Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-14
THE BLAND BILL
Further Debate on the Seigniorage
Coinage Proposition.
FAILURE TO AGREE ON A TIME TO Vote
Two or Three Lively Colleagues
in the House Today.
OTHER BUSINESS TRANSACTED

At the opening Of the session Of the
House this morning the resignation Of Rep
resentative Brawley (S.C.) who has been
appointed United States district judge was
read and placed on file. The resignation
took effect today.
Mr.. Hunter Qll) rose to a question of
privilege and made a lengthy explanation
Of his votes on agricultural implements and
diamonds while the tariff bill was being
considered in the committee Of the whole.
New York Members Sworn I'm.
Mr.. Reed (Me.) asked unanimous consent
that the oath be administered to Messrs.
Quigg and Strauss. the newly elected men,
bers from New York. whose credentials
have not yet arrived.
There was no objection and their col
leagues. Messrs. Cummings and Dunphy.
escorted them to the bar Of the House. where
they were sworn in.
Mr.. Bland then moved to go into commit
tee Of the whole for the further. considera-
ton of the seigniorage bill. Pending the
motion Mr.. Bland tried to reach an agree
ment with the opponents of the bill to close
general debate this afternoon at o'clock.
but Mr.. Reed called for the regular order
The Bland Bill Debate Resumed.
Mr.. Stone Q<y) took the floor. That there
was a deficiency in the revenues Of the gov
eminent. and that there would be a larger
deficiency. he said. no one would deny. The
first section of this bill proposed to coin a
surplus asset of the government to meet a
part of this deficiency. He urged that there
was no virtue in the claim set up that the
seigniorage bullion was pledged to the re-
demption of the outstanding treasury notes.
as both Secretary Foster and Secretary
Carlisle had held that those notes were re-
deemable in either gold or silver. The sale
or bonds had not and could not strengthen
the treasury. 1t simply increased the obli-
cations of the government, and made 1t
harder for the treasury to meet its obliga-
tions.
A General Free silver Argument.
Mr.. Stone described the events leading up
to the panic Of last summer, the depletion
Of the treasury, and the sale of bonds
Thence he drifted into a general free silver
argument, attributing the present distress
and business stagnation to the cry set up
In the money centers that the finances Of
the country were threatened by the con-
tinued coinage of silver The first section
OF the bill, by the coinage Of the
surplus silver assets of the treasury would
aid the treasury to meet its obligations, and
the second section would strengthen the
gold reserve by wiping out the treasury
notes. which could now be used to drain it
rarity responsibility.
Toward the close Of his remarks Mr. Stone
became involved in a controversy with Mr.
Reed and Mr.. Bowers (Col) over party re-
sponsibillty for the present condition of af-
fairs. At last Mr. Stone declared that this
democratic Congress would afford the peo-
pie relief. and that a reinforced and ap-
proved democratic majority elected to the
ifty-fourth Congress would testify next
fall to the work of this Congress
I'VE will rest the case on that prediction Z"
said Mr.. Reed. IF you have an Increased
democratic majority next fall you viii be
vindicated."
Mr.. Walker (Mass.). who followed Mr..
Stone, declared that the worlds business
was done upon the basis of the worlds
standard of value; gold and silver, as far
as Its value as international exchange
was concerned, must always be measured
by Its bullion value in gold. Silver coinage
forced by the democratic party had cost
the people of the country $4,000, ,OOO a year
In indirect taxation.
Didn't you support Cleveland on a demo-
Il did," replied Mr.. Walker, but 1t was
upon the strongest protective plank in
any platform. His free-trade letter of 1887
was the greatest betrayal any President
was ever guilty Of
Mr. Walker proceeded, under a running
nre OF questions from Mr.. Livingston, Mr.
Smith Of Arizona and Mr.. Bland, to argue
that 1t was better to issue bonds than to
pass such a bill as the pending measure.
An Angry Alteration.
During the course Of Mr.. Walkers speech
Mr.. Reed and Mr.. Bland got into an
angry alteration over the limitations of
the debate. 1t was carried on while Mr..
Hatch, who was in the chair, was yigor-
ously pounding for order, and the sergeant
alarms was at last called upon to see that
the gentlemen were seated