The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-12-15
CONGRESS
AT WORK
Ex-COlOneI Bryan's "First Bat
tie" Quoted by DOlIiyer
"Dreary Outlook for Democrats"
The Chairmen of Senate and
House Committees-May Go to
Utah-House Debate on Currency.
Especial Correspondence. J

Especial Correspondence.
Washington, Dec. IA. "A continuous
stream Of talk, dignified by the term
debate, has poured through the House
of Representatives this week anent
the Currency bill. This measure es-
tablishes gold as the monetary stand
ard of the United States in specific
and unmistakable terms. When it
has been enacted into law, as it will
be, there can no longer be haggling
about what the monetary standard is.
That question will be absolutely set
tied so long as the measure shall
stand unrepealed upon the statute
books. The measure also makes pro-
vision for the maintenance of fund
of gold in the Treasury wherewith to
maintain the standard, and to main
tain it means that every form of
money, substitute for money and
obligation of the Government to pay
money shall be exchangeable for or
redeemable in gold.
The debate that followed was al
ways interesting, generally instruc-
tive and sometimes amusing. Mr..
Maddox, a silver Democrat from
Georgia took the floor when Mr..
Overstreet concluded his opening
speech Mr. Maddox is a solid law
yer-like person. He hammered away
with the old discredited arguments
against the gold standard After
him came Mr.. Dolliver, of Iowa, one
of the leading Republicans of the
House He employed eloquence, logic,
wit, humor, satire and badinage in
his speech. A handsome man with
a fine voice, pleasant manner, always
good -humored, he entertained his
auditors by one of his best efforts.
He created great laughter by quot
ing the dire predictions of disaster
in which Mr.. Bryan indulged in his
noted book, "The First Battle, :"
written while the chagrin of defeat
was strong upon him, and contrasted
them with existing conditions of
prosperity. On Monday next the vote
will be had without further delay,
and the bill will pass the House by
jority. The Republican majority in
the House is thirteen. There will be
somewhere from half dozen to a
dozen Democrats who will support it
also swelling the majority to the pro-
portions indicated. One Democrat,
Mr.. briggs, of Brooklyn, N. Y, has
already spoken for it. The outlook
is very dreary indeed for the Demo
Gratis.
1t would be waste of space to
undertake to tell where all the mem
bers will land on committees, but the
names of the chairmen of the princi-
pal committees are known Mr..
Payne, of New York, will remain
chairman of the Committee on Ways
and Means, he having succeeded to
it at Mr.. Dingley death by seniority.
Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois, will remain
at the head of the Committee ON APP
preparations Mr.. Taylor, of Ohio,
now chairman of the special committee
engaged in investigating the Roberts
mittee on Eelections. Mr.. Hit, Of
Illinois, will remain chairman
of the Committee ON Foreign
Affairs; Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa will
either remain chairman of the Com
mittee on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce, which has charge of the
Nicaragua Canal matter, or become
chairman of the new Committe on
Insular Affairs, which will have
charge of matters relating to Porto
Rico and the Philippines; if he re-
mains at the head of the old COM
mittee, Mr.. Tawney, of Minnesota will
be chairman Of the new msular Affairs
Committee Mr.. Sherman will re-
main as chairman of the Committee
On luulttIl AudlISs NIL. Hull, u IOWA,
of Military Affairs; Mr.. Boutelle, of
Maine, of Naval Affairs; Mr.. Loud,
of California, of Postoffices and Post
roads; Mr.. Mercer, of Nebraska, of
Public Buildings and Grounds; Mr..
Burton, of Ohio, of Rivers and Har-
bors and Mr.. Wadsworth, OF New
York, of Agriculture. Mr.. Grosvenor,
of Ohio, will be chairman of the Com
mittee on Merchant Marine and Fish
cries. This committee will have charge
in the House of the Ship Subsidy bill,
a very important and far-reaching
measure Mr.. Brosius, of Pennsylvania,
will be chairman of the Committee on
Banking and Currency, Mr. Walker,
of Massachusetts its chairman in the
last Congress, not being reelected.
The Senate is proceeding in digni-
fed deliberate way with the reorgani-
zation of it's committees. President
pro Tempore Frye, of Maine has no.
more voice in the makeup Of the
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