Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-02-12

appI Opi ldIIuu Dlll WIFI Dut single
amendment and made some headway
with the postofice appropriation bill.
But the MOTOR portion of the day was
consumed in a political debate on the
financil question which was precipitat-
ed by an innocent provision in bill
providing for funding the debt of the
Territories. The bill aroused the oppo-
sition of Mr. McMillin, Dem. Tennes-
see,) because it provided for gold bonds
and the payment of interest in gold or
its equivalent.
Mr.. Knox, (Rep., Massachusetts, said
that the stipulation regarding gold
bonds applied only to Arizona.
Mr.. Payne, (Rep., New York; said
he saw no reason why the other Terri
tories should not be permitted to is
sue gold bonds. He said this bill bore
no relation to the question of whether
we should put gold in the bonds Of the
United States.
He had voted to put gold in the
bonds he added, when the administra-
ton put the country in a position
where not to do so would cost the peo-
pie $12,OOO,O0O. Congress refused and
now the taxpayers would have to pay
those $12,OOO,OOO.
And yet you maintain" interrupted
Mr.. Terry, (Dem., Arkansas,) that we
should pay those bonds in gold although
we paid $12000,000 for the privilege of
paying them in silver"
Every one maintains, almost every
one maintains" replied Mr.. Payne,
that the bonds are payable in gold.
Even the late Democratic candidate for
Vice President (Sewall,) who ran on a
silver platform, held gold bonds, and
the silver mine owners who were ram
pant for free silver sentiment, wrote
gold in their notes
Mr.. Hartman, (Rep., Montana,) in
dlgnantly denied this statement, but
Mr.. Payne insisted that he was right.
Mr.. Mcguire, (Dem., Cala.), replied
to Mr.. Payne. He said the honesty OF
the believers in free silver was to be
questioned because some of them in
loaning their money made gold con-
tracts. Silver had by law been de-
prived of its legitimate function as
money. Cold had been given special
privilege. Silver was mere token
money. Why, he argued should a
business man abandon the business ad-
vantage which the law gave him be-
cause of his conviction that as mat
ter of policy silver should be remone-
tized?
Mr. Bailey, Dem., TeXas), made a
brief argument to demonstrate that a
gold contract being contrary to public
policy was illegal.
Mr.. Walker, (Rep. Mass.), chairman
of the committee on banking and cur
rency. declared it was as notorious as
that the sun shines, that there were
certain States of the union whose mon
etary system was beyond the reach OF
congressional legislation. There were
seven States where all transactions
were in gold, and yet it was curious
he said. that the representatives from
those States on this floor sought 10
compel the rest of the union to take
fffV cents on a dollar. He insisted that
Congress should not interfere with
private contracts. He urged the House
TO vote down an amendment that had
been submitted by Mr.. McMillin
Dem. Tenn. which was as follows:
provided. That the principal and
interest of the bonds funded under this
act shall be payable in any lawful
money of the United States, except the
Arizona bonds above described here
tofore issued
Mir. Bartlett, (Dem., n. ", who de-
scribed himself as a gold Democrat,
warned the House that the adoption oil
this amendment was equivalent to a
declaration in favor of soft money.
Mr.. Lacey. (Rep.. Iowa., deplored the
fact that a financial debate had been
nrecinitated by the bill and expressed
tbe hone that the bill would not be
run ashore and wrecked on a silver
coast.
MIR Hartman again got the floor to
denv the statements Of Mr.. Walker,
who he said. had furnished more
INSTRUMENTATION to the world on this
question than all the rest OF the
He insisted that gold contracts were
made in his State and read one of fifteen
letters from cashiers of banks in his
stote. all denying gold contracts. The
corresnondent said he had been in the
banking business for twenty years and
had never seen a gold note.
Mr. NlcMinn's amendment was agreed
to 14a-7. after which the bill passed.
The House then went into committee OF
the whole. and took up the postoftice ap-
preparation bill.
The Senate to-day passed the diplomat
f. and consular appropriation bill, and
fixed next Wednesday at p. m. as the
time for final vote on the immigration
conference report These were the only
features of the open session which was
ont short early i'm the day by the execu-
tive session on the arbitration treaty
Mr. Morgan questioned the items IN the
hin of $40 600 for minister TO Nicaragua
Cos+a Rico and Salvador, and $4,000 for
a minister 10 Guatemala and Honduras.
I, us understood. he said. that union
,,ad bean formed by three Of these coun-
,ries and that our ministers 10 Nicaura-
o,,a Honduras and Salvador had lost
ltbeir respective functions as their foreign
re7ces had been closed. The union. under
! The name of the Greater Republic OF Cen
trol America had sent a minister here
/ who Il was understood. had been received
"a recognized by the President This
80 an awkward situation. he added.
~ oil rises declared Mr.. Morgan.
"fror, the fact that the President does
-, thinlx If worth his while to inform
/ CONGRESS rs to the status OF our foreign
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