Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-29
54th CONGRESS.
A Day Of Long Speeches in
Both National Houses.
Monetary Conference, Bankruptcy Bill
and Nicaraguan Canal in Senate.
Indian Appropriation Bill Passed in House
-Grosyenor Answers AltgeId.

Washington, Jan. 2S.-In the Senate,
Bacon, DEM, of Georgia, asked Chan
dler whether the bill providing for an
international monetary commission
conferred ~on the President of the
a conference if he decided it was adj
visable to do so.
Mr. Chandler-Beyond all question
the language of the bill authorizes the
President to initiate the conference
and that authority the President will
not hesitate to exert, for a moment, if
he believes the conference ought to be
called.
Bacon asked whether there was any
objection to having authority specifi
cally given the President. Chandler
replied that if there was any need of it,
he should have no objection, but the
friends of the bill had conned it with
the utmost care and understood that
the President, by absolutely necessary
Implication, had the power to call the
conference.
Chandler appealed to Stewart pop,
New. whom he spoke of as the
friend of my lifetime" to withdraw his
amendment which provides that within
a month after the failure and adjourn
ment of the conference. gold and silver
shall be coined in the United States
mines-the silver into standard silver
dollars.
Stewart said he had no disposition to
embarrass or hinder the passage of the
bill, but he argued that the United
States alone should coin silver dollars
at fixed ratio with gold.
after we fix our own money asked
Hoar Rep, Massachusetts, and after
we conclude it is for our interest to
have gold and silver coined at our
mines at a certain ratio, would it not
be good thing if we could pursuade
other nations of the world to adopt
the same ratio?"
Il think not" Stewart replied. Il
think it would be very bad thing. In
the first place it would rob us of the
advantage of acquiring silver Let
them stick to gold. Although the bill
is very humiliating to the United
States in that it requires other nations
to give their consent to our legislation.
l shall not oppose its passage
In the course of i long speech. Stewart
yielded the floor for a moment to enable
Bacon. Dem, of Georgia. to offer an
amendment to the bill authorizing the
President of the United States to call in
his discretion such international confer
ence to assemble at such point as may
be agreed upon. Chandler, referring TO
the amendment. said that while he dld
not think it necessary. he had no oblec-
ton to it. and he was entirely willing
that it should be adopted.
Stewart went on with his speech.
While he was descanting upon all the
evils inflicted upon the people. and when
he used the phrase you are responsible
for all IBIS lilo Hear ReP of M Maosaeh be
meant by you" Did he mean the Vice
President? Haughter)
when | say you. Stewart eX-
claimed. Il meant every servant of the
British power. | mean every man who
likes to see the poor miserable and the
rich happy. | mean those who want to
have a stronger government here to
keep down the rabble. -
Hoar-I rise to question OF order.
Under the rules of the Senate. the word
you as used by the senator means the
Vice President: and it is out of order to
attribute all these disgraceful things to
him. Qaughter).
Stewart said he would allow the bill to
pass in any form its friends desired At
till tomorrow and the Senate went into
executive session. The doors were re-
opened at $40, and the Nicaraguan canal
bill was taken up.
amendment offered by him. Wednesday.
to meet the objections made in the COM
munication of Minister Rodriguez. He
presented resolutions from the National
Board of Trade, sitting in Washington.
declaring that the construction of the
Nicaraguan canal is of the highest i'm
portancc to the commercial interests of
the United States. The bill was laid |
aside and the bankruptcy bill taken up.
Nelson. Rep. of Minnesota. asserted |
that there was no bill before Congress of
such urgency as the bankruptcy bill.
What bankruptcy bill?' Hale asked. |
rs it the Torrey bill?'
Some kind of bankruptcy bill" Mel |
son replied.
lIoar. in charge of the bill. expressed |
would be passed with some modification. |
Hale--l will join with the senator from |
in that effort, because in |
the present condition of the almost sus-
pended animation of the industries of the |
it is necessary to wipe the slate
clean in many respects. ! am willing |
[ hat the senator from Massachusetts |
shall try it.
Hoar asked unanimous consent that the
formal reading of the bill in full should |
take place now. but objection was made
and the bill went over.
The following bills were passed: House
bill to authorize officers who served dur
ing the late war in the regular army to
bear the title and OH occasions of cere-
mony wear the uniform of their highest
corning the jurisdiction of judges. 1t pro-
vides that a district judge shall have all |
the powers Of n circuit judge within his |
own district and within any district in
which he shall be designated to hold |
court during the time limited by such
designation
The Senate adjourned.