The herald., 1898-01-26
PENSION BILL
Passes the Senate With
out Amendment
THE RESOLUTION OF TELLER
CAUSES A LONG AND BITTER
DEBATE
The House Disputes Concerning the
Arrival of Prosperity, But
Reaches No Conclusion
Associated Press Special Wire

by a heated, almost acrimonious debat
of the financial question. For nearl,
two hours the Teller resolution was un
der consideration, the principal speeches
being made by Mr.. Allison of Iowa, Mr.
Berry of Arkansas and Mr.. Hoar o.
Massachusetts. The sharpest colloquy
was at times INDUCED in between the
advocates and opponents of the resolu
ton, the debate often approaching bit
terness. The feature of the discussion
was a speech by Mr.. Teller, author OF
the resolution, his statement calling out
a suggestion from Mr.. Hoar that he
(Teller) ought to have them stricken
from the record. In response to an in
quiry by Mr.. Spooner, Mr.. Vest admit
ted that he thought the system of coin
age referred to in the resolution meant
the free and unlimited coinage of silver,
that admission apparently giving salts
faction to the opponents of the measure.
The senate, on motion of Mr.. Hoar,
went into executive session today as
soon as it convened. The doors were
opened at 12:15 and Mr.. Quay secured
the passage of the bill to indemnify the
state of Pennsylvania for money eX-
pended in 1864 for militia called into mil
itary service by the government. The
amount involved is $4,000.
Mr.. Quay also reported the army ap-
preparation bill. Mr.. Butler of North
Carolina offered an amendment to the
postoflice bill providing for the extern
sion of rural free delivery to every state
and territory of the Union, and to as
many sections of those states and terri
tories as possible. Mr.. Butler said the
amendments had been drawn after full
consultation with the postmaster gen
eral.
Mr.. Perkins of California called up the
pension appropriation bill. The amend
ment proposed by Mr.. Allen, providing
that the lowest pension paid by the gov
ernment be IS per month, was ruled out
of order.
Mr.. Allen then offered an amendment
to the bill increasing the amount ap-
propriated from S141 900, 900 to $14S, ,O0O,O 900
in accordance with the estimates made
by the commissioner of pensions, but
it was lost without division.
Inc pension Dlll was lHSl pdSStu
The Teller resolution was then laid
before the senate. Mr.. Allison reviewed
the history of the Stanley Matthews
resolution, maintaining that its purpose
at that time was not in opposition to
public interest on in derogation of the
rights of public creditors. He held now
that the situation was different He in
sisted that the pending resolution gave
the secretary of the treasury no more
under the law than he had now. The
secretary may now pay government OBJ
legations in coin. He held there was no
upon the part of the admin
istration to evade the law, and added
that the Republican party had main
tanned that it ought to be the purpose
of the government to maintain the gold
and silver money of the country at
parity. Mr. Tillman asked Mr.. Allison
he would say in terms that the
bond obligations of the government
were payable in silver
In reply, Allison quoted the law that
the bonds We're payable in coin, but that
was not satisfactory to Tillman, who
insisted upon an answer yes or no.
Allison declined to have words put
into his mouth. In response to a question
of Teller Allison said he thought it
would be proper for the secretary of the
treasury to pay the obligations of the
government in either silver or gold.
But" declared Allison. the secretary
of the treasury. if he is an honest man,
in reaching his decision to act upon that
point, must take into consideration eX-
isting conditions one of which is that
the government is pledged to maintain
the gold and silver currency of the coun-
try at a parity"
Allison thought if it were the purpose
of the advocates of the pending resolu-
ton to force a depreciation of one of
the great moneys Of the country, they
ought to avoW that purpose. He main
tanned that if the objects of the silver
advocates We're carried into effect, it
would be impossible to maintain the par
ity of gold and silver coin.
IF 1 We're assured" ," said he, that the
resolution would strengthen the credit
of the country / should certainly vote
for it,
Berry Of Arkansas, in an extended
speech, declared that the pending reso-
luton was precisely the same as that
for which the senator from Iowa (Alli-
SOM had voted twenty years ago. If it
was not violation of public faith then,
he added, it could not be so now. One
Of the reasons why Berry was desrous
Of the passage Of the resolution was thac
il would disproVe the charges brought
in 1896, that the Democratic party was
composed Of repudiationists and dis
honorable men.
Aldrich Of Rhode Island-Do you de-
sire to take from the secretary of the
treasury his discretion to pay govern
mcnt obligations in either gold or sill
yer?
Berry-The trouble is. the secretary of
the treasury has turned over the gov
ernments option to the bondholders.
Ndrich-Would the passage of the
resolution hy the senate and house act
as instructions to the secretary of the
treasury?
Berry-It would; but l am satisfied,
in view of the recent actions and words
oc the secretary Of the treasury, that he
would not obey the instructions.
Hale Of Maine said when the present
law was put in the statute books that
silver was about twice as valuable as it
is now, and Aldrich interjected the in