The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-03-08

SeuatOr Shefmans s18orous Ifotoe1S Cn
needed, Except that Senatorial Courtesy
Prevails to Give Him a Chance to speak
on the Bill Today-There Is No Indica-
tion that the Advantage Gained Yester-
day VIII Be Otherwise Relinquished.
Washington, March 7.-Mr. Gibson,
Democrat Of Maryland, reported from
the committee on naval affairs to the
Senate today, the bill appropriating S45,-
600 for the purpose of reclaiming thu
ship of war Kearsarge and her equip
ment, provided not more than $4,000 be
expended if the attempt prove failure.
The bill passed.
Mr.. Morgan, Democrat of Alabama,
from the committee on foreign relations,
reported a resolution requesting the
President to inform the Senate, if not
inconsistent with public interest,
whether the government of Great Britain
had occupied Bluefields or any other
place on the Mosquito reservation in
Nicaragua with mi litary force, and to
the character and strength of such focre,
and the claim to autho rity on the part
of the British government SO to occupy
that country He supposed, he said, that
the Kearsarge was dispatched to Blue
fields on accountsof that occupation. 1t
was very delicate and grave question
for the people of the United States, par
ticularly if the military occupation had
taken place on the idea that Great
Britain reserved to herself in any treaty
with Nicaragua the right to make in
teryention of this kind. The resolution
was agreed to.
Mr.. Sherman, Republican of Ohio,
from the committee on foreign relations,
reported back the House joint resolution
authorizing Major General Oliver o.
Howard of the Z nited States army, to
accept from the President of the French
republic diploma conferrlng on hlm
the decoration of the National Order OF
the Legion Of Honor. 1t was passed.
Mr.. Harris. Democrat of tennessee,
called for a vote on his motion for
second reading of the seigniorage bill.
After it's second reading, he SAID ne
would ask unanimous consent to nave IL
taken up, considered and disposed OF. The
bill had it's second reading. and then
the Vice President asked whether there
was any objection to Mr.. Harris's request
to take it up for consideration.
Mr.. Sherman, Republican or Ohio, said
he would move to refer the bill to the
finance committee. The bill proposed an
issue of United States notes to the
amount of fifty-five million dollars for
tine current expenses sfsthe government
This was grave and revolutionary pro-
ceeding. This issue of fifty-fiye millions
would be followed by the issue of other
millions of paper money without any
provision behind them for redemption.
Such measure ought not to be forced
on the Senate in an unusual way. The
finance committee could determine
probably in a day or two whether it
should be reported.
Mr.. Hale, Republican of Maine, did
not concur with Mr.. Sherman as to the
necessity of referring the bill to the
finance committee and asked Mr.. Sher-
man what he expected to gam by re-
ference.
MIR. Sherman replied that reference to a
committee was the universal custom of
legislative bodies. Two different propo-
sitions were contained in the bill. One
was whether Congress had the right to
pledgesagain the. silver in the treasury for
another purpose than the redemption of
the silver certificates. The other was
whether. in a time of profound peace,
paper money should be issued to pay the
current expense of the government.
Mr.. b ale did not see how the question
could be illuminated by any considera-
tion by the finance committee. He was
Wiling To udV0 UllS Dll. OlOdShu GU OllSO
before the Senate and to let the country
know what the Senate's view was.
The discussion was interrupted by
questions of personal privilege. Mr.. Me-
Pherson read extracts from an article in
today's New York World, insinuating
that ne and Senators Brice and Vest had
been recently visiting brokers offices in
New York, speculating in sugar certlfi-
Gates. He gave a sweeping denial to the
article. He said he bought some sugar
stock after the Christmas recess and sold
il at a loss before the tariff bill was re-
ported to the Senate.
Mr. Vest, Democrat of Missouri, gave
his denial to the newspaper article.
Mr.. Mcpherson declared that he alone
was responsible for delay in reporting
the tariff bill. He found 1t construed on
lines altogether too low.
Then the discussion passed over again
to the Bland seigniorage bill, and Mr..
Palmer. Democrat of Illinois, argued in
favor of it's reference to the finance COM
mittee.
Mr.. Voorhees,, Democrat of Indiana,
chairman of the finance committee, said
he was willing to have the seigpiorage
hill taken mn and considered without
reference.
The question was taken on Mr.. Sher-
mans motion to refer the seigniorage
bill to the finance committee. The
motion was defeated-Yeas, 6; nays so.
The Affirmative votes were by Senators
Davis. Gallinger, Morrill,, Palmer, Sher-
man and Villas The bill was read in
full The presiding officer said the bill
was now open to amendments and, as no
amendment was offered, be announced
thar the question was on the engross-
ment and third reading of the bill. That
stage was rapidly passed, and the ques-
tion then was "Shall the bill pass?n All
this was accomplished SO deftly and
sneedily that the opponents OF the bill
did not seem to realize that their oppor-
tunities had slipped away. Finally, Mr..
Hoar inquired what had become of the
amendment Mr.. Stewart proposed to
offer. He was informed. that Mr.. Stewart
had abandoned his purpose. As the
presiding officer put the question, "Shall
the bill pass?" Mr.. Hoar inserposed a
motion to adjourn and called for the
yeas and nays. The motion to adjourn
was defeated-Yeas. 12; nays, 50. those
voting for adjournment were Messrs.
Aldrioh, Allison, Frye, Gallinger, Hale,
Hawley, Hoar, Morrill,, Palmer. Platt,
Quay and Sherman.
Mr.. Morrill,, Republican of Vermont,
protested against such an important bill
being passed in what looked like a freak
of the Senate. There could be no con
sideration as to what the effect of its
massage would be on the credi+ ~ the