Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-05-02
ON BATTLESHIPS.
fhe Senate Has an Exciting De-
bate Over the Item
THE pICKLER PENSION BILL PASSED
It Gets Through the House by q Vote of
1877 Ex-senator Woicott, of Coll
orado, Writes q Letter Defin-
ing His Position.

WASHINGTON, April 29.-The senate
was plunged into an exciting financial
debate yesterday after several weeks
of serene and formal procedure on APP
preparation bills The naval appro-
priation bill was under consideration
and the item of four battleships, to
cost an aggregate of SIS, 900, 600, served
as a text for a speech by MIR. German,
pointing out that the revenues of the
government are less than the receipts
MIR. Germans statements brought on
an animated controversy. in which Mr..
Sherman, Mr.. Hale, Mr.. Chandler
Joined issue with the Maryland senator
to the respon sibility for the failure
of the tariff legislation in the present
congress. Mr.. Germans speech and
the freq uent heated party co1loquies it
developed attracted great interest,
crowds filing the galleries for the first
time since the Cuban debate and many
members of the house coming over to
listen to the proceedings. The battle
ships item was not completed when
the senate adjourned
The house yesterday passed the
Picker general pension bill by vote
of 1s7 to 54. Fhe republicans and pop
u1ists voted solidly in favor of the
measure, and the democrats, with six
exceptions, solidly against it. The
section to which the bulk of the oppo-
sition was directed provides that per
sons otherwise entitled to pensions
shall not be disqualified on account of
prior service in the confederate army,
provided they Joined the union forces
30 days before Lees surrender. The
bankruptcy bill was taken up under a
special order providing for vote Sat
urday at four p. M
woLCoTT DEFINES HIS POSITION.
WASHINGTON, April 90. - Senator
Wolcott, of Colorado, has written
letter defining his position in regard
to the St Louis convention. The sem
ator's position is radically different
from the position of his colleague,
Senator Teller, as Senator Wolcott in
dicates his intention of remaining
with the republican party, whatever
action it may take on the currency
question. His letter is addressed to
Irwin w. Howbert, chairman of the re-
publican state committee of Colorado,
and is in part follows:
There is no sacrifice I would not make to
secure the reconciliation of silver, not be-
cause Colorado is a producer of silver, but be-
cause, in my opinion. prosperity will never re-
turn to until bimetallism at the former
ratio is re-eStab1ished, and because the ap-
preciating value of gold and shrinkage Of
values which necessarily follow this apprecia-
tion must bring only disaster and poverty and
not lenders of money. To secure the IN
limited coinage of silver. would count party
ties nothing. At this moment, however, the
situation which confrontS Is this: Both OF
the two great parties are apparently opposed
to free coinage by the United States. The
populist party favorS free coinage, but only as
means to secure more currency as a stop to-
ward unlimited paper money, and it unites
with free coinage advocacy socialistic and pa
ternalistic doctrines which dangerous in
tendency, and which would be- if adopted, de-
structive to free institutions. I know of no
fourth party as yet entitled to our confidence
and support, although the wisdom of leaders
whose character and abilities we trust may find
some common ground upon which bimetallistS,
untainted with populism. may stand Under
these circumstances and conditions, therefore,
desire to be counted a republican
HAMMoND's CONVICTION.
WASHINGTON, April 29.-When SEN
ator Stewart, who is a personal friend
of Hammond, heard of his conviction
at Pretoria for treason, he immediate
iy set to work to prepare petition in
circulated among senators and mem
dressed to President Kruger and is a
plea for pardon. 1t sets forth the high
character of the accused and states
that his family and associations here
were of the best, and while it is con-
ceded by the petitioners that the crime
to which he has pleaded guilty is a
most serious one, and directed against
a government for which the signers
have high regard, they still ask as
an act of clemency that the offense be
condoned and the prisoner liberated.
"