Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-03-14

piring at noon to-day, were dominated
by their controlling issues. The first by
the silver question. The second by the
tariff question. The third by the fl
nancial question. A resume of the
work of the special and regular ses-
sions of the Fifty third congress is
given below:
The Silver Session I"
On the 7th Of August. 1853, the congress con-
vened in extraordinary session Tor The avoNea
purpose OF repeating the compulsory silver
purchase provision OF the laa OF 1880 This WAS
the silver session. NJ. w l. wilson chair
man of tine committee Of ways and means pre-
pared bill in conformity to the recommended
tions OF the presidents message, ana on the
2sth Of August, 1898 this measure passed the
/ house
The senate in the meantime had been pre-
pairing through the committee on finance
sub-bill, and on the Isl OF November this SEN
ate substitute received the approval of both
houses and became a law by the approval of
the president This measure and the repeal
of the remaining vestiges of the reconstruc-
ton of the federal election laws closed the inn
portant work of the extra session
Tariff Legislation.
Upon its meeting IN regular session in De-
cember, 1898, congress entered upon the con-
sideration OF the revision OF the tariff. AS ir
the case of the silver question. but ia a much
proposed" and the senate disposed"
The Wilson tariff bill passed by
the house February 1894 was set aside for
the Jones German compromise tariff bill,
adopted by the senate on the Sd of July 1894,
after five months debate, and the
house was given the blunt option of
the senate bill or nothing 1t took the sem
ate bill and sent it to the president on
the 10th Of August 1854 President Cleveland
permitted the bill to become a law without his
nicated to individual members OF congress his
dissatisfaction at the inadequacy of the
changes made in the tarif system
Supplemental to the passage Of the tarin
law the senate entered upon proftiess and
inconclusive investigation q. rumors that SEN
ators had been improperly influenced to vote
for the sugar schedule and had specialized in
stocks OF the so-called Sugar Trust COM
pany.
The '.Financial" Session.
The third and last, or financial session of
the Fifty-third congress has been especially
marked by the refusal of both houses to put
into legislative shape the recommendations of
the president for the alienation Of the
stringent financial situation The president
in his annual message called attention to the
continual depletion OF the gold reserve
and complained that though 1t perfectly
and palpably plain that the only way under
present conditions by which this reserve when
dangerously depleted can be replenished is
through the issue and sale of the bonds of the
government for gold, congress has not only
thus far declined to authorize the issue OF
bonds best suited TO such a purpose, but there
seems disposition in some quarters to deny
both the necessity and power for the issue of
bonds at all"
The banking and currency committee of the
house with TIE approval of the administra-
ton, submitted financial measure which,
among otner provisions materially modified
the national banking laws and repealed the
restrictions on state bank circulation This
bill was defeated by six majority.
Message No. 2.
It was followed by second message from
the president received by both houses of con-
gress December 2s, in which the president said
that whatever might have been the merits of
the original plan proposed by him ne was now
convinced that its reception by the congress
and our present advanced stage of financial
perplexity necessitated additional or different
legislation He once again recommended the
passage of law authorizing the issue of low
interest bearing bonds to maintain the gold
reserve.
The banking and currency committee re-
sponded to this suggestion by Offering on the
lst of February, 1895, bill to authorize the
secretary of the treasury to issue bonds to
maintain sufficient gold reserve and to retire
United States notes" After only two days
debate this bill was also defeated by MAORI
ty of ~
Bonds Are issued.
On the next day the president informed con-
gress that he had negotiated "A conditional sale
of over S62 900 900 OF per cent coin bonds to
syndicate largely representing foreign capital
lists having no other resource left, because of
the omission thus far on the part of congress
to benehcially enlarge the powers of the secre
tary of the treasury III the premises -
This last message went to the ways and
means committee, whose cha-Eman Mr.. Will
son of West Virginia seven days after it's re-
fbfavs{l
issue OF S65 ll6,175 OF gold per cent. bonds, as
recommended by the president. The measure
was called up on February "A and defeated the
same day by 47 majority after stormy de-
bate. These three financial measures, with
the general appropriation bulls. consumed the
greater part OF the session.
Much Last Indone.
Early ia the session the democratic caucus
OF the senate agreed ttat the following mat
tiers should be considered; financial meas
ure of some sort, details not desig-
mated. the bankruptcy bill; the bills
for the admission OF New Mexico and
Arizona; the Niearagaan canal bill; and the
state bank TAX repeal bill. OF all these meas
afes the Ncaraguau canal bill alone passed
the senate after two months debate 1t
1 failed 10 receive cons Iteration in the house.
/ The bankruptcy bill made the I'M
/ finished business, but was choked BY the APP
preparation bills. Financial measures were not
I <Ited on by the senate, and nothing planned by
] the senate cduGuu ltSHAteu IN legislation Inc
1 so-cailed apog-gun tariff bills sent over By
| the house providing for Tree sugar. free coal
| and free iron were not even honored by con-
sideration and the railroad pooling bill, one OF
| the most important measures passed by the
! house. was also shelved
The pooling bill was passed by the house
| early in the session, but the senate refused to
| consider it by negative vote OF 42 to "a on
| the question OF consideration Strong oppo-
! sition TO the Reilly bill was developed in the
| house, and after very sharp debate 1t was re-
| committed to the committee without instruc
/ tons
The house adopted Joint resolution for an
/ amendment to the constitution providing for
| the election OF United States senators by df-
rect vote OF the people Of the states. but the
I resolution reported adversely by the sen
ate committee on privileges and elections.
| Appropriations.
The following figures show approximately
the total appropriations made during the
| present session OF congress: Agricultural
/ IS SQs ~ army, s2s 2S2 COS; diplomatic and
tr.,~ .fs- -