The morning times., 1896-01-28
le senate has a new humorist.

The Senate has new humorist.
The attack OF the brilliant young senator
from North Dakota, Mr.. Hansprcugh, on
the Secretary OF Agriculture is RESPONSE
bic for the find. The discovery is Senator
George Of Mississippi. The Senate finds
this surprise only 10 lose it soon.
Mr.. Hansbrough's charges against Sec
retary Morton were so strong that 1t was
relt necessary to answer themin the strong
est manner possible. So Mr.. George, who
is one OF the ablest constitutional lawyers
in the Senate, took up the cudGels in defense
OF Mr.. Morton.
He confined the first part Of his argument
to the constitutionality and legality Of
the Senate trying to turn itself into court
and attempting to decide what a law was.
Having disposed OF this point he discussed
rare and uncommon seeds"
RARE SEEDS
For this as his text he kept the Senate
in a roar Certain florists had made offers
to Secretary Morton to sell rare and IN
common seeds at rare and uncommon
prices.
"Lobelia seeds" he said, ''were offered
at S35 a pound. Was the Secretary of
Agriculture to be hung for this?'
Then they Offered a double morning
glory seed at $40 POUND. Everybody has
morning glories, but this was double morn
ing glory seed; double, / suppose, because
il blooms twice in the morning. Is the
the Secretary TO be Guartered as well as
hung for refusing TO purchase these?''
At first the Senators present eyed Mr.
George in opei-.nouthed amazement. Then
seeing that lie was really making Il funny
speech they settled down to thorough
enjoyment OF it. But the climax was
reached when he said:
And here's a French seed they wanted
$50 a pound for. / can't pronounce it.
1t is spelled this way" and letter for let
ter he repeated the spelling. Then he
made stGGger at tie pronunciation ana
the Senate Toarcd. Mr.. Morgan, with ais
Bering gsea srbitTation kno w!edgc OF French.
laid back in his chair and laughed loud
and long. Mr.. George has rotified the SEN
ate that he will speak on the subject OF
Rare and L Uncommon Seeds
Two speeches were made on the silver
question. one by Mr.. Nelson, of Mime
sofa. against free coinage. and the other
bv Mr. Bacon. of Georgia. favoring II. II
was his maiden speech and he delivered 1t
with much oratorical grace and effect.
He spoke of the restoration of silver TO
general currency on the same terms a gold
as q question which had stood in the fore
ground of discussion for the last twenty
wears. He strongly favored such restora-
ton. So long. he said, as this Important
and importunate and most irrepressibie
question remained undetermined, 1T was
not only natural. but unavoidable that II
should continue 30 attract public interest
and to be a most active political conten-
tion.
The use of both metals. ne argued, was
necessary to supply the money necessary
to de- the business of the world; for the
reason that all the gold OF the world
available for coinage WIS insufficient for
such purpose and that all the silver Of
the world available for coinage was also
insufficient That was the basic funda-
mental principle in favor of both metals.
Mr. Bacon argued that there was no
authority under existing law for the issue
of bonds: and that if there were such a
law it ought to he repealed.
MR.. BACON AND HILL.
Mr.. Hill. Dem, New York. asked NJ.
bItOu Nfittit'E II Nds iultt iSii " NAis'i ~
that the maintenance of the gold standard
was the sole object of the bond issues
Would it not bc a more accurate statement
to say that the issue of bonds was intended
to maintain the greepbaCk currency?
Mr.. Bacon answered the last question by
negdtire. and quoted from the message
Of the PreSiden' to prove that the object
of the bond issue WAS to maintain the gold
reserve He carried on an extended
col'oluy with Mr.. Hi OF New York, as 10
the effect OF tn. hond issues. and contended
that. instead OF issuing bonds to obtain
gold. the one hundred and scven,y-;evon
millions OF surplus in the Treasury shoUi'!
be used in Tie redemption OF government
securitics-the paper money being eN-
changed for silver coin. and this silver
coin paid ont. He said that if the govern
| meat persisted in ignoring silver as money
aud in redeeining its obligations only in
gold. there would be in few years five
| hundred millions locked up i'll the Treasury
! in the shane OF grccnbackS and Treasury
notes. and the circulation of the country
| would be diminished to that extent.
At the close of Mr.. Rdc0n'S speech. Mr..
| Clark. Eep.. Wyoming. obtained the floor.
Mr.. Lodge. Rep. Massachusetts. gave
notice of an amendment to the bond bill,
! providing for an issue of SIC0.0U0.U00 in