Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-17
FRANKLIN WAS REELECTED
His Enemies Were Defeated in
the House.
PEFFER'S BOND RESOLUTION
Was Bitterly AssaiIed in a Long Speech by
Senator Hill.
He DOESN'T WANT AN INVESTIGATION
Mr.. Hill Says the Populist Party Lives and
Thrives on Disseminating Scandals
Against the. Two Old Parties.
New York Papers Roasted.

Washington, April 16.-The fight
against the reelection of Gen. w. B.
Franklin as a member of the board of
managers Of the national soldiers home
resulted in the defeat of those who OPP
posed him, the house today voting 149
to SO to continue him on the board as
recommended by the committee on mil
itary affairs. There was a three hours
debate before the vote was released, ira
,yersing largely the same ground gone
over yesterday, the administration of the
Leavenworth home and the policy of the
board in retaining Colonel Smith as gov
ernor being the principal points of at
tack. Messrs. Tracy, republican, of Mis-
souri,; Hepburne, republican, of Iowa;
kirkpatrick, republican of Kansas; Cal
derhead, republican of Kansas, and
Blue, republican, of Kansas, favored the
amendment proposed by the latter to
substitute the name of Gen. o. .. How
ard as manager in place of Gen. w. B.
Franklin, and it was opposed by Messrs
Mahon, republican. of Pennsylvania;
Grosevenor republican, of Ohio; Ray, re-
publican, of New York. Sperry, repub-
lican, of Connecticut, and Hull, republi-
can, of Iowa, chairman of the commit
tee on military affairs. The resolutions
II.
w. Steele to succeed themselves, Gen. t.
]. Henderson of Illinois to succeed John
G. Black and Gen. G. l.. Beale Of Maine
to succeed Francis Fessenden.
1t was arranged by unanimous consent
on behalf of Mr.. Henderson, republican,
of Iowa, chairman of the committee on
judiciary, for Wednesday and Thursday
next to be set aside for debate on the
bankruptcy bill, the vote on its passage
to be taken after the reading of the jour-
nal on Friday.
At 4.35 o'clock the house adjourned.
The Senate.
After the routine morning business Mr..
Morrill,, republican, of Vermont, ad-
dressed the senate to show the necessity
for a new building for the national mu-
scum.
At the close of Mr.. MorrilPs remarks
the bill for the new museum building
was placed on the calendar A sugges-
tion was made by Mr.. Hoar to compli-
ment the senators from Vermont by the
Immediate passage of the bill, but Mr.
Morrill, preferred to have it placed on the
calendar, saying that he would offer it
as an amendment to the sundry civil ap-
preparation BILL
The Dupont election case was taken up,
and Mr.. Gray continued his argument,
begun yesterday, against the claim or
Mr. Dupont to the vacant seat in the sem
ate from the state of Delaware. The
whole 0r1rt OF the u0eUt was, dS TIC
senate of Delaware had recognized the
right of Mr.. Watson to exercise his leg
islative functions as speaker of the SEN
ate at the same time he exercised the du-
ties of governor, its judgment in the mat
ter was final and conclusive, and no right
to review that Judgment existed in the
senate of the United States or in any
other body. With Mr.. Watsons vote
counted Mr.. Dupont had not a majority
and therefore was not elected senator of
the United States Mr.. Gray closed his
speech at 2:30 p. M, and the election case
went over without action.
Mr.. PETER claimed the right under the
unanimous consent given yesterday to
have his resolution for an investigation
of recent bond issues taken up for con-
sideration.
Mr.. Culom asked Mr.. PETER to allow
the Indian bill to be acted upon. He said
that If congress expected to adjourn this
summer the appropriation bills would
have to go through pretty soon.
Mr.. PETER suggested that this was the
long session of congress, and, as senators
were paid yearly salaries, the public bus
mess should be fully disposed of before
adjournment. He knew that the presi-
Dental campaign was impending, but
there was time enough to do all the busi-
ness before the senate in reasonable
time, and he regarded the bond resolu-
tion as a very important matter.
The resolution having been laid before
the senate Mr.. PETER stated that the
friends of the resolution did not intend
to expend any more time In its discus
sion.
Mr.. Hill called for the reading of the
resolution and 1T was read in full.
Mr. Allison,> chairman of the commit
tee on appropriations, asked unanimous
consent that, the resolution be laid aside
for the time being and the Indian appro-
priation bill be proceeded with.
Mr.. Peffer objected.
Mr.. Hill opposed the resolution. He
commented upon Mr.. Peffer's remarks
that the friends of the resolution did
not propose to discuss 1t any further.
Ii was, he said, populstic resolution.
1t had its inspiration in the populist par
ty. Investigation was pressed without
formal charges, without specifications,
with allegations of wrong doing, of irreg-
ularities or of corruption. The only rea
son assigned for 1t by the senator from
Kansas was public curiosity" The res
olution was to be passed In the dark. 1t
was to be passed, If at all, not because
of specific allegations against the honor
able secretary of the treasury, but be-
cause public curiosity was to be grati-
fed. The extraordinary character or the
resolution should be therefore comment
ed upon at the outset. They were to
have the spectacle OF a congressional in
vestiga ton. with no one responsible for
any distinct, definite allegation of wrong
doing 1t was to be an investigation for
the novelty Of 1t, for the fun of it, for
the mere sake of having something to
do in the near future. The resolution did
not charge wrong doing, but insinuated
it. The farmers of the senate-the SEN
ators from Kansas, Nebraska and South
Carolina PETER, Allen and Tillman-had
at various times denied the authority of
the secretary of the treasury to issue
bonds under the act of 1870. There was
no question to be investigate Every
body knew what had been done, and that
II had been done in pursuance of law.
The annual reports of the secretary of
the treasury showed what had been done.
Special reports had been made from
time to time, detailing all the operations