The record-union., 1896-05-08
PETERS Resolution Agreed to In the Senate
by a Large Majority.
The Finance Committee Will Now
Look Into the Matter.
The River and Harbor and Legislative
Appropriation Bills Also Taken Up
in the Senate-NO Business of
Importance Transacted in the
House.

w MAY TIC poiu
resolution which has been so long
pending in the Senate was finally dis
posed of to-day, having been agreed
to by vote of 81 yeas to nays. AS
originally offered by PETER of Kansas
it provided for a select committee to
investigate all the facts and circum-
stances attending the issue and sale
of Government bonds in the years
1894, 1895 and 1896, but it had been
amended yesterday by the substitution
of the Finance Committee for a select
committee and it was in that shape
that it was agreed to. The Finance
Committee consists of six Republican
Senators-Messrs. Morrill,. Sherman,
Allison, Aldrich, Plat and Wolcott of
six Democratic Senators-Messrs
voorhees,, Harris, Vest, Jones, White
and Walthall, and one Populist, Jones
of Nevada.
When the resolution for investiga
ton into the bond sales in 1894, 1895
and 1896 was taken up Palmer (Dem.)
OF Illinois addressed the Senate. He
felt that the animus of the resolution
was to effect the public mind with
reference to the silver question. He
did not suppose that any Senator, eX
cept perhaps the Senator from South
Dakota Pettigrew), questioned the in
tegrlty of the Secretary of the Treas
ury. He PalmeC had opposed the
resolution because he believed that its
purpose was to procure material to
affect unfavorably the public mind on
the silver question.
Much of Palmers argument was ad-
dressed as to the question how much
the value of the silver dollar would be
affected under free and unlimited coin
age
The answer given by Cockrell Dem)
of Missouri was that the commercial
value of the gold dollar and of the sill
Yer dollar would be equal-that the
silver dollar would appreciate some
and the gold dollar depreciate some
Palmer-The point where they unite
would be the standard of value instead
of gold, the present standard of value
Garter (Rep.) of Montana began to
catechise Palmer but the latter de-
clined to answer several of the ques-
tons until his own question was an
swered.
II believe / W iii ask the Senator from
Illinois a question: Harris Oem.) of
was the owner of the silver bullion
and had the right to have it coined at
41212 grains to the dollar-a full legal
tender dollar-wOuld he sell that silver
bullion at less than 81 % to the
ounce?"
Il have got every sort of answer"
Palmer replied, from my friends who
are in favor of free currency except a
direct answer"
MY answer is Harris exclaimed.
that free coinage would bring silver
up to par
Vest asked Palmer what he meant by
an illusion in his speech to "snap con-
Ventions," and was informed shat II re-
ferred to conventions last year in Mis-
souri, and Illinois. Vest reverted to the
question of snap conventions, and after
an allusion to the recent extension of
the scivil service reform t; the
dismissal of District Attorney Benton
in Missouri in 1868 for speaking at
Democratic Convention, and to the fact
that members of the present admins
tration had been allowed 70 make
speeches in their own and other States
in opposition to free silver he wound
up his speech with these words: II
serve notice now that if this conven-
ton at Chicago is to be made up Of
Federal office-holders brought there 10
awe and override the rights of an hor-
est majority of the Democratic party
throughout the United States, it is no
Democratic Convention with me- I will
abide by the will of the majority of the
party honestly assembled and honestly
expressed. I make no threats, but 1
ont Iowa, to-, y TIL.
ocratic party is the party of honest ex-
preston and not of Federal patronage"
Hill Dem) of New York suggested
good humoredly that on the question
of snap conventions he might be allow
ed to speak upon it as an expert.
Iaughter) I'm order to AVOID snap
conventions in the State of New York
this year." he said, "the Democracy oe
that State proposed to have the latest
convention of all the States"
Hill then went on to discuss the bond
resolution, and he questioned Pettigrew
as to the authenticity of telegram
which that Senator had read in his
speech last Tuesday, remarking that
the Treasury Department knew nothing
about it.
Hill contended that Carlisle should be
treated as courteously as Sherman and
Boutwell, while Secretaries of the Treas
ury had been treated in like circum-
stances The Finance Committee, if it
desired information as to the recent
bond issues, might have sent for Mr..
Carlisle who would have gladly fur
nished IT.
There was therefore no necessity for
the resolution, and he was opposed to
it, although its most offensive feature
Ga select committee) had been elimnat-
ed. Addressing the Senators Of his own
party, Hill said: Democrats. be not
deceived. This is useless and unnec-
esary proceeding; it is an attack on
your Secretary of the Treasury; it is
putting him to annoyance and trouble
You are playing into the hands of your
pponents-Republicans and poI,ulists.
I do not think it is wise proceeding:
do not think it is a polite proceed
iEg; it is now in the hands Of The Sen
ate and / shall vote aginst it If am the
only man to do So
The vote was then taken and the res
olution was agreed to-yeas 81, nays
6. Senators Caffery. Faulkner Gray,
Hill, Villas of Wisconsin and Pal
mer voted nav