Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-12-12
FIFTY SIXTH CONGRESS-.
Washington, Dec. II
SENATE.

In the Senate today the privileges
and elections committee was author.
lied to employ stenographers and TO
send for persons and papers to deter
mine whether or not Senators Clark Of
Montana, and Scott, of West Virginia
are entitled to their seats.
Among the bills introduced was one
by Mr.. Hoar for the protection Of song
birds.
Mr.. Pettigrew's resolution calling for
information regarding the miners riot.
in Idaho and the alleged brutal treat.
ment" of the men by General Merriam
and his subordinate officers, was called
up. Several republicans objected 10
the language, claiming that Pettigrew
wanted to reflect upon Merriam before
he obtained the i.c'-. Considerable
debate followed anu The resolution was
finally referred to the military aflsirs
committee.
Senator Cullom introduced bi |
giving the interstate commerce con
mission greater power than il ever had,
especially regarding rates and cIassif
cations.
The Senate then went into executive
session.
The Senate adjourned until tomor-
row.
Immediately after the reading of the
journal, Mr.. Richardson proposed that
night sessions for debate on the cur.
rency bill be held on Wedn sdsy.
Thursday and Friday from S to 1926
p. NJ, in order to accommodate all VINO
desire to speak.
This was agreed to. 1t was al,o
agreed that members may extend their
speeches in the Record provided that
they do not attempt to print books or
otherwise abuse the privilege.
The debate on the currency bill was
then resumed.
Mr.. Grosvenor was the first speaker
and started out with denial oi Nr.
De Almonds statement yesterday tiut
.he republicans had woa the e!ec.iol. 4
1896 through intimidation and corrup
ton. He then said the political party
that rallied its forces to uphold the
Goebel law in Kentucky had be-
ter go slow about bringing charges
of this character. He also said
the democratic party was full of incon-
sistencies on the currency question,
while he maintained that the republi-
can party had always held to the prn.
cipal that every dollar issued by the
government should have an equal value
He said he had not stated there would
be no trust legislation at this Congress,
but he declared that in the light OF the
recent decision of the Supreme Court
he knew of nothing that could be added
to the present antitrust law that would
increase its effectiveness. He believed
in leaving to the States the right to
charter and control corporations and
for Congress to interfere would be
shocking demolition of State rights.
Mr.. Newlands argued that tbs bill
would check prosperity by contracting
the currency through the elimination
of silver as basic money. The war il
the Transvaal had already affected the
supply of gold and it might be, said MT.
Newlands, that the Beers would blow
up the mines there, thus shutting OF
that source of supply for long time.
There was no reason to believe that
Cape Nome and the Klondike would
continue for long to yield gold. So that
while the supply has been recently
larger than usual its present volume
cannot be relied upon to continue.
With European nations and India de.
handing gold for their own purposes,
and boarding it. there is not, Newlands
said, gold enough to alone furnish the
money of the world. Even with silver
added it still requires three billions q
paper money to conduct the worlds
business. Under these circumstance
the elimination of silver as money in
this country would be disastrous, IN his
opinion.