The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-12-27
HOUSE.

| llOCSE.
Washington. Dec. 19.-As soon as the
regular routine had been disposed of to-
day, on motion of Mr.. Springer of Hin
, DIS the house went into committee of the
whole and debate on the currency bill
, was resumed.
Mr.. johnson of Indiana, one of the
members of the minority banking and
currency committee, opened the debate
today with vigorous speech in OppOSi-
ton to the Carlisle plan. Admitting the
defects in our currency system, he said
this correction could not be obtained by
the passage of bill along the lines sug-
gested by the banking and currency com.
mittee. 1t was much easier to attack the
present system than offer a safe substi-
| tute for it.
| The present system had given the cOun-
try a greenback currency which enabled
| the government to carry on the war and
| it produced a market for our bonds in
| the hour of danger and peril, The currency
produced here never being questioned.
While remedial legislation might be ad-
visable, this was no time for experimental
legislation. There was no need of indie
cent speed. Congress, in this matter,
could well afford to make haste slowly.
| The eXigencies confronting the treasury
had, Mr.. Johnson said constrained the
majority members of the committee to
affiX their signatures to bill, which in
many respects, they do not approve.
He took up the bill section by section
and attacked its various provisions. He
recalled Mr.. Springer's opposition to the
repeal of the 10 per cent tax on state
banks last spring and his present advo-
cacy of a provision for its repeal in this
bill. Il know of no change of heart COM
parable to it," he said, "in either sacred
M history
Mr.. Johnson spoke almost two hours and
was literally applauded at the conclusion
of his remarks.
On motion of Mr. Springer the commit
tee then rose Temporarily and an order was
made fixing the time of meeting of the
house tomorrow at IL o'clock instead of
IL. This was done to enable the house
to devote several hours to debate before
the exercises in connection with the dedi-
cation of the statues of Webster and
Stark.
Mr.. Warner Dem. N. ", also a men,
Der of the committee on banking and cur
rency, then took the floor in support
of the pending measure. Mr.. Warner de-
MED that the bankers who had appeared
before the committee were opposed to the
Carlisle bill. With two exceptions, Mr..
st. John of New York and A. j. Warner,
he decared every banker who had APP
peared before the committee had endorsed
the principles upon which the Carlisle
bill was based and in many cases had
it.
Mr.. Ellis dem. KY, who followed Mr..
Warner, was the first Democratic member
of the banking and currency committee
to attack the Carlisle bill. At the out
set he proclaimed he was convinced that
its passage would remedy none of the de-
fects in the present currency system.
The people had nothing to hope from
such schemes. He charged that behind
the bill were the same influences that
forced the repeal of the Sherman act and
who, on that occasion, had predicted that
would follow. The repeal of
the Sherman law having now admittedly
failed, this currency scheme had been in |
pressed forward by the same
high authority. For 30 years the Demo- |
cratic party had condemned the national
bank system, yet now proposed not only |
to perpetuate the system, but to make it |
in form more Objectionable than that
to which it formerly objected. Mr.. Ellis, |
in conclusion, charged the Democratic |
party in congress with being false to its |
Chicago platform in not passing q tariff |
bill for revenue only and in not repeating
outright the 10 per cent tax on national
banks. Democratic promises" he said,
will not be redeemed until the people elect |
q Democratic president. When that day
comes, as believe it will, the people will |
not make their selection from the small |
class of the party.
AT $40 the committee rose and the
house adjourned.