The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-04
BEDLAM BROKE LOOSE
REED WAS HELPLESS
Great Crowd of Spectators at the
All Night Session.
Big Appropriation Bills Are Being
Pushed Through the Final Stages
Walker of Massachusetts, Roasts
the Currency Reformers = Get
Their Ideas From Terrapin and
canvasback, and Their Arguments
From Champagne.

Washington. March S.-Crowded gal.
leries looked down upon the struggling
members of the house today as the
closing scenes of the last legislative day
OF this congress were being enacted.
Step by step the leaders in charge OF
the appropriation bills pushed them
through the final stages, and during
every lull in the consideration of the
conference reports, members elaunored
for recognition for belated local bills,
in the vain hope of reScuing them from
death on the calendar.
At times the house was like bedlaul
Pound as the speaker would with his
gavel, it was almost impossible to pre-
serve order, and to the casual visitor in
the gallery, the proceedings on the floor
must have been about as inteIIigible as
an exciting day in the wheat pit would
be to a parish priest The noise and
confusion on the floor, punctuatei with
the constant banging Of the speakers
gavel, or backgrOunded with the dron-
ing voice of the clerk; irate members
facing each other and talking at the
same time; pages scucrying up and
down the aisles-all this was utterly
distracting. But the people in the gal
leries stayed on, and there was a dozen
persons in line in the corridors waiting
for every vacant seat, 50 great is the
attraction of a dying congress.
Mr.. Walker of Massachusetts, after
many unsuccessful attempts, got an Op-
portunity during the afternoon to voice
his views on currency reform, and Sc .
verely criticised some of his Repubh-
can colleagues.
When the great beacon light on the
dome of the capitol blaZed forth as
darkness fell, thousands upon thou
sands were attracted to- the brilliantly
Illuminated wings of the capitol where
the two houses were TO sit out the
night. In the reserved galleries of the
house were congregated the elite of the
society of the national Capital, while
the public galleries were banked to the
doors. Styhshly gowned ladies and
gentlemen in evening dress added eclat
to the occasion
The big questions in dispute between
the two houses being naturally the last
to be adjusted, were postponed far into
the night. From time to time short
recesses were taken These were sim
ply breathing spells, however, and soon
the leaders were at it harder than ever.
CURRENCY REFORM.
Mr.. Walker. chairman of the COM
mittee on banking and currency. took
the floor under the privilege granted
him earlier in the day. The statement
was largely personal, showing the eff
forts made by Mr.. Walker during the
long series of years to secure monetary
legislation In this connection he an
swered published criticisms of his
course and went into an elaborate ex-
PLANTATION of the long fight in his COM
u1ittea. which resulted in the report Of
a bill and its subsequent withdrawal.
His colleague, Mr.. Barrett (Rep.,
Mass.) demanded an opportunity to re-
pIy. claiming that Mr.. Walker had
agreed to yield him time This Mr..
Walker denied, saying he always kept
his promises to God and man. but mot
according to the standards of his col
leagues"
Mr.. Barrett denounced the denial as
an "unmitigated falsshood-"
Mr.. Walker proceeded to criticise the
currency committee selected by Mr..
Grosvenor, chairman of the Republican
caucus.
Mr.. Walker spoke in high terms Of
Mr.. H. H. Hanna Of the Indianapolis
monetary committee, but denounced
the manner in which he and his col
leagues had lObbied about the capitol
for alleged currency reform.
THE difficulty with these reformers,"
said he. ais that they obtain their facts
from canvasback and terrapin and
their arguments from champagne. The
result is robbery
.sDo YOU expect the next congress-"
lDJerOOSpfl MI. JOlAileOl1 NAeCP-y LANA-Js
"to enact any banking and currency
legislation worthy of the name? L do
not"
.sIf il does" replied Mr.. Walker, sit
will mean certain defeat for the Re
publican party. There is more dyna-
mite connected with banking and cur
rency than any subject ever introduced
in the house. Any party that attempts
the settlement of the currency ques-
ton before the silver question: IS settled
will be swamped.
Mr. Jobnson declared that the Repub-
lican party was committed to currency
reform and that it was the duty of the
Dresident TO call an extra session, not to
create a permanent standing army OF
100. 900 men. but to put upon the stat
1,+e hooks currency legislation, so that
~ conId indicate itself before the next
general election. Should this be done
the marty would have done its duty to
ali sections and its calling and election
would be sure.
Mr. Cannon presented the confer
ence report upon the sundry civil ap-
prcpriation bill, and moved its adop-
tion He explained briefly the points
mon which the conference had agreed.
and the report was adopted. Upon the
terms still in dispute he moved that the
house insist upon its disa agreement
PACIFIC CABLE DEFEATED.
Mr. Corliss moved to concur in the
Pacific cable amendment. He earnest
" advocated the adoption of the SEN
a+e amendment. He said the govern
ment should build the cable
Mr Lewis Oem-, Wash) also sup
,,ortad the Corliss motion, and Mr..
Gov e. w, CRe0.. Pa.) opposed it. The lat
fer was opposed to the government
ownership of a cable
zr. Diucrr1Orp C)en-. Ark) TOOK Oc-
c-orsion to outline the Democratic policy
,.es+s res5se, rGine- the philippines, in accord
a 80. yritb the dictum of the Democratic
caI,cus last Monday He declared that
~ svae the solemn duty of the Republi-
c.rs 70 announce a policy and pointed
o,It +be fruitless effort of the Demo-
crate To force a declaration
Mr.. Dockery Oem., MOI argued that