The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-07

Gives HIS Views - - what Co~~s Con
/. gre~s Viii Probably Take On ths L<adis1
Tostos Before IA Public

Eress VIII Probably Take on the L<adis1
Tosios Before she Public
Lewiston. Me-. December 2-Tne
Journal this afternoon prints an inter
view with Congressman Nelson Ding
ley, who left for Washington today.
Mr.. Dingley said:
"Inasmuch as ghis VIII he the frs,
regular session os the Fifty-ffth con-
gress. and. Therefore. the session un-
limited in length by the constitution
and laws. il is Difficult, TO forecast the
duration The business OF the ap-
preaching session will be expedited by
the fact that the house. as we'll as the
senate, Is already organized and the
committees appointed. but the senate
has no means of limiting debate. SO
that It is always in the power OF a very
few senators TO greatly extend the sit
ting. / see no a now. however.
TO believe that his session Will con
tinue later han June.
Probably bankruptcy legislation will
be the first to come up after such ap-
preparation bills as may be ready.
IF the senat were republican and
in harmony with the majority of the
house on monetary questions, l should
look for currency legislation. but with
a free silver majority in the senate
a~ntagonis;ic to the ideas of the major
lty OF the house as to what constitutes
a sound currency system, / do not see
how il is possible TO secure desirable
currency legislation of an important
character until the senate is trough
into harmony with the house. Possibly
some desirable amendments of the ma
tional banking law might be passed
by the senate.
While / should be pleased TO see leg
islation which would remedy the want
of flexibility of our banking system
and would separate those functions of
the treasury department which relate
to the government demand notes and
certificates used as currency from
those which relate to current receipts
and expenditures and thus better pro-
tect the reserve, yet / believe that il is
sufficient for all immediate rpo to
know that the administration has the
power and is determined to defend the
present monetary standard. In deed.
with sufficient revenue to meet all cur
rency expenditures, as we shall have
in the next fiscal year. the treasury
department can accomplish the purpose
indicated without any new legislation.
Legislation, however, is desirable, be-
cause under existing conditions, when
notes are redeemed in
gold there are only two ways in which
they a be disbursed, viz: by purchase
of government bonds for exchange. or
exchange for gold.
Il have reached no conclusion on the
postal savings question, as / want first
to know more definitely how the de-
posits can be safely invested: what
would be the effect on the existing saw
ings BAN system, which has proved so
valuable, and whether the tendency Of
the new system would be 10 draw cap
ital from h more thinly populated
parts of the country, (where more cap
ital is required), and transfer it to the
centres of business already congested
with capital, or to make il available
for use outside these centres.
Unless those who have
the senate are much mistaken, the
annexation treaty will eth
er be promptly ratified by the senate
or an resolution passed and
Hawaii brought into the union as q
speaking for myself, 1 think that
policy and the best interests of
Cuba require that the question Of our |
attitude toward the island and Spain
be left with the president, who has al |
ready done much for the Cuban cause"