Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-02-06

Washington, Jan. Ex-senator Villas
made a 3-hours' speech on the cur
rency. 1t was a vivid word picture of
democracy, which he said was menaced
on the one hand by federalism rejuven-
ated in the republican party, on the
other by that 'portentious cloud of
party never known in the days of
democratic justice, charged with wild,
fantastic theories of social disorder and
wilder schemes of remedy, threatening,
should it grow apace, no one can fore
tell what violence of social tempest"
AS Mr. Villas proceeded there were &C.
casiOnal sharp exchanges between him
and other senator's Mr.. Mitchell liz,
jeCted question as to the bond trans
action Of last year. Mr.. Villas justified
the course taken under the eXigenCies
OF the time, while Mr.. Mitchell de-
nominated the course Of the bond pur-
chasers in buying on the theory of
silver payments and yet demanding
and expecting gold payments as
"bunco game"
Mr. Bate (dem) of Tennessee ad-
dressed the senate in support of the
silver amendment. He said he was
unable to support either of the fiscal
measures sent to the senate from the
! house, as an emergency tariff bill in
creases taxes not necessary to the sup
port of the government and the gold
bond bill imposes a heavy burden, both
present and future Trade and business
! desired rest from tariff agitation for
at least two years. With an existing
surplus of SITS 100000 in the treasury,
there was no justification for another
tariff agitation. Mr.. Bate quoted the
assurances of the president and secre-
/ tary of the treasury that the present
financial embarrassments were not due
to deficiency of revenue. Mr.. Bate
cOmbatted what he termed the fiction
of gold reserve. 1t had created
danger signal" until private corpora
tions now placed gold payments in
their bonds The senator referred to a
recent loan by Norfolk, Va, corpor-
alton of 81 100000 per cent forty-year
bonds, payable in gold" In conclu-
sion, Mr.. Bate commended the pending
silver amendment as clearing away all
clouds of doubt and restoring silver to
its sovereign rights.
Mr. Pasco (dem) of Florida followed
Mr. Bate in support of the silver
amendment He said the great body
of the American people are bmetallists
and referred to the platform of all
parties to show that party professions
were for both metals Mr. PascO re-
scented the charge that silver legisla-
ton is in the interest of silver mine
owners The people of Florida had no
such pecuniai'y interests. The profit
/ to mine owners is merely incidental,
he said, and expressed the belief that
bmetalism would bring in its train
business activity and commercial pros
perity. Others took part in the debate.
Washington, Jan. 31.-The house
confined itself to routine business.
Most of the session was devoted to the
District of Columbia appropriation
bill. The district bill carries $5,417,-
900 1858, 423 less than the sum appro-
priated for the current fiscal year
The house passed a bill granting
the Christian Endeavor society the use
of some of the government reserva-
lions in Washington during their
meeting here next summer.
Mr.. Jenkins Uep0 of Wisconsin
called up the elections committee re-
port on the contest of Rosenthal repo
vs.. Crowley, from the tenth Texas
district The unanimous report in
Crowley's favor was adopted without
debate or division.
Mr.. Evans Uep) of Kentucky, who
was at one time commissioner OF in
, ternal revenue, reported from the
committee on ways and means bill
to amend section 1885 of the revised
statutes, so as to extend the eXemp-
tions therein allowed dealers in
brandies distilled from prunes, apples
and grapes to hrandies distilled from
pears, pineapples, oranges and berries.
The bill had been recommended by the
commissioner of internal revenue, and
was passed.
The annual effort of Mr. De Among
I (dem.) of Missouri was made to COM
pei the district of Columbia to bear all
the expense of the district govern
ment but figures were adduced to
prove that the value of the govern
ments property in the district eX-
ceeded that of private individuals by
over $7UO0000 The chair finally
ruled the amendment out on point of
order,
A bill to pension Susan b. Wright,
who, prior to her marriage to Arte-
mus Wright, had been the widow Of
James w. Wells, Company l.. tenth
regiment, New York volunteer corps,
met with opposition on both sides of
/ the house. General Curtis of New
! York was in charge of the bill and re-
/ fused to withdraw it. The result was
that it went to vote and Mr.. Miles
(dem) OF Maryland made the point of