The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-12

tlon ulsnoccu OF as Hpcculty MS possible iio
said he was contemplating asking the SEN
ate soon to fix n day by Unanimous consent
for vote. 1t is the general opinion that
the request will nowsbc acceded TO.
THE HOUSE.
Sharp Debate Over. rniiiicaI Ones
tions--Appropriafio bills.
Washington, February LITTLE house 70.
day passed the Notifications appropriation
bill with but single amendment. and
made some Roadway with The postoffice ar-
preparation bill, but the mater portion OF
the day was consumed In political debate
on the financial question, which was pre-
ciptated by an innocent provision H.
bill for funding the'debt OF the Territories.
The bill aroused the opposition of MIR. Me
Millin (Dem.) of Tennessee because it pro-
yided for gold bonds and the payment Of in
terest in gold or its equivalent
MIR. Knox (Rop.) of Massachusetts said
that the stipulation regarding gold bonds
applied only to Arizona, which had out
standing gold bonds TO be refunded.
Mr.. PAYNE CRcp) OF New York said he
saw no reason why the other Territories
should not be permitted to issue gold bonds.
He said this bill lore no relation TO the
question whether we should put gold in the
bonds OF the United States. lie had voted
Il put gold In the bonds, he added. when
the administration put the country IN po-
sition where not to do so woulI cost the
people Sl2. 100000. Congress refused, and
row the taxpayers would have to pay the
SIP 900, 600.
And yet you maintain" interrupted
Mr., Terry (Dam.) Of Arkansas, that We
should pay these bonds in gold. although
We paid s12 900. 00o for the privilege OF
paving them In siiver?'
! Every one maintains" replied MIR.
Payne, that the bonds are payable In
gold. Even .he late democratic candidate
for vice president (Sewali), who ran on the
silver platform, held gold bonds and the
silver mine owners. who were rampant for
| free silver sentiment. wrote gold In their
notes"
| MIR. Hartman CRe- ssta,ltsns indlg-
nahtly denied this statement; but Mr..
| rayne insisted that he was right He sNid
that the Western debtors, In order to get
| mcncy with respectable rate OF interest.
were Obliged to agree to pay the principal
and interest In gold. He said h. believed
every United States bond should be paid In
| gold.
Mr.. Mcguire CDem) OF California replied
to Mr.. Payne He said the honesty OF the
believers In free silver was questioned be
cause some of them lcaning their money
made geld contracts Silver had. by law,
been deprived Of its legitimate function as
money gold had been given special privi-
logc. Silver was mere token money. Why,
| he argued should business man abandon
the business advantage which the law gave
/ him because Of his conviction that IS a
natter of policy silver Shouid be remonot-
| lied?
MIR Bailey ODcm.) Of Texas made brief
argument 10 demonstrate thnt gold con-
| tract, being contrary 10 public policy, was
| illegal
MIR. Walker (Rop.) Of Massachusetts. the
| chairman OF the committee on banking and
| currency. declared II was as notorious as
| that the sun shines that there We're certain
/ States of the Union whose monetary sys-
tom was beyond the reach OF congressional
| lcpislation There were seven States where
ell transactions were In gold ard vet II
was curious, he said that the representa-
tivcs from those States on this floor
sought TO compel the rest of the Union TO
take 80 cents on tho dollar, lie insisted
that congress should not interfere with
private contracts He urged the house To
| vote down an amendment that had been
submitted by Mr.. McMillln Dem) Of Ten
nesseo, which was as follows.
Provided that the PRINCIPAL and Interest
of the bonds funded under this act shlll
| he PAYABLE In any lawful money o. inc
! 4 NlLel ElhitS. fAffDA Ait fNiiN''N '~''N
| above described and heretofore isHnef
MIR Bartlett tnem) Of New York. who
| described himsolf as 'gola democrat,
| warned the house that the abortion OF TINS
! amendment was equivalent 10 4 declaration
| In favor e soft money
Mr. Hartman again got the tlonr TO deny
| tbe statements OF Mr. Walker who. be
said. has furnished more mlsuformotion
| to the world on this question th9h All thp
| rest NJ the house
He insisted that gold contracts were not
made In his State. and be read one OF M
! teen letters from cashiers OF banks In ms
state. all denying gold -tontrncts liia
correspondents. he said. had been IN tho
| banking business for twenty years, ana had
| never seen a gold note
In Modification ~ his statement Mr.Walk
er produced and read gold notes made IN
| Utah and California, Hc said he reSre,iel
II II he made n mistake In ennmeratlng tue
seven States. hut he insi'tod there Were
seven States where practically time obliga-
tions were payable IN gold.
| Mr. NcMillln's resolution was agreed to-
va IN 7 after which the bill was passed.
After this tho house went irin Commute
Of tlc whole and took ZIP the posto'hce ap-
proprleiion hill.
Of the bill said there was some QUESTION
as 10 the justice Of the present mofc o.
| determining the compensation 70 " S',,'
various railroads for carrying mails Mr.
! o,,d s,id congress- could do nothing tut
nv ths m,xIn,um compensation. i, was
within the power Of the postmaster genera
TO devise methods for obtaining The irlls-
nor,ot,on NJ me mails nj luz, sYd equitable
ra,ss. Tho lh,siofhcc bills during The pas,
ci-hiecn vo-rg had bern s36St""l Oh
this $50. $40 eco hid rore 70 TIE 1910 g-si
,o,ds ,ch,eh received 70 pcr cent moro tha'
,o,.atded roads Vet irrrsoo-tation u
nail was so profitable 10 these land grant
roads al the reduced compc1sation ina
they had put on fas, mail trains in order