The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-03-14
SILVER In THE SENATE.
SElGNlORAGE COINAGE ADVOCATES
STEAL A MARCH.


STEAL A MARCH.
The Bill Unexpectedly Reaches the Las
Stsge-It, Friends in the Majority-I
G oes Over by Courtesy, and Finally 1
Passed.
WASHINGTON, March I'm the Sen
ate today Harris called for a vote OF
his motion for second reading of tue
seigniorage bill. He stated that his OBJ
ject yesterday was to bridge the day
over in order that he might CONSUL
/ with some of his friends on the Demo
cratic side of the chamber. He hac
had such consultation; and now, II
view of what seemed to be the unani
nous views of both sides, and in view
i of the fact that after the tariff bill
should be reported, it would have K
tremain on the calendar for number o1
days, 50 as to allow it to be printed anC
to allow every Senator an opportunity
ito examine it carefully, he knew Of nc
better method of occupying the inter
mediate time than to take up and dis
pose of the seigniorage bill. After its
second reading he would ask unani.
nous consent to have it taken up, con
sidered and disposed of.
| The bill had its second reading, and
then the Vice-President asked whether
there was any objection to Harris's re.
quest to take it up for consideration.
Sherman said that he would move, if
no one else did, to refer the bill to the
finance committee. He regarded the
bill as one of the most important ones
that had been before the Senate for
years. 1t proposed the issue of Uaited
States notes to the amount of $50, ,OOO,-
1000 for the current expenses Of the gov
iernment. He regarded it as grave
revolutionary proceeding. This issue
of S55, 100000 would be followed by the
issue of other millions of paper money,
without any provision behind them for
their redemption.
Mr.. Palmer (Dem.) of Illinois argued
in favor Of Its reference to the finance
committee. He regarded q revenue
tariff, be said, as essential to the coun-
try; but the seigniorage bill was one
that could await the settlement of that
more important one. The discussion
continued until p. NJ, when the Vice
President laid before the Senate the
unfinished business, being bill for the
purchase of site for the government
printing Office.
Call moved to lay that bill aside and
to take up the bill to change the boun-
daries of the judicial districts OF Flor-
| ida. This motion was defeated-yeas,
%, nays "a.
| Harris then moved to proceed to the
consideration of the seigEiorage bill
The motion was agreed 10 without a
division, The bill was therefore before
the Senate as in committee Of the
whole.
VOORHEES,, chairman of the fnauce
committee, said that If he had suppos.
ed that if the reading of the seignio-
rage bill would result in any delay of
the tariff bill he would be opposed to
it, but the bill could be taken up and
disposed of before the discussion of the
tariff question was reached.
The question was taken on Sher-
mans motion to refer the seigniorage
bill to the finance committee, and the
motion was defeated-yeas 6, nays So
The affirmative votes were given by
Davis (Rep.) of Minnesota, Gallinger,
(Rep) of New Hampshire, Morrill,,
(Dem.) of Vermont, Palmer (Dem.) OF
illinois, Sherman (Sep.) of Ohio and
Villas, (Dem.) of Wisconsin.
The bill was read in full and the pre-
siding officer (Faulkner) said the bill
was in committee of the whole and
open to amendment. Then no amend
ment being offered, he followed with
the announcement that the question
was on the engrossment and third
reading of the bill, and that stage be-
ing rapidly passed, he said the CUES
tton now was, "Shall the bill passp
All this had been accomplished 80
deftly and speedily that the opponents
of the bill did not seem to realize that
their opportunities had slipped away.
Finally, Hoar inquired what had be-
come Of an amendment which Stewart
had offered or proposed to offer. He
was informed that Stewart had aban-
doned the purpose. And, as the pre-
siding officer put the question, "Shall
the bill now pass?" Hoar interposed
a motion to adjourn, and called for the
yeas and nays. At first it looked as II
the necessary one-tifth to second a call
for the yeas and nays was not forth
coming, but finally enough Senators
were counted, and the motion to ad-
journ was taken by the yeas and nays.
1t was defeated-yeas u, nays so.
Morrill, protested against such an lm-
portant bill being passed in what look
ed like freak of the Senate. There
had been no consideration as to what
the effects of its passage would be on
the credit of the country, both at home
and abroad. It was but recently that
fifty million of bonds, had been sold in
order to reinforce the Treasury with
gold and to keep gold and silver coin
and United States notes on a parity.
And it was well understood that no
further amount of bonds could be is
sued with the hope of finding market.
Palmer inquired whether the bill was
still subject to amendment; and was
informed by the presiding officer that
it was not.
Allison: Has the bill passed to a
third reading?
The presiding officer: Yes; and the
question now before the Senate Is on
the passage of the bill.
Allison: Then 1 move to reconsider
i the vote, whereby the bill was engross-
ed and read third time.
Cockrell (Dem. } of Missouri: On that
motion I ask the yeas and nays.
Sherman made final appeal to the
Senate against hasty action. The
course adopted with this bill was, ne
said, In violation of the old established
rules of the Senate. Never since the
body was organized had such an I'M
portant measure been rushed pell-mell
through it. The Senate had refused TO
refer it, and now it was to be passed
with scarcely any debate. That seem
ed extraordinary. He begged the Sen
ate-the greatest deliberatlve body IN
the world-to pause before hurrying to
its passage bill which, in his Judg'
ment, contained within it things as ln'
defensible as he had ever known IN
| hill He intimated that he would like