The San Francisco call., 1897-12-17
Pelagic Sealing by Americans
Will Be Checked in
Short Order.
BILL PASSED BY A VOTE OF
14S TO 7S.
>Aolcott Talks Upon BImetalIIsm
and the Tour of the Com
mission Abroad.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL
CALL OFFICE. RIGGs HoUsE.l
MAsHINGTON. Dec. is. [


WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.
WOlcott of Coloraoo, chairman of the
commission appointed by Presiden. Nc
hinley o secure, if posi- BILE, the co-opera-
ton of forei- Il countries in an inter
national conference upon the silver ques-
ton, said in the Senate to-day that the
committee had not made report to the
President, and it was uncertain when q
report would be ade. Negotiations for q
bimetallic conference, he said, are still
pending, but Wolcott assured the Senate
that the committee had no intention of
prolong ging its effort beyond the point
where reasonable hope of success should
exist. Wolcott promised TO explain fully
the Work OF the commission in a speech
o be delivered after the holiday recess.
4 resolution directing the Secretary OF
War TO send supplies to Am ericans and
other sufferers N the Klondike region
was passed.
Pritchard of North Carolina, chairman
Of the Civil Service Investigating Com
mittee, delivered a brief speech upon the
execution OF the civil service law as de-
ye.Oped by his committee
Hanna OF ONO, after an illness of a
week. appeared in the Senate to-day and
was cordially greeted by has colleagues.
Frye of the Commerce Committee favorably
reported, and the Senate passed, q bill direct
Ing the secretary OF the Treasury to purchase
or construct sulta ole vessel for reyenu ue
cutter service on the Yukon River in Alaska
the cost not 10 exceed $4,000
4 Allison Of the Appropriations Committee re-
orted tavorably the House joint resolution
rOviding Tor recess OF Congress from De-
-mber Is, 1897, 10 January Is, 1898. The
: -Fo. utlOu adopted.
Hawley Of the Military Affairs Committee
reported the res oluton OF Mcbride Of Oregon.
Tor the relief OF the American miners and
other sufferers in the Yukon Valley, Alaska
The committee struck out all but the enacting
clause, and amended the res olutiOn by appro-
Driating $3.50, 600. which is to be used nv me
Secretary OF War for the purchase of subsis-
tence and supplies and Tor their transportation
and distribution, the consent of the Canadian
Government first to be obtained TO pass over
Canadian territory. Tne resolution further
provided that the supplies are to be dis
trlbuted among the needy miners as the See
Eetary of War may determine, aud that the
supplies 10 be transported By means OF
reindeer, the reindeer 10 be sold after they
have performed their service.
HaWley asked for immediate consideration
OF the res luton and il was then adopted.
Pettigrew secured the adoption of a resolu-
tion directing the -ecre tary of the Interior to
furnish the senate An ltem1Zsd statement OF
the receipts and expenditures of the Central
Pacific Railroad Tor eacn year from 1871 to
1897, the statement also TO show The subsidies
paid 10 steam boat com panies.
Cannon OF Utah offered and had passed q
resolution directing the Secretary OF the Treas
revenue cutters emploged on the coast OF
Florida TO prevent hltbustering; how many
such expeditions were thwar ted; what vessel
were captured; wha. armed expeditions were
retary OF the Treasury acted in the matter.
Aliens resolution calling upon the President
for information about IN instructions given
10 the International Monetary Committee and
the report made to him by the commission
then came up.
WoIcott of Colorado, chairman of the com.
mission, said that the commission had not
made a report to the President. The Eng lish
Government, he added, had published a
resume of the proceedings OF the commitlee
IN England. That document viii soon be
here. and. as il covers the subject fully, II
VIII be valuable 70 Senator'S and others.
81 nope soon," said Wolcott, "to make a
statement concerning the work OF the None
tary Commission. Quite naturally the state
1nent shall make will be unofficial, but ii
will cout lain all The Information that may be
Of Interest and value 10 the Senate.
"As have been absent from the country
about nine months, have not since my re-
Turn, on account OF an accumulation OF bust
ness, been able to prepare such statement as
should like to make to the Senate II the
Senator from Nebraska (Auen) Will permit, the
question might 60 over until after the recess,
waen, about the middle of next month, shall
be able 10 discuss this sutj ject."
Wolcott asked, and the Senate ordered
printed q speech delivered by NJ. Meline in
the French Chamber of Deputies on the 20th
Of November last. in which he dealt at con-
siderable length with all SUBJECTS bearing
upon bfmetallism. I'M. Meline shows" SAID
Wolcott "that the steady depreciation oi
prices of agricultural products IS due solely TO
competition between gold and silver couu-
tries."
Stewart of Nevada said he had been salts
fed from the trst that the efforts of IN e COM
mission would ail- He had always sdvocat ted
independent action by the United States to Sc
cure b me etalIism, and he thought that the eff
fort to secure the cooperation OF foreign ma
tions would not be only unnecessary, but dan
gerous He said that the cooperation OF
France with our com missioners was more than
be had reason 10 hope Ior, but ne was perfectly
satisfied that England could not De Drought TO
agree TO the tree coinage OF silver. In the
course OF his remarks stewart sald that the
utterances of the President and the Secretary
Of the Treasury proved that thls was gold
standard administration.
This statement brought Chandler of New
Hampshire 10 mis- feet he SAID that secretar
Gage had never announced that Inc present
administration was in favor OF gold stand
ard. and he did not believe that the Senator
from Nevada desired 10 misre present the ad-
ninistration.
Stewart disclaimed any intention to misrep-
resent Mckinley or Secretary Gage, out ne In
sisted mat the words and actions OF the sec
tary established the truthlulness OF MS STATE
meut.
Allen OF Nebraska, the author OF the resoiu.
tion, said he was not disposed TO press lt AZ
this time # the Senator from Colorado (Wol-
\ coti) desired 10 speak upon IL at later date
I 1ut he thought that the matter ought TO be
Nqeared away. -.
In response TO an inquiry Wolcott said ne
did not think the commission had any lnten-
ton OF making a report al this Time and as a
matter OF fact he did not know Wheh inc re-
port would be made.
There is no desire upon the part OF any
body" said Wolcott. "to prolong negot1stloHs
after all hope of success has disappeared. NO
meInb Der of the com nittee woul1 delay for an
hour the announcement of its decision after
a decision one way or the other snail nave
been reached"
Alien SAID he had always been satisfied that
international bimetallism was drean-hH
ldealitv that would never be attained, but ne
was willing TO afford the comm sslon ali rea-
sonabie latitude He asked that The resolu-
ton go over until the 18th OF next p1ontn'