The herald., 1897-01-29
PROCEEDINGS IN
SENATE AND HOUSE
Debate Is Lively but Re-
suit Small
government POWER QUESTIONED
To Foreclose Without Payment
of Prior Liens
THE MONETARY CONFERENCE
Strongly Advocated and Bitterly Opposed
by Able Speakers
A Vote Will Be Taken Today If Pettigrew Is
Brief
The House at Last Disposes of the In
dian Appropriation Bill-The Vari-
THE MONETARY CONFERENCE
Strongly Advocated and Bitterly Opposed
by Able Speakers
A Vote viii Be Taken Today II Pettlgrew Is
Brief
The House at Last Disposes of the In
dian Appropriation Bill-The Vari-
Gus Matters Discussed
in Committee.
AssocIated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S.-The open
session of the senate was comparative
ly brief today, as more than half of the
day was spent behind closed doors.
During the open session the bill for an
international monetary conference was
debated, Chandler speaking in favor Of
it, and Stewart of Nevada against it
Chandlers speech was carefully pre-
pared and was in the nature of state
ment of the attitude of the Republican
side of the chamber on the bill Stew
art, although criticising the commission
as futile, stated that he would not Op-
pose the measure. 1t is expected a vote
will be reached tomorrow, although Pet
tigrew of South Dakota announced
speech which may lead to further de-
lay.
The Nicaraguan canal and the bank
ruptcy bills were before the senate for
a short time, but no progress was made
on either Early in the day a lively de-
bate occurred over Aliens resolution
questioning the presidents rights to
foreclose against the Pacific railroads.
The resolution went over for speech
by Mr.. Thurston of Nebraska tomor-
row.
The senate toady passed a bill ex-
tending the time for the building Of the
st. Paul and Manitoba railway through
the White Earth Indian reservation.
Petitions urging a speedy ratification
of the Anglo-American peace treaty
were received.
Allen of Nebraska asked immediate
Cow. bn 1rrti ha
fered directing the committee on Pacific
railroads to inquire into the powers OF
the president and attorney general to
conduct foreclosure proceedings against
the Pacific roads; also, their powers to
enter into agreements as to sale prior
to actual foreclosure, and directing the
attorney general in the meantime to re-
frain from further action.
Reading from the law, Allen argued,
first, that the duty of the president was
to redeem first liens, not to foreclose.
The president, he said, should be bound
by the law as much as the humbleSt Cit
izen of the land. If this point was
raised, it was likely to defeat the fore
closure.
Clarke, Republican, of Wyoming, to
the establishment of Allen, claiming to
be a friend of the people, took the posi-
tion that the United States should pay
out of it's treasury every dollar of these
prior liens before resorting to foreclos-
ure, Allen responded, that he could not
be moved by bluster. The law was
plain and the duty mandatory on the
president.
A discussion proceeded as to the con-
struction of the law, Platt of Connecti-
cut and Bacon of Georgia taking part.
Platt said he confessed some doubt as
to the right of the president to resort
to foreclosure before redemption, but
was inclined to believe that the power
existed.
At another point Allen remarked that
the president could not foreclose unless
he declined to recognize the law, and in
the language of Boss Tweed asked,
''What are you going to do about it?" 1t
was time to stop this interference. The
| executive branch had taken from con-
gress Cuba and other foreign questions,
| and now there was an effort to remove
| from congress all control of domestic
| affairs.
| The resolution finally went over in
| order to allow Thurston of Nebraska
! to address the senate on 1t tomorrow.
| The debate on the bill for an interna-
| tional monetary conference was re-
! s,lmed.
Chandler who, in the absence of VOL
! colt, has charge of the measure, OUT
| lining the purpose of the bill. He said:
This Dill represents new MOVEMENT,
beginning in the United States, for the
establishment of bimetallism-the un-
limited coinage of silver and gold as
standard money. The provisions of the
bill are in the form desired by it's friends
substantially in the language Of three
| previous authorizations under which its
! delegates were appointed to interna-
| tional monetary conferences and OF one
under which no action was taken
Chandler then outlined the provis-
| ions Of the bill and quoted from Mr.
McKinley's letter of acceptance, say
| ing Mr.. Mckinley would take every
| means to promote an international
| agreement.
| Chandler closed his remarks by say
| ing: This bill for an International BIZ
| metallic conference has been deliberate
| ly presented in a body a majority OF
| whose members are in favor OF the free
| coinage of silver by the United States,
! Independent of other nations, and who
| believe that no successful results Will
| come from the conference But it is pre-
| serted to them in the belief that after
| the assurance that they are not unwil-
| ling to allow the experiment to be tried
( again, under favorable auspices, and
with universal hope that it may Sc
cure the adoption of system OF bimet-
| allism by the leading commercial ma
| tions of the world. 1t is also presented
| in the form which is preferred by the
| friends of the measure, who have faith
| that it will prove useful effective and
J successful in Its great purpose. u -