The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-19
DEFENDS THE PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Gray Upholds His Action and says
Congress is 10 Blame.
Mr.. SIBERIAN ON The SITUATION.
lie Takes Philosophical View oi Inc 'A'''
Agricultural Matters in the senaie-"r'
Jone., silver Bnl-Proceodings In
the .Ifouse.


,ion ~ the Senate was interesting from
start 10 finish. Early in the day the
resolution offered b. Mr.. Stewart Pop"
%cvJ. declaring that there was no au-
thority i'm law for the purchase OF gold
coin in preference 10 other coin, was
laid before the Senate. and Mr.. Gray
Dem. Dcl) took advantage OF II TO
reply TO the attacks made upon the Presi-
dent Of the United States in connection
with the contract for the purchase OF
gold bv the issue Of four per cent. thir-
ty-year bonds. Mr.. Gray entered into n
defence OF the action OF the President,
and showed that the President had twice
appcalc1 100 Congress for aid in sustaining
The credit OF the United States; that Con-
lrcss had sat dumb ana irresponsive 10
these appeals and that the executive
action was dictated by his duty under the
Jaws. IT wac entirely the fault OF Con-
grcss. not Of the President If the Gov
crument had to pay interest at the rate
of Q &-4 per cent. instead Of per cent,
and had been obliged TO make a hard bar
gain with the moLey-lenders.
MIR. sHEBMAN's yIrws.
Mr. sherman made strong argument
10 prove that all bonds payable i'm coin
must be paid in the coin of tn" highest
value. No Secretary of the Treasury
would dare, in the face Of public opinion
10 undertake ~ pay bOnds-for which the
Government had required gold CONN
anything less valuable than that coin.
The right of the bondholders ana the
equity Of the bOndhOders 70 demand the
same kind of money as that which they
paid was ass clear and plain as the light
OF day. As 10 finding lault Win lhe
President for this 'ate contract, Mr.. Sher-
man faid that the President had nothing
whatever 10 do with the finances OF the
Government. THAT subject had not been
entrusted 20 his keeping but to thai OF
the Secretary of Treasury. The President
had no more right i'm tho matter than ne
had TO OCCUPY the seat of a senator IN
the Senate chamber. but when YOU tax
about a thiTty-year. four per cent. BOND
YOU are dealing with an article available
in every market i'm the world. That BOND,
running thirty years at four per cent.
would be sold i'm England within sixty
days from this time at l2o. say that
think that that contract was improW-
dent. but il is not going 10 break the
United States. 1t is not going To impair
our credit or affect our liabilities. / be-
lcvc that II was a hard bargain, driven
bv men whose services were not neces-
sary in the negotiation Of the loan. All
Our experience cOnVlnccs me that no
bonds should be placed on the market
without being first offered TO the people
OF the United States. They would ma
way TO obtain the gold. If reasonable
had been made for either OF
these classes of bonds, the sharp men
Of New York BostOn. Philadelphia ana
Chicago would find gold for them. IheSe
four per cent. thirty-year bonds Woulu
have brought 100 i'm gold.
MUST SUBMIT AND BEAR IT.
..That is my judgment. 1 have not
word of criticism for the President OF
me Secretary of the Treasury. 1 nave no
desire TO make factious opposition ! 90
think II was a faulty bargain, but we
cannot arrest IT, and have 10 comply WIN
a. be.ause undoubtedly the Secretary OF
the Treasury had the right TO MAKE 'ue
bargadn, and If ne has made beu "al-
Gain. we must DO as other pcople u'' WV
have. by themselves or by thclr AGENTS,
made a bad bareain-suDhllt an" '''' "
as well as we can.
The resolut .on went over without act"u
and the consideration OF the Agricultural
appropriaticn bnl was resumed
sChe first amendment that came up TOT
dfscussior was one reported from lhe
on Appropriations TO strlRe
out OF the bll the item OF SoWV TOT lIIl-
cation Investigations. The discussion o'-
cupiei the better part OF two houIs' anu
resulted in the item being retained u" '"e
bll.
,I-ha next two amendments Of the COM
rnittee were TO strike out the two items
of $4,000 each for investigating ana eN-
with grasses and forage
tlsuts and investigations in relation 10
i,prlcultural bills. were also rejected and
the items were retained in the bill.
ON motion of Mr.. Lodge Uiep., Mass),
an appropriation OF $4,000 was voted 10
aid in the determination OF the gypsy
moth IN Massachusetts.
Nr Allen Pop.. Ncb) moved TO insert
an item of $4,000 for seeds, materials
Sc for the drought sufferers throughout
the country, particularly in the North
west.
After a long discussion, in which sug-
gestons were made to make the appro-
uriauon apply also 20 sufferers from hre
i'm the forest regions ana from frost III
Florida. the amendment was excluded on
a point of order raised by Mr.. Villas
dem. WisD-yeas n, nays y,
The bill was then reported to the Sen
ate. where vote was taken on lhe
rvIsy moth amendment and il was
agreed to-yeas -. nays 81
The bill was then passed. 1t appro-
~alates $3.50. $50.
MIR. JONES' SILVER BILL.
Mr.. Jones Qem, Ark). al $50 +. NJ,
moved To take .up The bin reported by
him ON the 18th OF February from the
Finance Committee providing for The
issue Of bonds and colnage OF silver ana
Tor other purposes.
Mr.. Hale said that that motion, If car
ried. would dlsplace the bankruptcy bills,
and he moved that the Senate adjourn.
AIR. Haie's motion was voted on by
yeas and n9ys. and was rejected-yeas
II. nays Sc. as follows
Yeas-Nlessrs Allison, Cary Chandler
Davis Dixon Frye Hawley, Hill, hoar'
Mcmillan Mcpherson, Manderson, Mitch
ell CWis), Plat, Proctor quay ana
Nilas-N.
blackburn. Butler, Can, Camden came
ron. Clarke. Daniel. Dubois, fauikher'
George, Gibson. German Hahspfoush'
IIunton. Jones (ArkD. Jones (Nev), Kyle
Mantle. Morgan, Palmer Pener' ierAlhs'
pettigrew Pugh, Ransom, squire stewart
Teller. Turple. Voorhees, "aIsh ana
W aitc-36
As this vote was regarded as in some
measure "A test on the silver bill, there
was much excitement over the result.
As soon as Il was announced motion 10
proceed 70 the consideration Of the In
dian appropriation bill was interposed by
MIR Call Dem. fla. A preliminary dis
pute arose as TO whether Mr., Calls mo
lion took precedence of Mr.. Jones. and
The Vice President held that under the
rule. which gives precedence to appropria-
tion bills, MIR. Calls motion had first TO
- xfnfed on nv yeas and nayS. and was