The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-15
SENATE.

expression Of sympathy with the Trans
vaal republic in it's war with Great
Britain was the feature Of the senate
proceedings today. 1t was the first
formal address delivered in the senate
this session and was listened to with
thoughtful attention by both the mem
bers and by a large gallery of auditors.
The resolution upon which Senator
Mason based his speech was referred
at the resolution of the address, to the
foreign relations committee, Senator
Lodge, of Massachusetts, considering
it too delicate a question in view of the
position of this government, to pass
upon without serious consideration.
Senator Mason in his speech MAIN
tanned that under the Monroe doctrine,
and ~precedents previously established,
The United States had the same right
to extend it ympath and hopes for
success to the Beers in their struggle
for liberty as it had to interfere with
Spain in it's d of affairs in Cuba.
He urged that the interests of the
United tates were aroused by the fact
that the South African war was a
struggle between democracy and roy
alty-betWeen the divine right Of kings
and the divine right of man.
Senator Cockerel, of Missouri, df-
rected the attention of the pension
committee to a bill introduced by re-
quest of Senator Pettus, of Alabama,
providing for the payment of a pension
to freedmen.
Senator Gallinger, chairman of the
committee ON pensions, expressed the
opinion that no such measure should
have been presented to congress-. lie
read a certificate of membership in 1.-THE
ex-Slave and pension association snow
ing that the members We're requlre
to pay % cents membership fee and 10
cents a omnth to be used as a fund to
secure the passage of the bill.
lin my Judgment" said Senator
Gallinger, this is a bill that ought not
to and probably will not receive the
favorable consideration Of the pension
committee. The promoters of the bull
are %deluding thousands OF poor people
and are simply trying to keep this ag-
itation alive for their own benefit.
After the bill had been adverted to
briefly by Senator Hoar and others, 1t
was referred to the pension commIpcee.
AIT 3:O5 o'clock p. m. the senate went
ntO executive session.
AT 1886 o'clock the senate resumed
business i'm open session. A message
was presented from the house annlounc-
ing the death of Representative Baird,
of louisiana
Senator McEnery, OF Louisiana, Of
fered the usual resolution OF regret,
which were adopted and then at $40
O'Clock the senate, as a further mark
of respect adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The feature of the opening day Of
the debate on the currency Dill IN the
house was the speech of Mr.. bolivar,
of Iowa.
Mr.. Oyerstreet, of Indiana, opened
the debate in supper of the bill and
Mr.. Maddox, of Georgia, replied to
him.
Mr.. Mcclellan, Of New York, was the
only other speaker today. He appeal
ed to those of his democratic colleagues
of New York who, it is reported, IN
tended to vote for the bill not to do so.
Mr.. Overstreet's speech was an elap-
crate defense and exposition or the
proposed currency bill. He said in
conclusions: 1.-The advocates of curren-
CIV reform firmly declare that the Imam
cial operations Of the government are
upon the gold standard, but that the
fears ~engendered by doubtful legisla-
ton relative to silver coinage, and the
persistent attack upon the standard Oh
value. fully Justify the legislation ask
ed. To firmly fix gold as the standard
of value, in unequivocal terms, MADE
fully operative by all proper safe
guards. is the central idea of the law
proposed. 1t is confidently believed
that the country demand 1T, ana tna'
our action will be ratified by the PEG
pie. Democrats of courage and con
viction have nobly dared to break
from party lines and suffer, untilnch-
ingly the sting of the party whip, II
honest and patriotic effort to uphoiC
the integrity of the national credit, tc
- Tho f0rnIn fi0n IF tho va G.
and expanding business of our people
Mr.. Maddox, of Georgia, was the
first speaker in opposition to the Dill
He said if he had analysed the bill
correctly no measure had been pre-
scented to congress in half a century
fraught with so much Importance u
the country. He referred to former
Speaker Reeds New York speech II
which he advised the immediate en-
actment of gold standard Legislation
before some ranch of the government
got away from the republican party
1.-THE faithful" said he, understand
that this legislation must be enacted
at once or not at ALL" Mr.. MADDOX
then proceeded with a detailed analy'
sis of the bill. The enactment of golC
standard legislation, he declared, ha
never been an issue before the people
If gold was now the existing stand
ard he contended, sit was so by thu
unlawful OF the eAecullN'
officers of the government" Facllit!
for raiding the treasury unde the bill
he said, had never been hitherto
.equaled. 1t would convert every obi
cation of the treasury into a gold obi
cation and would compel the govern
ment to sell millions of gold bonds II
the amount of 25 per cent. of all tn
outstanding notes Of whatever charac
ter. He argued that under the OIL
banks with 81, 200, 900 capital, now re
quired to deposit bonds equal to
third of their capital in the treasur!
were only required to deposit $4,000 II
bonds, enabling the banks, he declared
to contract or expand the currency a
will.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Maddox
remarks, Mr.. bolivar, of Iowa, too
the floor.
''There is something about the pur
suit of the science Of money" he said
chat enables every one of it's student
to comprehend his own e withou