The news & observer., 1898-02-20
ON BANKRUPTCY BILL
rs IN FAVOR OF REASONABLY
PROTECTING CREDITOR.
ARRANGEMENT OF REPUBLICAN, PARTY
The House impressed by the Young Man:
Brief and Comprehensive and ForcibIe
Exposure Of Republican Failure TO
Keen Promises of the Campaign,
Keep Promises of the Campaign.

Washington, d. c., Feb. 19.-(Spc-
cial.) The Democrats of the Fifth Con
gressiOnal District ought to feel proud
of their son, Representative w. w.
IXitcllin. He is made of the right kind
Of stuff, and when it comes to debating
| important questions he can hold his
| own with the best material in the
House. He showed up splendidly in the
debate in the Bankruptcy bill. Through
the courtesy of Representative Terry,
who had charge of the time for the
Democratic side, Mr.. K.tchin was given
seven minutes in which 70 state
his views on the Bankruptcy bill. And
he did 50 in such Il way as to meet the
approval of the House. His remarks are
so clever and to the point that | give
them verbatim.
Mr.. I<itchin said
MIR. Spcaker-The diverse opinions in
this House and throughout the country
as to the right and policy of bankruptcy
Legislation, and also the various opinions
among those who favor bankruptcy leg
islation. as to what are proper IrOyis.
i0ns of such legislation, compel me TO
swish that | had greater time to discuss
this hill. In my opinion, the amendment
lrPPurted by the Judiciary Committee as
Il substitute should be defeated and
| this House should he allowed 10 vote di-
lreetly nlpn the Nelson lill as it passed
The Senate hast spring.
Now, why should tlle Judiciary Com
mittee amend this Nelson bill by stl-ik-
| ing out all after the enIcing clause and
| inserting this amendment! The main
reason that occurs to me is that the
Nelson hill was intended especially for
the benefit of the debtor. while this
amendment is intended especially for The
creditor Under tine Nelson bill the
creditor could blast the hopes and de
strOy the fortunes of his debtor in only
one case, and that was where the debtor
had conveyed his property with the ac
rlal intent and purpose ON his mlrt
to prefer or defraud any of his crcdi-
| tors But under this amendment there
are eight classes of acts of bankruptcy
under either of which the creditor can
pursue the debtor through the bank
rupt court. This amendment if it passes
and becomes a klw, Will be used by cred
itors MS II method of collection. In my
opinion bankruptcy legislation shOuld
have but one general purpose and that
purpose the relief of deserving and un.
| fortunate debtors from their load of
| debt, to enable them to so forth iii
| business with confidence and frecdOm it
| should never he intended as q method
| for collection of debts. The different
| States provide or should provide suff-
cient laws for the collection of debts.
! And | think all bankruptcy legislation
should be limited in It's duration so as
not to continue as Il standing tempta-
| tiOn for fraud. / should never he eX-
pensivc in its operation, or cruel and
| oppressive.
| MIR. Speaker, the Federal court is al
ways Il terror to the accused; and 50
| will any court be whose judges hold
office for life and who can and will
express opinions upon the facts to the
| jury. and it will he a fearful thing for
| the debtor to fall into the hands of the
Federal judiciary under this measure,
IF the majority of this House really
desire bankruptcy legislation. why do
| they not advocate the Nelson bill. which
has already passed the Senate? Why
should y0u bring in an amendment
which, if passed, will probably be de-
feated in the Senate. thus leaving the.
country without any legislation on this
subject
II suppose, Mr.. Speaker. if there ever
was a time when bankruptcy legislation
was needed, now is the time. Under the
fall of prices caused by the enhancing
| value Of gold. ever rising under the
favoritism of law, intelligent, industrious
and frugal men have in times of plenty
gone from good to bad circumstances
and as farm products have fallen in
| price. hard times have, over Il land
greatly blessed by nature, spread debt
misery and despair like pail.
"1'he Dingley bill has not brought re-
| lief to this country, though it may be
considered by Republicans as a panacee.
| Wages in The New England mills have
been reduced; operatives are out of
work: and cotton, the great American
| expOrt crop is worth $40 per bale less
to-day then it was when President Me
| Kinley approved the Dingley bill. And
This hfll. which was intended as a meas
ure of revenue as well as protection, is
about TO bankrupt the Treasury Of the
TYnited States. Notwithstanding the vast
amounts Of mooney received from the
sale az the Union Pacific Railroad. The.
res,lts of this Dingley bin will stamp it
as = failure: it will DE so recognized
hy Ito peoplc 1t is one of the great
b1,rdl ms that the Republican party will
hnyn 10 carry in the ensuing campaign.
Tha rote in this House ON the Tellel
roso,ution speaks evil for The Rpuhli-
can marty. And Mr.. Speaker, that sud
ana dieostrious calamity in Havana har-