Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-06-13
WORK DONE BY THE HOUSE.
Report on the Senate Bond Bill
Prospecfs in Kentucky.


WASHINGTON, June 8.-Ho for ST.
Louisl is the cry of a majority of the
Republican Senators and Represen-
tatives just now. Many of them are
delegates to the convention and many
more wish to be on hand when the
next President of the United States is
named, and just as soon as the gavel
falls for adjournment, which will be
in very few hours-not later. than
Thursday-they will pack their
grips and start. The meeting of the
National Committee, in st. Louis
this week, to make up the temporary
roll of the convention, will be second
in importance only to the meeting of
the convention itself, and many Con-
gressmen, beside those who are mem
bers of the committee, will start from
Washington in time to be there at its
opening on Wednesday.
No surprise was caused by the veto
of the general deficiency appropria-
ton bill on account of the items max
ing an appropriation for the French
spoliation claims, which have been
before Congress in one or another
shape for nearly one hundred years,
and another appropriation for a pri-
vate claim. The House promptly
sustained the veto and passed another
deficiency bill with those and several
other items left out The objection
able items were placed in the bill by
the Senate and were virtually forced
on the House by the insistence of the
Senate conferees.
The report of Chairman Dingley,
of the House Ways and Means COM
nittee, against the Senate bill pro-
hibiting the issue of bonds without
special authority of Congress, which
was signed by all of the Republican
members of the committee and by
two Democrats-Turner, of Georgia,
and Cobb, of Missouri-is considered
to be an able and comprehensive doc
ument. The following extract from
| the report shows the committee to be
in line with the Republican policy OF
preserving the credit of the country
at all hazards: Zone excuse which
has been given for the passage of the
Senate bill is that the Secretary OF
the Treasury has sold bonds to syndi-
Gates instead of offering them first as
popular loans. While we sympa-
thize with this criticism, yet this af-
fords substantial ground for amend
ing the Act of 1875 so as to require
bonds issued under it to be first of
Tered to the American people, and
not ground for the absolute repeal of
all authority to borrow in an ext
gency. Another excuse is that the
Secretary of the Treasury has indi-
rectly issued and sold bonds to meet
the deficiency of revenues, by using
the redeemed U. S. Legal Tender
notes for current expenses, and thus
placing them in a position for second
redemption. This affords ground fol
such legislation as will make it prac-
tically impossible to continue this
practice, but not satisfactory ground
for taking from the Secretary all
power to borrow for the purpose Of
maintaining the redemption fund. y
The report raps the administration
hard for refusing to officially recog.
nize the deficit in the revenues, and
the Senate for its refusal to pass the
emergency tariff bill and other RELIEF
measures passed by the House early
in the session.
/ Hon. c. M. Barnett, Chairman Of
the State Republican Committee, Of
Kentucky, who has been visiting
Washington, says of the outlook in
that state: Kentucky will give ma
ljority for the Republican ticket in
November of from $4,000 to 80. ooe
votes. expect to see Republican
elected in every Congressional dis
trict save one,-the frst-and it j:
doubtful whether the Democrats will
carry that"
In summing up the work done a
this session OF Congress Republican,
| find nothing to reproach themselve:
with, although they may regret tina
the Senate did not pass several i'm
lportant bills which the House passed
The Republicans of the House, tn
only branch of Congress controlled b,
: the party. can return to their con
stitutents with the proud boast-if
be Boosting to state the literal truth
that so far as their votes are cor
cerned they have filled every pledg
made by the party platforms upo
which they were elected. Needle
appropriations have been made fc
internal improvements. although
D involved the overthrow of the Pres
/ dental veto to do it; harbor defense
!, and the continued strengthening {
Jour Navy have been provided for; th