The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-26
DISCUSSION WAS BITTER.
Silver Question Provoked Aerimen.
iOus Talk in Senate.
THE TELLER RESOLUTION DIS
CUSSED All SOME LENGTH.

CUSSED AT SOME LENGTH.
Senator Vest Admits That the Resolution
Means Free Coinagg of silver-Inter'
esting Remarks by Senators Allison,
Berry and Hoar.
| Washington, JANUARY 25.-Today's ses-
sion of the Senase was characterized by a
heated, almost acrimonious discussion
of the financial question. For nearly
four hours the Teller resolution was un-
der consideration, the principal speeches
being made by Mr.. Allison of Iowa, Mr..
Berry of Arkansas, and M. Hoar of Mas
sachuse1ts. The sharpest colloquy was
at times INDUCED in between the ad-
vocaaes and the opponents of the resolu
tion, the debate often approaching bitter
pess. The feature of the discussion was
speech delivered by Mr.. Teller, the au-
thor of the resolution, his statements call
ing out suggestion sfrom Mr.. Hoar that
he (Mr. Teller) ought to have them
stricken from the record, Insresponse to
an inquiry by Mr.. Spooner, Mr.. Vest ad-
mitted that he thought the system Of
coinage referred to in the resolution
meant vhe free and unlimited coinage
of silver, that admission apparently
giving satisfaction to the opponents Of
the measure.
| rrxo c.r.+o ~, p,o+ior, ne Mr. Hoar of
Massachusetts, went into executive ses-
Sion as soon as it convened.
/ Hoar announced that the executive se6-
sion would "take only few minutes.
| At 1915 the doors were opened and
the Senate proceeded to general business.
Mr.. Quay reported the army approprl,
alton bill and gave notice he would call
| it up tomorrow.
Mr. Perkins of California. called up
the pension appropriation BILL The
amendment proposed by Nh. Allen provid
ing that the lowest pension paid by
the government be $8 a month, against
which point of order was made yester-
day, was ruled out of order.
| MIR. Allen then offered an amendment
to the bill increasing the appropriation
from S14l, ,0O0, 900 to $l4S. 900, 900.
| Mr.. Perkins expressed his willingness
| to submit the whole question to the SEN
ate as to whether committee was to ao-
cep6 Gno eStlInaOeS VI UAe uepnee1uouo
heads In preparing appropriation bills
or some other figures from sources not
responsible for them.
| In reply to some statements made by
Mr.. Allen yesterday concerning the pres
| ent administration of pensions, Mr.. Gal
iinger of New Hampshire, presented sta
| tistics showing that during Commission
| or Evans's administration of the office
| 20 Der cent more claims have been ad-
| Indicated than were adjudicated during
| the corresponding period of the last ad-
ministration.
Mr.. Allen said he did not care to be
embroiIed in controversy with the COM
missioner Of pensions, whom ne searcely
knew, but he desired to insist that the
| Republican party's friendship for the
| old soldier was sham and pretense.
| The pending amendment was lost sight
| OF.
Another amendment was offered by Mr..
Allen providing that reports of exam
lining surgeons should be open to in
speetlon.
At O'Clock the Teller resolution was
laid before the Senate, but was tempora
rily laid aside.
The Allen amendment was rejected by
the Senate and the pension appFopr1-
alton bill was then passed without di-
| vision.
The Teller resolution was again laid
before tho Senate, but it appearing that
no one was prepared to speak upon IL,
Mr.. Vest took the floor to explain that
the friends of the measure were not re-
sponsible. for this anomolous condltlon
OF affairs He said the consideration OF
the question was postponed until today
in order to give the opponents an oppor-
tunity to be heard.
Replying to Mr.. Vest, Mr.. Allison said
he had no opportunity to prepare speech.
For himself he expected to vote against
it unless. it should be materially amend
ed He failed. he said, to understand the
reason for haste in considering the mat
ter as there was no EFFICIENCY demand
ing great expedition. II the resolution
should be put into statute it could not
be applied by the secretary OF the trea-
sury before 1904, at which time the bonds
would mature with the exception OF the
2 per cents.
Mr. Allison reviewed the history of the
STANLEY. Matthews resolution, maintaining
that its passage at that time was not IN
opposition to public interest.
He held that now the situation was
quite different.
Mr., Teller called MIA llison's attention
to what he said was the present cond1t-
ion. He maintained that coinage OF silver
had not been restored and no silver
dollars were being coined.
Mr.. Allison replied that 500, 600, 900 sill
yer dollars had been coined since '73, and
that they were as good as gold.
Mr.. Teller again interrupted Sto say
that the present administration would
not use any of the silver dollars to pay
the obligations of government.
Mr.. Allison insisted that the penoing
resolution gave the secretary of the trea-
sury no more authority underzthe law
than he, now has. The secretary may
now pay government obligations in coin.
Ire held tnat there was no disposition on
the part of the administration to evade
the law and declared that the Repubh-
can party had maintained that it ought
80 be the purpose Of the government to
maintain the gold and silver money of
the country at a parity.
Mr.. TiIlman asked Mr.. Allison wheth-
or he would say in terms that bond obli-
cations of the government were payable
in silver.
In reply MIR. Allison quoted the law,