The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-05
SLAUGHTER OF THE
ANTI-BOND BILL
An Adverse Report Is Ordered by the
Ways and Means Committee.
ONLY TWO VOTES IN ITS FAVOR
Characterized by the Republicans as
POpuiist Measure..Mr. Wheeler,
Of Alabama, Makes Report for the
Minority.

Washington, June 4.-The house COM
mittee on ways and means today by
a vote Of IS to 2 decided to report the
Butler bond prohibition bill adversely.
The members of the committee voted
as follows:
For the adverse report-Republicans
-Dingley (Me.), Payne IN. ", Dali
zell CPa), Hopkins Ull.), Grosvenor
(Ohio), Russell Comm. Dolliver Uowa),
Steele Und.), Johnson IN. d., Evans
(Ky). Tawney (Minn). Democrats
Turner (Ga), Cobb (Mo.)-13.
For a favorable report-Democrats-
McMillin (Tenn.), Wheeler (Ala.).
Representatives Crisp CDem., Ga.)
and McLaurin Dem., S. c. were alb
sent, both of whom, 1t Is supposed,
would have voted for a favorable re-
port.
There was little discussion of the
resolution. Republicans spoke of 1t as a
Populist measure. Mr.. GrosvenOr made
the motion for an adverse report, which
was carried after the motion Of Mr..
Wheeler for favorable report had been
voted down. Chairman Dingley pre-
pared the majority report, and Mr..
Wheeler will make one for the minor
ity.
MIR. WHEELER'S REPORT.
report, giving the view Of the minority
on the senate bond bill by quoting
section of the constitution which
gives congress the power to borrow
money on the credit of the United
States.
1T was never contemplated" he says,
that the act of Jan. IA, 1885, should be
construed to have any operation fur
ther than to effect the resumption of
specie payment in 1879. 1t certainly was
not contemplated at that time to give
to any president unlimited and continu-
ing authority to exercise the power
which the trainers Of the constitution
conferred upon congress alone"
The report quotes the resumption act
and says that at the time 1t was passed
1t was presumed that the surplus reve-
nues not otherwise appropriated would
be sufficient to very nearly, II not fully,
accomplish the purpose; and the proviso
authorizing the secretary to sell bonds
for coin was added as a measure of
abundant precaution. The full amount
Of coin acquired by the secretary of the
treasury, Mr.. Sherman. was s25. 900;
and this sum, together with the surplus
in the treasury, fully accomplished The
resumption of specie payment And
this purpose having been attained, the
power conferred by the act ceased to
exist
This" MIR. Wheeler contends, "is
shown by the wording of the act;" and
he asks, after his reference to it, "if
anything can be clearer than that after
the resumption provided for had been
accomplished, the power given by the
act was at an end"
The report Of the majority, he says,
refers to the resumption act "as an act
passed by a Republican congress"
This and other expressions of parti-
san character by the majority, he
claims, make it proper that the minority
should state the historical facts con-
nected with this measure, and he con-
cludes his report with review of this
character, giving the national DEM
ocratic platform of 1876, said to have
been written by Samuel ]. Tilden, de-
nouncing the resumption clause of the
act of 1875 and demanding its repeal.