The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-02-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[From Our Regular Correspondent

| With the Senate pulling one way and the
House the other, there is little probability
that President Cleveland's advice will be
| taken to the eAtent of saving $l6,000, 600 in
| interest that will have to be paid on those 3
and 81 per cent. bonds. The House Ways
and Means committee has reported a resolu-
| ton for the saving of those millions by au-
| thorizing the issue of per cent. gold bonds.
But nothing can be hoped from the Senate,
where it has been announced by those who
| are strong enough to make good their Ian
guage that the only financial legislation they
will agree to is the bill for the unlimited
coinage of of silver, which has been favora
bly, reported from the Finance Committee
This bill provides that the government shall
coin and deliver for each dollars worth OF
bullion presented at the mints one silver
dollar, and that the difference in weight
shall be retained as seigniorage, and was
originally section of general financial bill
introduced by Senator Jones, of Arkansas.
1t would seem that Secretary Carlisle's
statement, that the only reason for not at
first making public all the details of the
contract made for that purchase of gold with
bonds was that it might hamper the other
contracting parties, and that The administra-
tion had nothing to conceal should have
been sufficient, but it has not prevented some
of the Senators from making exhibitions OF
themselves.2
Senator Hill had little fun with " his
whiskers," otherwise known as Senator
PETER, this week. "His whiskers'' wanted
to know why his resolution asking the Senate
Judiciary Committee to report ON the legal
lty of the bond issues by this administration
could not at once be acted upon. Senator
Hill, member of the Judiciary Committee,
said, in the absence OF the chairman of the
Committee, he was not at liberty to explain
why report had not been made, but he
stated that the committee would be disposed
to get the opinion of the Attorney General
before acting upon such question. This
angered his whiskers," who said: "Oh,
| do not want to hear from the Attorney
General. l regard my own opinion ON this
point as good as that of the Attorney Gener-
al" ''Then," said Senator Hill, amidst
laughter on the floor and in the galleries,
= have nothing whatever to say, after that
statement" The sarcasm was lost upon ''his
whiskers," who, prompted by his egotsm.
continued: al have no doubt that have
given the subject more attention than the
Attorney General or than the Senator from
New York. / have no doubt that l have
given it not only more careful consideration
but more intelligent consideration" This
ume Senator Hill joined in the laughter
which closed the farce.
The Senate amendment to the diplomatic
and consular appropriation bill, appropri-
atiug 5000 to start the laying of gov
ernment cable to Hawaii, has many bitter
enemies in the House, which has refused to
concur therein. The bill is now in confer
ence, and unless the Senate recedes con-
test lasting to the closing days of the session
and maybe resulting in the failure of the ap-
preparation bill is inevitable.
Secretary Carlisle took some of the conceit
out of ex-Speaker Reed this week, but he
still has enough left to supply dozen
ordinary men. The incident occurred
when Secretary Carlisle was explaining to
the Ways and Means Committee of the
House, of which Mr.. Reed is member, why
and how that bond contract was made by the
administration. Mr.. Reed pompously in
quIred of Secretary Carlisle why his substi.
Iute, which was last week defeated by the
House, was not satisfactory to the admins
tratiOn. Secretary Carlisle answered by
reading a clause of the act of 1874. which
had been overlooked by all the speakers
during the financial discussion, and which
would have nullifed any benefit that nigh
have been derived from the Reed substitute
For once Mr.. Reed was lost for an answer. |
The law read by Secretary Carlisle gives the |
holders of National Bank notes the right to
have them redeemed by Treasury notes, it |
they SO desire, and as the Treasury notes are |
redeemable in gold, it practically makes the |
National Bank notes also redeemable in /
gold. The Reed substitute only recognizes |
the greenbacks as redeemable in gold. There /
is heap of ignorance, in Congress as well |
as among the people, on the financial ques-
ton.
Boss Platt took day off from the arduous
duty of directing the republican ajority OF
the New York legislature and came over to
Warrington this week to issue few orders
to the New York republican members of the
House, and to give Lemuel Eli Quigg few
pointers for the editorial page of the New
York City Plat organ.