The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-28
BOND BILL TALK.
It was Extensively Discussed in
the House Yesterday.
Democrats and POpulists United
Against the Measure. ~.
VIGOROUS OPPOSITION
Evening Session Held to Discuss
1t More Thoroughly.
Radical Concessions Forced from
the Bond Issue Men.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2s.-The House
yesterday entered upon the consider
alton of the bond bill The bill aroused
the opposition of the Democrats and
Populists, the gold Democrats being
arrayed against it because they claimed
it did not give the Secretary the au-
thority to issue gold bonds, with
which he desired to replenish the re-
serve, and the silver Democrats on the
ground of their general opposition to
bond issues. The latter commended
that the raids on the Treasury could
be stopped if the Secretary would use
his discretion to redeem notes in silver
when the reserve was threatened.
In the Republican ranks also there
developed such bitter opposition to the
bill as originally drawn and to the
proposition to force the bill to vote
yesterday that the Republican mem
bers of the committee on ways aud
means incorporated it IN an amend
ment specifically declaring that moth
ing in the act should be construed as
a modification or repeal of the act of
1870 for the reissue of the greenbacks
when redeemed, and the committee on
rules extended the limit of debate
until to-day at o'clock. but declined
to give the members of the House op-
10 OuST
The feature of the day was a strong
speech from Mr.. johnson of California,
appealing to his Republican colleagues
to vote against the bill He scored the
Republican leaders for bringing in
the bill. He said that he had voted
for the revenue measure under pro-
test, but he refused to follow them on
the present bill. Political expediency,
which involved a surrender of princi-
The debate ran far into the night.
The principle speeches were made by
Messrs. Dingley of Maine and Grosve-
nor OF Ohio (Repu blicans) and Messrs.
Turner of Georgia and Patterson of
Tennessee Democrats.
At the evening session, which con-
tinued until &c o'clock, the debate was
continued, the speakers being Mr..
Wheeler, Democrat, of Alabama; Mr.
Wilson, Republican, of Idaho; Mr..
Gibson, Republican, of Tennessee; Mr..
De Almond, of Missouri; Mr.. Hender-
son, of Iowa, and others
Mr.. De Almond, in opposing the bill,
said that McKinleyism was a mis-
homer. From what he had heard of
the construction of the Mckinley bill,
it should have been named after the
man whose genius had controlled the
destinies of the Fifty-first congress
and would shape those of the Fifty
fourth. The purpose of this bill was
to issue bonds, to contract the curren-
cy at the will of the secretary of the
treasury, to lower the price of wheat
and raise that of bonds, to reduce the
wages of those who toll and increase
the incomes of the jobbers in money
''ShaQ we one day" he concluded,
"faunt defiance in the face of Eng
land and the next day bow submission
to the financial policy of the mistress
of the seas? This is a bill to perpetu-
ate the gold standard"
did you entertain your silver views
before the last election?" asked Mr..
Dovener. Republican, West Virginia.
II did"
''You were elected by 2,0oo IN 1892.
What was your majority in is94?"
Exactly 3d." replied Mr.. Dear
mond, sharply, land a gentleman who
has no more idea of the propriety of
debate than to interrupt a gentleman
yours, certainly got here by too many,
if his majority was only one vote. y
(Uproarious Democratic applause)
Mr.. Tarsney of Missouri, charged
the Republicans with Sinking their
responsibility. The passage of this
bill would not relieve, but would az
gravate the present embarrassment
OF the treasury. The bill
was in effect simply a proposition to
reduce the interest on bonds, the
authorization for which was already
provided by law. The root of the evil
was the greenbacl1. and the existence
of the greenbacl in our currency sys-
TEN would not be affected by this bill
Personally, he had no horror of a bond
issue. Whether in war or in peace he
stood here to do his duty. He would
vote for bonds whenever the credit,
welfare and honor of the country de-
manded it.