the purchase of silver bullion.
There had never been any foundation for
seigniorage. The act of 1890 meant clearly
that the silver bullion purchased under it
should be coined into dollars as needed to
redeem silver certificates. That act pro.
vided that the silver bullion resulting from
it should remain in the treasury as security
for the treasury notes issued for its pur-
chase. - The Dockery bill abolishing
the Office OF commissioner and assistant
commissioner of CUSTOMS transferring their
duties to the first and fifth auditors, was
taken up and passed in the house. The
house then went into committee of the
whole on the District of Columbia appropria-
ton bill Mr.. Diamond of Missouri spoke at
length, and advocated divorcing the federal
and district governments and relieving the
federal government of the payment of one
half of the expenses of the district, which it
had done since 1878. The house adjourned
without taking decided action on the bill.
FRIDAy- In the senate the house bill
authorizing the construction OF a bridge
across East river between New York and
Long Island was passed Mr.. Villas of Wis
consin addressed the senate in opposition
to the Bland seigniorage bill. He charac-
terized the measure as one for the establish
ment Of mono metallic silver standard in
place either of gold or bi-metallism. He
said that he felt great apprehensions as to
the consequences which its passage would
bring on the country. The bill was simply
20 IL ct
certificates, to force them into the currency
of the country in addition to the amount
already outstanding, and to substitute such
a volume of silver certificates for the notes
issued under the act OF 1890 and which were,
to all intents and purposes, greenbacks.
journed till Monday. - The time Of the
house was taken up with debate on the
District OF Columbia appropriation bill.
SATURDAY. -Representative Powers intro
duced in the house bill authorizing the
secretary of the interior to place on the pen
sion roll subject to the conditions and linn
itations of the pension laws, the name Of
Wallace A. McKinistry of Wolcott, of Com
pany K, Third regiment Vermont volun-
teers, at the rate of $50 per month. On mo-
ton Of Mr.. McNagny of Indiana, a resolu-
ton of inquiry calling on the secretary of
agriculture for a list of special agents of
that department appointed in the last four
yodio, Oho bhCy udNo ItCtlNth,
and the result of their work, was adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Richardson, a joint reso-
luton authorizing the printing in memo
rial volume of the proceedings of the GEN.
tennial celebration Of the laying of the cor
ner stone of the capitol was agreed to. Ad'
journed till Monday.
MoNDAY.-In the senate, Mr.. PETER in
troduced a substitute for the tart # bill and
gave notice that he proposed to address the
senate at an early day on the subject. Mr.
Allison OF Iowa spoke against the provi-
sion of the seignioragelbil which authorizes
the issue of silver certificates. Mr.. Wilson
said that the bill could not be tortured into
a construction that it authorized the issue
of $55 200, 600 of treasury notes in addition
to that of 55 10000 silverdollars. - The
sundry civil appropriation bill was dis
cussed. 1t carried, in round figures, $32,'
$685. 900; the amount recommended to be
appropriated by the estimates was $38,
1000; the amount appropriated for like
purposes for the current year was $41
10000.
appointment Of Sugar Weighers.