Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-04
CURRENCY TALK IN THE HOUSE.
| Members Labor All Dny Several
Conference ReDOrts.

| Members Labor All Day on Severa
| Conference Reports.
WASHINGTON, March 3.-At II oclocl
today the house entered upon the last legis
| lative day of the session. The manager
were in their places and the public galleTie
were crowded in anticipation of spectacula
scenes. TIE desk of the late Representative
Crawford of Texas, who died at midnight las
| night, was shrouded in black and covered
with flowers.
Immediately after the reading of tn,
journal Mr.. Burke democrat of Texas, an
nounced the death of his colleague in feeling
words, and the usual resolutions were
adopted
The following conferees upon the bill tt
provide a code of criminal procedure fol
Alaska were appointed Messrs. Warner, re-
publican of Illinois; Gibson, republican o.
Tennessee. and MADDOX democrat of Geor
gia. and the bill was sent to conference.
The bill to permit the reimportation oi
wild animals for exhibition purposes was
adopted.
Mr.. Walker, chairman of the committee or
banking and currency, then took the floor
under the privilege granted him earlier in
the day. The statement was largely per-
sonaI, showing the efforts Mr.. Walker had
made during a long series of years to Sc
cure monetary legislation. In this connec-
tion he answered published criticisms of his
course, and went into an elaborate eXplana-
tion of the long fight in his committee, which
resulted in the report of bill and it's sub
sequent withdrawal
His colleague, Mr.. Barrett, republican OF
Massachusetts, demanded an opportunity to
reply, claiming that Mr. Walker had agreed
to yield him time. This Mr.. Walker de-
MED, saying he had always kept his prom
ises to God and man, but not according to
the standards OF his colleagues"
Mr.. Barrett denounced the denial as an
unmitigated falsehood
Mr. Walker proceeded to critcse the cur
rency committee selected by Mr.. Grosvenor,
chairman of the republican caucus.
Mr.. Walker spoke in high terms of Mr. II.
II. Hanna of the indianapolis monetary COM
mittee, but denounced the manner in which
he and his colleagues had lobbied about
the capital for alleged currency reform.
1.-THE difficulty with these reformers," said
he, sis that they obtain their facts from
canvasback and terrapln and from cham
payne. The result is robbery"
"Do you expect the next congress" inter-
posed Mr. Johnson of Indiana, "to enact
any banking and currency legislation worthy
OF the name"
"If it does" replied Mr.. Walker, sit will
mean certain defeat for the republican
party. There Is more dynamite connected
with banking and currency than any sub
ject ever introduced in the house. Any party
that attempts the settlement of the currency
question before the silver question Is set
tied will be swamped."
Mr.. johnson declared that the republican
party was committed to currency reform
and it was the duty of the president to call
an extra session not to create a permanent
standing army of 100000 men, but to put
on the statute books currency legislation so
that 1t could vindlcate itself before the
next general election. Should this be done
the party would have done all its duty to all
sections and its calling and election would
be sure.
Mr.. Cannon presented the conference re-
port on a sundry civil bill and moved its
adoption. He explained briefly the points
on which the conference had adopted it and
II was adopted He moved that the house in
sist upon its disagreement.
Mr.. Corlss moved to concur in the Pacific
cable amendment and earnestly advocated
the adoption of the senate amendment. He
said that government should build the ca