The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-23
GOLD-STANDARD MEMBERS ANXIOUS
FOR ROMPT ACTION.
Representative DingIey's Attitude
The Hawaiian Annexation Treaty
General MiIes's Statement.
special to the 1nalanapoIIs journal.

| be disclosed without inviting attacks on
some of those senators, which are not de-
sirable. This list does not include certain
| senator's of both parties who are for sound
money at heart, but have given pledges TO
| vote for free silver. Senator Aldrich ex-
poets that some of the so-called doubtful
senators whose votes are claimed for free
silver will be absent when the roll is called
on the Teller resolution. When this resolu-
ton reaches the House it will be referred
at once to the committee on ways and
MEANS whose chairman, Mr.. Dingley, says
will report it adversely without delay.
| Speaker Reed will be strongly urged to
permit the resolution to be called up at an
early date, and to be voted on in the House.
An overwhelming majority for sound money
is expected in that body, which will go
far to offset the action OF the Senate in it's
effect on public opinion in the United States
and abroad. Mr.. Dingley does not think il
| practicable to substitute complete banking
measure and send it back to the Senate
with a request for a conference, but this
course is being strongly advocated by some
of the out-and-out gold standard members
Of the House. Their fighting blood has been
/ stirred by the action of the Senate, and
| they declare that the House and the Re- )
| publican party should speak with no uncer-
| tain sound in support of the public credit
and the gold standard Mr. Updegraff, of
| Iowa, one of the most uncomprising gold
! standard members, believes that the House
should seize the opportunity to at least sub
! stitute for the Senate resolution the declar-
alton Of the monetary commission, that all
obligations of the United States for the
payment of money now existing or here
after entered into shall, unless otherwise
expressly provided, be deemed and held to
be payable in gold coin of the United
! States" *%s
Should the necessary recruits for the Ha-
waiian treaty not be gained the Morgan
annexation resolution may be attached to
! the diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill and sent TO the House in that form.
This win be done, ofeeeuxse. .aflas alter i
has been determined not to press for 4
vote on the treaty, or else after the treaty
should have failed to secure the necessary
! two-thirds in its favor The object of such
a move would be to compel House consid-
GRAFTON of annexation in spite of the sup
posed opposition of Speaker Reed. The at
| titude of the speaker towards Hawaii has
been misrepresented. He honestly doubts
the wisdom of committing the government
| to the policy of colonization, but his OPP
position to Hawaii will be inert rather than
! active. He is frank to say he is not lying
awake at night thinking up ways to make
annexation easy, but he has no intention OF
organizing active opposition to a policy
which has the party backing and the cordial
support of his warmest friends and lieu
! tenants. -
| General Miles having been taken to task
for his statements about the defenseless
condition of our coast Notifications, and
| the existence of a powder and projectile
| famine, modifes his statement to the extent
of admitting that, after ALL there are stores
of powder, but that this powder is mostly
Old intended for the old patterns of guns,
| and therefore, not available for the inn
proved guns of late make The generals
corrected statement does not mend matters
much. The army might well have mag
aznes full of sea sand as to have great
quantities of old powder on hand which
cannot be used in the guns which adorn
our coast forts and our harbor defenses. He
says there is urgent need for legislation to
| provide for the enlargement of the army
it's reorganization and an increase in it's
efficiency. "It is no time" says the gem
eral, ito prepare for war after orders have
been given to march. War comes with the
suddenness of a flash of lightning and 1t is
the wisest course to be always prepared
for it,
A suspicion has been creeping through the
minds of congressman that they have been
outwitted by officials of the Postoffice De-
partment, and that the proposition emanaz<
ting from the department 10 cut down tie
free delivery in the large Eastern cities as
q measure OF economy was, in reality moth
ing more than a clever piece of bluff. It
has been the habit of Congress to cut and
slash the estimates of the Postoffiee De-
partment and then to restore them only
after the postmaster general and his assist
ants and heads of bureaus had crawIed
around the Capitol on their hands and knees
begging for money enough to run the serv-
ice properly. This year the postofice off,
cials took the initiative and proposed a cut
in quarters where it was certain there
would be a vociferous and powerful pro-
test The scheme worked like a charm,
and. spurred up by angry constituencies.
hundred congressman swooped down on
the Postoffioe Department and the postof-
flee committee and buIldozed them into in
dorsing larger appropriations. The Postof-
fee Department now occupies the position
of having tried valantly to cut down the
expenses and of having been frustrated in
the attempt by Congress- thus reversing the
condition which usually prevails in these
controversies
The House committee on civil-service re-
form has decided to inaugurate a series OF
hearings, to begin Thursday. This will give
the persistent opponents of the present law
chance to talk again. and viii also sooth
some dsconsolate ohiceseekers. More than
that, 1t is hard to see what another series
of tedious hearings can accomplish. but
there is obviously a feeling that something
should be done. The committee, consisting
OF thirteen men. contains three straightout
Teformers-Brosus. Pitney and Sprague--
while Pearson. Landis. Tawney. Northway
and Alexander, OF the Republicans, favSr
modification. ssa
Frank Richman. who is Senator Fair
banks's secretary, has secured the appoints
ment OF Frank Boarman, OF JefEersonvslle.
to place as lahorer in the Treasury De-
partment. 1t takes about as much influence