The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-28
rate. to ana from Missouri river points.

a.
At o'clock MIR. Hansbrough (Rep.. N.
d. addressed the senate on the rcsolu-
tton ,nstructing the secretary Of agric'ii-
ture to execute the law concerning the
distribution OF seeds, etc.
lie said: 1T IL an unpleasant duty to
he obliged TO criticize the acts of n cabi-
net minister, but In this case II seems
to me that there Is a great principle III
volved, The essence OF tho controversy
lies IN the proposition whether an active
officer of the government mas the right
to willfuIly deliberately, desiynedly and.
In this case. premeditatedly ignore n Fol-
cfnn statute OF congress-. believe II can
be shown that the honorable secretary OF
agriculture has disobeycd tho mandate Ot
the legislative government. II is q part
OF his departmental functions to carry
into effect any law appcrtatning to the
affairs OF his department which congress
sees NJ to enact. The last congress made
an appropriation OF $4,000 TO be used IN
the purchase and distribution or seeus.
trees, cuttings, bulbs. etc. as required
by law. Tho secretary first showed MS
deliberate purpose TO evade the law when
he asked the attorney general for nn IN
depreciation OF the statute with reference
10 the purchase of seeds There Is noth-
ing at all In the opinion Of tie att 'rney
general which Is inconsistent with the
prior work OF the department.
Mr.. Hansbroueh proceeded to show that
the secretary advertised for seeds In n
technical way and. receiving no bids. re-
fused to readvertise.
The senator continued. It was the plain
u"'y VI the secre'hry. II nc was IaithIui
III 'ne performance OF mat DUTY ana TO-
sneu 10 execute the laws or congress-, 10
h"Vc rehuNertised ana 70 nave earnestly
endehVorrd to aid bidders III OFFERING seeds
OF thc KIND ana character that tho law
demanded and the secretary required In
sicaa OF inns ne rejected all the bus upon
technical grounds. forthwith abolished the
seeu uiN'sioh OF MS department ana an
hounced mat there would be no seeds
curchased una distributed under the ap-
preparation LII for the fiscal year ending
juno w, lssU
Altogether the position OF the secretary
IN this matter is exceedingly lame. That
ne Is personally opposed 10 Inc purchase
ana distribution oil seeds OF any character.
whether they be rare or uncommon or
otherwise. there is no question.
Ana SO we have here case In which q
high legislative OFFICER deliberately sets
ASIDE tDe law OF congress, and say That
II IL not NO much the value OF seeds or tho
good results that come from their d stribu-
tion as II IN the settlement OF the question
as to whether departmental official shall
disobey the Legislative authority. He was
opposed to this proposition at the outset.
and. although 1t wns his clear duty to do
everything to carry out that law. he has
placed every obstacle In the way OF Its
execution and has finally refused to exc
cute 1t. The proper tlmc to discuss the
rropriety of the government distribution
OF seeds IL when the act for the appro-
prlation of money comes up before tho
proper committee OF congress. The great
question above all others Is contumacious'
conduct OF tho secretary. Can an officer
the hrapph IF n
mcnt. who Is in effect n high raiat1ed
clerk. definitely and stubhornly refuse to
carry INTO OBJECT the acts of the congress
OF the United States"
Mr., Allen pop. Neb) spoke Of the
high personal qualities of the secretary OF
agriculture but added that the secretary
di not always contine himself to his proper
sphere. lilo was apt to discuss finance.
usurping TO come extent the functions OF
the secretary OF the treasury.
MIR. George (Dem.. Miss) said the senate
could not act az u court and issue its
maudamus 10 the secretary OF agricul-
turc Mr.. Hansbrough, he said, was act
Ing as prosecuting attorney and was ar
raigning the secretary of agriculture as
though Impeachment proceedings were
contemplated.
At 2 o'clock tho Hanabrough resolution
went over until tomorrow and the silver
bond bin was taken up
Mr.. Nelson tRep, Mimi addressed the
senate for the first time since he entered
the senate. lie read from manuscript and
spoke In II clear strong voice
Mr.. Nelson said the free and unlimited
coinage OF silver at the ratio of l6 to 1
by the United States alone ut this time
and under existing conditions would de-
stroy the last vestige and the last hope
OF genuine bimetnlllsm and would reduce
us 10 II basis OF recommendation with
Mexico. China and apan as our chief
metallic money associates A metal may
be freely coined. he argued. and yet be
powerless to maintain itself In circulation
as long as the cheaper rletal can not be
exchanged for gold--dolIar for dollar. The
American people are In favor of ample
and complete bimetaiic circulation It is
because they have good ground TO feel
that free and unlimited coinage would de-
stroy such bimotalllsm that they are OPP
posed to such coinage.
When every ether argument fails. the
advocates of free silver appeal TO our
prejudices md say that by aiming to keep
our money mp to the gold standard we are
merely knucking down to England put
ting ourselves In her grasp ana placing
ourselves at her mercy. England. said Mr.,
Nelson, occupies the vantage ground be-