The herald., 1897-02-26
IN THE HOUSE
The Record Corrected A Bill Declaring War
With Spain

| WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-There was
an echo of Bryan's visit to the house
yesterday after the journal was read
| today. Barrett. Republican. of Massa- =
chusetts, called attention to the fact
that the congressional record this morn
ing contained these words: During the
| reading of the bill Mr.. Bryan entered
the hall and there was loud applause on
the Democratic side" He asked wheth-
er record testimony to the truth of his
tory was proper.
The chair considers it very improp-
er thing to put in the record" replied
the speaker. "Is it there?" he asked.
TT is" replied Barrett. ''and l move
it be stricken out of the permanent rec
ord"
THE motion Is unnecessary" said the
speaker, sharply. THE chair will or
der it stricken from the record"
The house is evidently drifting on to-
ward final adjournment with an easy
conscience. All the appropriation bills
have been sent to the senate. Final ac-
tion was had on both the agricultural
and army bills today, and the bill was
passed to clothe postoffice inspectors
with the power of United States mar
shals in the matter of making arrests.
Quite Unexpectedly in the afternoon the
banking and currency committee
brought forward the bill to authorize
national banks to take out circulation
to the par value of the bonds deposited
This bill was bitterly opposed by Mr..
Walker, chairman of the committee
from which 1t emanated, and there was
lively debate, but the bill was passed,
144 to 46.
A resolution was adopted requesting
the president to transmit to the house
all correspondence on flle at the state
department relating to the imprison-
ment of American citizens In Cuba.
The committee had framed a substi
tute for the various resolutions of in
qu;ry before it, as follows:
Resolved, By the house of representa-
tives, that the president be requested to
transmit to the house of representa-
tives, If not incompatible with public
interest, all correspondence filed in the
state department not hitherto communi-
Gated to congress in regard to the i'm
prisonment of American citizens by
Spanish officials in the island of Cuba.
Representative Sulzer of New York
introduced a bill declaring war between
Spain and her colonies and the United
States.
The bill provides that war be declared
to exist between the kingdom of Spain
and her colonies and the United States
that the president is authorized to us'a
the whole land and naval forces of the
United States to carry the same into
effect, and to issue to private armed ves-
sells of the United States commissions
or letters of marQue and general re-
prisaI in such form as he shall think
proper and under the seal of the United
States against the vessels, goods and
effects of the government of said king
dom of Gnair and thl fbaraof
Several conference reports were pre-
sented and agreed to. Among them were
the report on the agricultural appro-
priation bill "a final report), and on the
bill to amend the timber culture act
The confereeS on the army bill reported
disagreement on that bill, the bone of
contention between the two houses be-
ing the item relative to the hospital at
Hot Springs. The house wanted this
hospital abandoned, the senate insisted
that provision be made for its mainte-
nance. The house finally agreed to re-
cede from its position on this item,
and thereby continue the hospital. This
has the effect of final agreement, and
the army bill will now go to the presi-
dent.
The senate bill to amend the act Gre
ating two additional justices of the su-
preme court of Oklahoma was passed.
long discussion occurred over the
bill to clothe the postoffie inspectors
with the authority now vested in United
States marshals in the matter of ar
rests. Hopkins of Illinois, Republican,
opposed it on the ground that as the
postoffica inspectors were not bonded
officers, persons illegally arrested by
them would have no redress. After two
hours of debate the bill was passed, III
to 9S.
Van voorhees,, Co., Rep, ,)from the bank
ing and currency committee, called up
the house bill to increase the circula ton
of national banks by permitting them
to take out circulation up to the par
value Of bonds deposited. Some of the
Democrats attempted to filibustec
against the measure by making points
of order and raising the question of
consideration against it, but they were
defeated, the house voting 1876 to Is to
consider the bill
Van Vorhees tok the flor and said the
sole purpose of this bill was to allow
banks to take out circulation to the face
value of bonds deposited.
Cox, Tenn, Dem..) said that the only
real effect of the passage of this bill
would be to increase the price of United
States bonds.
Walker, Mass. Rep.,) chairman of the
committee on banking and currency
secured the floor for an hour by unani-
nous consent and devoted his time to q
general speech on the subject of bank
ing reform, advocating the lines of his
bill, which practically embodes the old
Suffolk system" in vogue in New Eng
land from 1870 to 1860. He said three out
of every five people in the United States.
entertained feeling of hostility toward
the national banks and the passage at
this time of the pending bin framed in
their interests would be a fatal mistake
If the present national banking system
were aggrandized along it's present
lines, he warned his side of the house
that there would be less Republicans in
the fifty-sixth house than there were,
Democrats in this. The large cities, he
argued profted by the national bank
ing act. All agricultural communities
and states suffered.
After some further remarks by Bell
Colo, Pop.O and Williams, Miss.
Dem.) in opposition, and Brosius'
(Penn., Rep.) and Johnson. Gnd., Rep,
In favor Of the measure, it was passed.
The resolution requesting the presi-