The herald., 1898-01-21

rency hearing before the Committee on
Banking and Currency continued today
ex-Secrstary Fairchild being heard
through the morning, with the UNDER
standing that Secretary Gage would re-
sumo at 2 o'clock.
The inquiries of Mr. Fairchlld were
along the line of developing the degree
of success with which the Monetary
Commission bill could be put into prac-
tical operation.
Considerable feeling has been aroused
by the determination Of the committee,
on party vote, not to hear President
Warner OF the Bimetallic Union and
Chairman Towne OF the Silver Repub-
lican National Committee. unless these
gentlemen prepare a bill and assume re-
sponsibility for it.
Mr.. Cox, the senior member of the
minority, says this action is eouiya-
lent to declining to hear the Silver Re-
publicans under any circumstances, as
they do not wish to appear as advocates
of any currency or banking bills, but to
resist such measures on gold lines. Mr..
Cox takes the view that 1t is as import
ant to present the opposition to the pend
ing measure as it is to hear the points
in It's favor. He expresses confidence
that the majority Of the committee will
reconsider its action and give hearing
to Messrs Warner and Towne without
conditions.
The committee devoted the afternoon
to discussion in detail of the provisions
OF the Walker bill. Secretary Gage ap-
peared again for examination, but, in
stead. turned Questioner and put Chair
man Walker through a long series of in
terrogatorles. He asked If Mr.. Walker
did not aim in his bill to substantially
relieve the government from a current
redemption of present liabilities, United
States legal tender and treasury notes,
and from the responsibility for maintain
ing the parity of silver and gold, putting
the responsibilities on the banks
Mr.. Walker said that this was the OBJ
ject. Secretary Gage thought the bill
lacked expertness, and suggested that
bankers do not want to assume ambig-
uous responsibility.
Mr. Walker asserted the responsible
ity was absolute, and proceeded to ex-
plain. There was a long discussion on
this feature, which the secretary said
puzzled him considerably. Mr.. Walker,
in the course of the discussion, sug-
gested that the bill made allowance for
the suspicion that we may have a dis
aster. a panic or something OF the sort,
and that the exigencies of such events
were guarded against. Representative
Hartman of Montana, one of the silver
leaders, said that Messrs. Towne and
Warner will make no further effort to
be heard before the committee, prefer
ring to go before the people, with the
understanding that the opposition Is de-
MED hearing.
The hearing on the currency bills was
finally brought to close this afternoon,
and the committee will meet again next
Wednesday to decide which of the four
bills before it is to form the basis of the
currency measure to be finally reported.
These are known as the monetary COM
mission, Gage, Walker and Fowler bills.
ANNEXATION
Senator Bacon of Georgia today fol-
lowed his action of yesterday in offering
an amendment to the treaty providing
for a vote upon 1t by the people of Ha-
wall, by offering the amendment to Sem
ator Morgans bill for annexation. thus
making the amendment public. 1t is as
| follows:
THAT this act shall not be operative
and of binding effect upon either the
United States of America or the republic
of Hawaii until the same shall have
been consented to approved by the ma
1ority of voters voting at an election to
he held in the Hawaiian island at which
all male natives of said islands of the
age of 21 years and all naturalized male
persons of the age of 81 years shall be
qualified voters. Said election to be held
| at a time and in a manner and under
regulations to be prescribed by the pres
ident Of the United States"
LABOR QUESTION
President Gompers and Vice President
Duncan of the American Federation Of
Labor, with delegation Of other repre-
sentatives of other labor organizations.
had hearing before the house labor
committee today on the proposed legis-
lation for the extension Of the eight
hour law to include all government work
done by sub-contractors, as we'll 40 that
done directly by the government. *.
NEW REVENUE CUTTERS
| Senator Frye was authorized today by
the senate committee on commerce to
report the bill recently introduced by
himself providing for the construction
of eight new internal revenue cutters,
to take the places Of old vessels, which
have grown to be unseaworthy.
~>e
Pioneer Adams Dead
| SAN FRANCISCO. Ian. 2O-James