The Portland daily press., 1898-12-16
in THE HOUSE.
The Pension Bill Passed without d e

The Pension Bill Passed Without ID g.
bate.
Washington, Decemb Der l5.-The House
today took up the consideration of the
pension appropriation bill Lefnre it was
taken up the conference report on the
bill extending the m aritime inspection
laws to sailing vessels of 700 tons and
over, and providing for the licensing OF
second and third mates was adopted.
Mr.. Barney, Republican of Wisconsin,
in charge of the pension appropriation
rill, made general explanatory state.
Inent Of it's provisions.
Mr.. Allen, Democrat of Mississippi.
called attention to the fact that when he
first came to Congress IA years ago the
pension appropriation bill aiiabiy
preoipitated q '.bloody shirt" discussion.
He congratulated the country that Con-
gress had prog essed since then and that
there would be no aorimo ious discus
sion on til bilL The country ar last had
the gratifying information that the pen
sion roll had reached the maximum, land
[ congratulate the country Tor this, said
Mr.. Allen in conclusion, THAT while one
of the most gallant and desperate sold
iers of the Confederacy (himself) helped
to report this lii. the PRESIDENT of the
United States is down in Dixie doing
honor to the Confederate dead. We all
have cause to rejoice. daughter and
App lause.)
There was no further debate upon the
bill. 1t was read through without word
of criticism and passed, the whole time
occupied in its discussion being less than
. ,,,i.,r1tps VhiS is the shortest time OIL
record for a general pension DILL Ihe
bill carries $l45, 235, 49,.
Under the special order, Mr.. Hill, Re.
publican of Connecticut, then called uI
the bill Ito carry into effect the recon.
mendatiuns of the international Ameri.
can conference by the Incorporation OF the
international bank.
Mr.. Bailey, Democrat of Texas, raised
the point of order that the bill came irreg
uIarly before the House, that Mar Hill liac
no authority to call UP the bill.
The chair override The point of order
anu the hDuse entered upon the consid
Grafton of the bill without limitation as
| to debate.
| mr. Ri osius, publican of Pennsylva-
| mia, male general presentation OF the
merits uf the measure
The bill was the uigrowth OF the Pan
American Congress held in Washington
| in 1881, the proposition that the United
States should incorporate an interna'
,ional American bank having been init,
ate1 by unat body. The development OF
trade between the United States anu
Soutn and Central America was, he
argued, greatly handicapped by the lack
Of adequate facilities for exchange The
BUSINESS transacted between this country
and those to the south of us had aggre
gated more than S3 I0O, 000,0 900 since aht
Recommendation of the Pan American
Congress was made. fractlcaiiy al ol
it has been carried on by drafts on Lon
don at cost of "a tu per cent exchange
Tals American trade should be con
trolled by Americans. AIR. Brosius arg uec
The undoubted constitutionaliuy OF the
measure.
Mr.. Cox, Democrat of Tennessee, the
ranking minority member If the banking
and currency committee, opposed the Dill
taking the ground that the bill contem
piated the creation of a gigantic monopo
I:stic banking corporation. Congress, ht
argued. had no power to charter cOrpo.
raIion to do business beyond the limits
of the United States.
Mr.. Walker, Republican OF Massachu
setts, chairman OF the banking and cur
argued that the establishment of an in
lernational bank would reduce the prict
| of exchange. The merchants of London
controlled exchange as the merchants Of
this country wo Id control exchange il
exchange was purchased on New Yors
| in stead of London. 1t would be TO theil
interest to make exchange as low as pos
sible
MIR. jenkins, Republican of Wisconsin,
opposed the bill, claiming that Congress
had ITO power to create such a bank S il
contemplated At the c. Inclusion of Mr.
Jenkins remarks it was agreed that q
vote upon the bill and pending amend
ments should be taken at . o'clock tomor.
row.
Mr.. gAdams, Republican of Pennsyl-
vania, earnestly supported the BILL While
minister to Brazil during the Harri son
administration he said he had become
convinced that our South American trade
was hampered by the embarrassments