Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-02-18
CHAMBERS SPEECH.
The New Hampshire Senator Ad.
vocates Bimetalhsm.
The BANKRUPTCY BILL TAKEN Up.
The House Passes Thirty Nine Pension Bills
"A Veto Sustained -Ssnats Interstate
Commerce Committee Amends
the Brokerage Bill.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator Chan-
dler's speech in the senate yesterday in
advocacy Of bimetallism was one OF
the notable efforts Of the present SEES
sion, not only for the scholarly care
with which the senator presented the
question from his standpoint, but for
the bitter sarcasm addressed to Senator
Palmer and the Indianapolis conven-
ton, the arrangement Of silver repub-
leans who bolted the st. Louis con-
vention, and for the dramatic personal
exchange between Mr.. Chandler and
Mr.. Pettigrew, the latter being one OF
the boilers from the st. Louis conven-
ton. Mr.. Chandler's speech lasted
three hours and was replete with in.
cident 1t was an argument against
single standard of either metal, gold
and silver, and warning against a
policy of monometallism. Then the
senator turned to political phases of
the question, speaking in turn OF
Bryan, Of Palmer and of Mckin-
ley. Mr.. Palmer sat across the
aisle and was frequently addressed by
the speaker as one who had contribut-
ed to the election of Mckinley. The
controversy between Mr.. Chandler and
Mr.. Pettigrew was one of the hottest
personal episodes the senate has had in
some time, the South Dakota senator
declaring Mr.. Chandeliers statement
relative to the violation Of pledges at
st. Louis were wholly and absolutely
false. Mr. Chandler did not modify
his statement, but mutual explanations
restored cordial relations. The per-
Grafton of Mr.. Chandler was an appeal
to the incoming president and his ad-
visers to heed the needs Of the people,
particularly on the money question,
and warning Of speedy political dis
aster certain to follow delay.
The early part Of the speech was q
presentation Of the principle Of finance,
the senator arguing against o single
standard Of either metal. silver or gold
He traced the gradual demonstration
OF silver, the closing of the mints
against the silver dollar in 1878, to the
efforts to restore silver and the serious
blow struck by England against silver
in closing the India mints. But II re-
manned tor Secretary Carlisle, the sem
ator declared, to strike the most fatal
blow at silver in issuing his order that
the government would redeem Its pa
per obligations in gold only. BY that
act Secretary Carlisle struck out OF use
vast amount of silver and drew on
the depleted worlds supply Of gold
and gave the final blow to silver
From the effects of this low depth tc
which it has been reduced by the de
monetization OF silver, bimetallisn
must now begin Its toilsome struggle
upward.
Mr.. Chandler took up the fall Of
, prices, particularly in farm products
resulting from silver demonetization
He declared that within the last 2,
years there had been steady fall o
/ prices of all classes Of property Hi
own convictions, that silver demone
tization was at the bottom Of thi
! downward movement in prices, caused
him to seriously doubt whether thu
era Of prosperity was near at hand. HI
was led to the conclusion, he said tina
prices had not yet touched bottom
The executive session was brief ant
the open session was resumed at 4l5 p
IN. The bankruptcy bill was taken "
and Mr.. Hoar spoke in favor of the bill
He said the pending bill sought to at
ford help to the 100000 bankrupts o
t the country, as well as protection t.
the creditor class The state insolvenc,
laws were manlfestly inadequate, a
only 13 states had laws embracing vol
r untary and involuntary insolvency II,
: explained that the pending measur
provided voluntary as well as involun
tary bankruptcy. Involuntary pre-
0 ceedings could be sustained on a show
ing of actual insolvency. Referring t
q the old bankruptcy law, Mr. Hoar sal
it had been brought into disfavor b.
Q the scandals attending its ADMINISTERS
ton, particularly in the south. /
Louisiana, five judges had been drive
' to resign for fear Of impeachment
= The present bill carefully guarde
against possible evils of extortionat
fees and administrative abuse.
" THE HOUSE.
n WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.--The hous
devoted yesterday, after routine bus
ness had been disposed of, to the col
II sideration of private pension bill
Q Thirty-nine bills in all were passed
n including bills to pension the wido'
" of Gen. Saumel A. Duncan at $50; tn
widow Of Col. D. Dederusy at $50; til
% widow of Gen. G. A. Hackman at So
. and the widow of Gen, Vandever,
' former member Of the house from Cal
n fornia, at $50. For the first time tn
session the house. on vote, decline
to override a pension veto submitted
it for action. The bill was that
pension Nancy A. Allabach, the wido
=. of Peter II. Allabach, of the One HUI
i bred and Thirty-First Pennsylvan
ii volunteers, at the rate OF $50 p'
r. month. The house sustained the vet
- -ll5 to TO- A bill was passed to dehr
' the jurisdiction Of the United Stat
courts in cases for infringement
n letters patent.
, THE BROKERAGE BILL.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE sena
ne committee on interstate commerce he