Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-02-03
DOINoS OF CONGRESS.
A photographic Chronicle of the Acts OF
the Nations Lawmakers.

Tho discussion on the Indian appro-
priation bill, which has passed the
House, covered wide range of sub
jects from silver to the Cuban question.
Rep. Hartman Silver Rep, Mont)
found occasion to denounce the conduct
of the Republican party. lie declared
that the majority of the House were
mere puppets of Speaker Reed, and de-
nounced the speaker as a tyrant. Mr..
Cuban policy of the administration and
with fine sarcasm, ridiculed the official
explanation of the visit of the battleship
Maine To Havana. Mr.. Dolliver rep,
la.) replied eloquently to both He
referred to the Cuban insurrection dur
ing the terms of President Grant and
said that after seven years Of RESPONSE
bility, anxieties and worry, in a mes
sage TO congress Grant indicated the
policy of this administration aud gave
the country warning that any inter-
vention in the affairs of Cuba would
not only be unwise but injurious.
For my part, said Mr.. Dolliver, IL do
not aspire to larger patriotism than
that which governed the official
career of u. $. Grant" In reference
to the attack on Speaker Reed he said:
"There is no authority that constrains
the Republican majority here except
the policy of the Republican party
and the administration of Republican
President. 1t is true we have a leader
ship in this House and l for one have
often felt sense of satisfaction that
we have a leadership of brains and
character that men may follow and
follow without loss of self-respect.
Silver had an innings in the Senate.
The Teller resolution, the debate upon
which is considered as the preliminary
lining up for the presidential battle of
1900, was passed after the discussion
had continued for week. 1t was at
all times of an animated character and
often assumed a strongly acrimonious
phase. The resolution is a practical
reaffirmation of that of Stanley Mat
thews in ISIS and is as follows: THAT
all the bonds of the United States, is
sued, or authorized to be issued under
cited, are payable, principal and inter
est, at the option of the government
of the United States, in silver dol
lars of the coinage of the United
States, containing 4121s grains each
of standard silver; and that to re-
store to its coinage such silver coins
as legal tender in payment of said
dc n - Z.
in violation of the public faith nor in
derogation of the rights of the public
creditor. All efforts to amend the
resolution were voted down by good
majorities. The final vote was AZ to
81. Party lines were broken up on
both sides, number of Republicans
who supported Mckinley and the ST.
Louis platform in 1896 voted for the
resolution, because, as Mr.. Wolcott
announced, they did not believe the
resolution committed those who sup
ported it to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver.
The Teller resolution declaring bonds
of the United States payable in silver,
which had passed the Senate, was
buried under an adverse majority of
so votes in the House, the Republicans
voting almost solidly against the prop
osition. The result was reached after
five hours of debate under a special or
der The majority, under the leader
ship of Mr.. Dingley, who made a care
fully prepared speech sounding the
keynote of the opposition, assumed the
position that the last clause of the res
olution was in reality disguised dec
laration for the free coinage of silver,
while the assaulting Democrats, under
the direction of Mr.. Bailey, maintained
that the defeat of the resolution would
be another step in the direction of the
establishment of the gold standard, to
which they alleged both the President
and Secretary Gage had irrevocably
committed the Republican party.
There were no sensational incidents
beyond the kissing of Mr.. Rhea, of
Kentucky, when he said that as the
place in hades would be reserved for
the present secretary of state. The
vote on the resolution was: Ayes, 1872;
nays, 1872.
At one days session of the Senate
two general appropriation bills-that
for the army carrying $23, FAB, 492 and
that for the legislative, judicial and
executive departments carrying SILL
65s, 520-were passed.
John NJ. .McLaurin has been sworn
in as Senator from South Carolina to
fill the unexpired term of the late Sen
ator Earle, which ends March 4, 1903.
Senator Gallinger, chairman of the
pension committee of the Senate re-
ported adversely the bill introduced by
Mr.. Allen providing that all pension
ers now receiving less than $40 month
receive that amount after the bills
passage. Mr.. Gallinger said that the
whole number of pensioners affected
by the proposed bill was 46s, 463 and
the total annual increase in pensions
would aggregate Si5,2s6, 900. The bill
was placed on the calendar.
Senator Pettigrew has introduced
the following resolution: THAT it is
contrary to the interest, policy and
tradition Of the people of the United
States to acquire any territory so sit
uated as to require a navy to protect
N The resolntion want ovar II