The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-08
WILL BIZ INVESTIGATED.
Peffer Bond Resolution Passes the
Seuate.
ONLY SIX DEMOCRATS VOTED
AGAINST 1T,

The River and Harbor Bill Next Consid-
cred BY the senate-severaI Pages
Passed--Mr. Picker Endeavors to Have
Pension Bills Taken Up In the House.
y Washington, May I'm the Senate to-
day resolution directing the commits.
sioner OF agriculture to report to the
Senate Immediately the reason for the de-
lay in distributing seeds was offered by
Gallinger Republican of New Hamp-
shire, and agreed to.
The resolution for an inqu Try into the
bond and sales of 1884, '95 and '96 was
taken up and Mr.. Palmer, Democrat of
Illinois addressed the Senate. He felt
that the animus of the resolution was to
affect the public mind with reference to
the silver question. He did not suppose
any Senator, except perhaps the Senator
from South Dakota, Mr.. Pettigrew,
questioned the integrity of the Secretary
of the Treasury. The Senator's judg-
ment, perhaps, might possibly be- dis
puted, and correctness Of his acts might
be questioned. He, Mr.. Palmer, had op-
posed the resolution because he believed
that it's purpose was to procure material
to affect unfavorably the public mind on
the silver question. .
In the course OF his remarks, Mr.
Palmer read an editorial from a Phila-
delphia paper, discussing Mr.. McKinley's 8
position on the silver question.
MCKINLEY" he added sis to be the
Republican candidate for President.
understand that the opposition to him
has practically failed
only protest that there should be in
this contest, a distinct, clear, precise
platform, adopted By the political
parties.
In the course of reply to an allusion
| by Mr.. Palmer to ''snap conventions,
| Vest, Democrat of Missouri, charged the
| administration with allowing members
of the oabinst to neglect their official
! duties and absent themselves from Wash
| ington to make speeches against the free
coinage of silver. He read statements to
show how the recent Democratic conven-
tion in Michigan was controlled by
federal Office holders, who under the
pressure from Washington deserted from
| she cause of free coinage.
| He declared that If the National Demo-
cratic convention at Chicago was over
awed and overrldden in that way, its
| action would not be that of fairly elected
delegates T61rly expressed.
| Mr.. Hill, Democrat of New York,
closed his speech On the Peffer bond reso-
| luton, with an appeal to the Democratic
Senators to vote against it, because it
was an attack by Republicans and Popu-
lists on the Secretary of the Treasury. A
vote was taken and the resolution agreed
| to-yeas, 81; nays, 6. The negative votes
were by Senators Caffery, Faulkner,
Gray, Hill, Mitchell, Wisconsin and
Palmer, all Democrats.
| The consideration of the river and har-
| Dor bill was resumed. The committee
amendments, reducing from $500, goo to
| $3.50, 900 the appropriation for, continuin g
| the improvements on the Delaware river
from Trenton to its mouth, striking out
the provision allowing contracts to be
made not to exceed $500, 600 for improving
the mouth of the Yazoo river and harbor
at Vicksburg, were disagreed to. The
committee amendment, striking out the
appropriations for improving the
Missouri river $50, 600 at Omaha, and
Council Bluffs, $50, GOO. at Rocheport,
$50. 900, at Glasgow, $4,000 at Miami,
$50, 900 at st. Charles, leaving the expsn-
ditures to the discretion of Missouri river
commission, were agreed to. Appropria,
tions of SIS, 900 each for Leavenworth and
Atchison were inserted. The bill was
laid aside. SS pages Of the 1l8 having
been disposed of with the exception of
some reserved items. The conference re-
port on the legislative appropriation bill
was agreed to. That disposed of, the
question of compensation to United
States districts attorneys and marshals,
the schedule Of salaries being arranged
varying with the judicial districts There
are still half dozen other matters in the
| bill not settled Further conference was
ordered. The Senate bill to confer juris-
diction on the court of claims in case
of book agents of the Methodist Episcopal
church against the United States was
adopted. The Senate adjourned.