The herald., 1895-08-08

rise Immediately Ito considerable discus.
sion as 10 the comptroller's powers and
duties, and the claim has been persistent
ly made that he had no jurisdiction. and
was compelled to obey the laws passed
by congress. whether constitutional or
not. That question will be argued, as we'll
as the constitutionality of the bounty ap-
propriations. Ex-senator Manderson of
Nebraska1made strong argument in sup
port of the claim.
The hearing took place in Comptroller
Bowler's Office in the treasury building.
Ex-senator Manderson of Nebraska made
the first argumen. in the case. He said
the interest under consideration was one
of great importance, not only to his state.
but to the entire United States. The
bounty provided for in the Mckinley law
was plan of the government to reward
experiments in sugar production to the
extent of cents per pound. 1t was SOL
emn contract for term OF years, and the
producers had right to rely upon it.
The state of Nebraska, he said. had gone
to great expense in establishing expert
ment stations for the purpose of teaching
the people how to grow the beets. AS
going to show the hardships which the
repeal of the bounty act had worked, he
said that Nebraska farmers had this year
planted 5000 acres of beets, or 5000 acres
more than sver before. unaer contracts
previously made with the manufacturers.
He characterized the repeal OF the bounty
law as unrighteous. unjust and a most
unlawful exercise of congressional prerog-
alive, and referred to 1t as bunco pro-
cess. He then explained the present
bouptv lauic la kiop nOdar which the praS-
ent claim is presented.
Mr.. Manderson declared that if by any
method in TIE treasury Department. or
In the courts this boon be denied our fac
tories, disaster beyond any description
and distress beyond any capacity to paint
will result.
"What wo plead for now is that our
factories be allowed to exc out an exist
ence. Wipe out this industry and you
administer almost a death blow to the
west.
The speaker then discussed at length
the duties OF the com mptroller and his au-
thority to act in this case, which he de.
MED. The president and congress. said
Mr.. Manderson, had passed on the con-
stitutionality of this act, and he refused
TO acknowledge the authority OF subor-
dinate to pass an ex post facto veto.
Only the judiciary could do this.
Senator Manderson made the point that
the law providing for the payment OF the
bounty was later enactment than the
general law defining the comptroller g
duties and should be given due weight
as the latest instruction on the subject.
Senator Caffery asked Mr.. Manderson
whether iI was not true that Republicans
had voted as a relief measure and not as
going to establish bounty principle, to
which Mr.. Manderson said such was
the case. He contended that congress had
the constitutional right to make dona-
tion or gift if it should see fit and
quoted Jere Black as authority for the
opinion.
Citing presidents, Mr.. Manderson re-
ferred to the opposition made by the
Federalists to the purchase OF the
Louisiana territory, and said:
Suppose We should have had an
official who would have assumed to nullify
that act by refusing to pay out the
money appropriated. He would have
been spectacle for gods and men.
thank God it was not decided against the
purchase, and hope we may 60 on ac-
quifng and purchasing until we get
Hawaii and Cuba and other outlying
strips of lonely territory towards which
we have been looking with longing eyes.
Suppose, too, q com Dtrollel had refused
to pay warrants for war expenses during
the rebellion on the ground that be had
doubts of their constitutional validity. In
that event, he added, l think there
would have been rape on the treasury
and murder of the comptroller.
After an honr's recess for Luncheon.