The record-union., 1894-03-02
End of the Long Struggle in the
House Over Bland'S Bill.
THE MEASURE PASSED BY A GOOD
MAJORITY.
Many Republicans and Populists Vote
With the Silver Democrats-No
Effort to Break the Quorum-Ihe
Vote in DetaiI-Provisions of the
Bill as 1t Now Stands.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.

struggle IN LQ6 I1OUS6 ONtI lll6 D4dIQ OAAA
for the coinage of silver seigniorage and
silver bullion in the treasury ended to-
day by the passage Of the bill by vote of
I6S to l30. The special order 10 bring the
bill to vote was adopted by bare
quorum Immediately after the House
convened This broke the opposition OF
the filibusters, and they were powerless
to do anything further. All the amend
ments offered to the measure by the op-
ponents were defeated, the one which
polled the most votes being Outhwaite's
amendment to strike out the second sec
ton.
The bill as passed was in the nature of
a substitute Tor the original text of the
measure. The changes do not affect the
material features of the bill, which pro-
vide for the coinage Of silver Seigniorage
in the treasury, the issue of silver GER
titicateS thereon, If need be, In the dlscre-
ton OF the Secretary OF the Treasury. IN
advance of coinage, and thereafter the
coinage of the remainder OF the bullion
as fast as practicable, and the issue OF
silver certificates thereon to take the
place of treasury notes issued under the
Sherman Act, which are to be retired and
Cancelled as rapidly as the colnages takes
place.
The changes made in the substitute
simply make a specific fact OF the selgnl-
orage TO be coined ana this bill shall not
affect the redemption Of treasury notes
under the existing law.
An analysis of the vote by which the
bill was passed shows that l4l Democrats,
nineteen Republicans and eight Popu-
lists, total of l6S, voted for Ii, and sew
enty-nine Republicans and tifty-one
Democrats, total of 130. voted against 1t.
j he bill for the rescue OF the armament
of the wrecked kearsarge was passed
just before adjournment.
After Cummings failed to get unani-
nous consent for the consideration OF the
bill appropriatlng $4,000 for reclaiming
the wreck OF the kearsarge, the vote on
the adoption of the special order to limit
the debate on the seigniorage bill to two
hours, pending at the close of yesterdays
session, came up. Exactly quorum
voted, and the special order was adopted
loo to l3.
Bland was recognized, and offered a
substitute for the original bill.
The first section OF the substitute is
identical with the first section of the or
iginal bill. except that coinage IS to pro-
ceed as fast as possible" instead OF
"practicable."
The substitute for the second section is
as follows: After the coinage provided
fer in toe first section tthe seigniorage)
the remainder Of the silver bullion pur-
chased in pursuance of the Act OF July
Il, 1890, shall be coined into legal tender
standard silver dollars as far as possible,
and the coin shall be held for the redemp-
ton OF Treasury notes issued against
such bullion. AS fast as the bullion
shall be coined for the redemption, said
notes shall not be reissued, but shall be
Cancelled III amounts equal to the coin
held and derived from the coinage
herein provided for, and silver certiti-
Gates shall be issued on such coin In the
manner now provided for by law. Pro-
yided, this Act shall not be construed to
change the existing law relating to the
legal tender character, or the mode OF re-
demption, of existing Treasury notes
under the Act OF 1890"
a sufficient sum is appropriated to
carry into effect the provisions of the
Act.
The voting on the bill then began on
the johnson amendment, providing for
the gold redemption of silver certificates.
Lost-71 to I56.
Cultivate offered an amendment to
strike out the second section of the sub
stitute Johnson of North Dakota
offered an amendment to The original
bill. authorizing the Secretary of the
Treasury to afford silver dollars the same
rights as to redemption and exchange
now accorded subsidiary silver coins.
Strauss of New \ ork offered an amend
ment to the amendment as follows:
THAT the Secretary of the Treasury be
and is hereby authorized to issue from
time to time coupon and registered bonds
OF the United States in denominations OF
$50 and multipleS OF that sum, payable IN
coin after five years from date and bear
ing interest at a rate not exceeding three
percentum per aununl, payable quarterly
i'm coin. and sell and dispose Of the same
loe~e- han nor N NinT DC
of such bonds shall be paid into the
Treasury and be held and used for the
purposes now authorized by law
Bland made the point of order that
Strauss amendment to the amendment
was not germane.
The Speaker sustained the point of or
der and ruled the amendment out.
Cummings asked if the Chair ruled that
any amendment looking to an issue OF
bonds would be ruled out.
The Chair replied that the ruling was
not so broad as that.
Cummings then gave notice that he
would offer a second amendment later.
Cannon of Illinois then offered as an
amendment, in lieu of the Strauss amend
ment, the so-called "Windom PROPOSE
tion' for the redemption, at the current
market rate of silver, OF bullion certltl-
Gates, which was discussed in 1851 at the
Congress
Cannon'S amendment was also ruled
out on the ground that it was not ger
name.
Abbott offered an amendment relating
to the coinage of the silver in the Treas
ury.
Bland took the floor in support of his
substitute. He explained that the sec
ond section OF the substitute made the
coinage of the remainder of the bullion in
the Treasury to begin after the coinage of
the seigniorage, and a specific proYiso
was added TO the effect that nothing in
the Act shall be deemed to change or
alter the existing law as To the legal char
acter or mode of redemption in Treasury
notes.
Cultivate argued against the second
section of the original blll and substitute
and said its purpose was TO retire the ex-
listing Treasury notes.
Johnson of North Dakota maintained
that his amendment was absolutely nec-
essary. 1t declared the policy Of the
Government to maintain all classes OF
our currency at par, TO be kept in force.
Net to adopt his amendment would be 10
dishonor our national credit.
Simpson declared that to strike out the
second section or adopt Johnson'S amend
nent (which would make silver dollars
redeemable in gold would be another
great stride in the direction of plutocracy.
The debate was continued by Abbott,
Stone. Johnson, Hartman, Swanson,
Hunter Newlands, Wheeler and Tracey.
Abbott's amendment TO Johnson's =
amendment. as well as Johnson's amend
ment itself. were disagreed TO. the former
without division, and the latter by vote
OF "a to l39.