The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-30
SULzER RESOLUTION PASSED.
MORE CRITICISM OF sECRETARY Y
GAGE IN THE HOUSE.

WIN the
city nnnIs-secrctnry Cages Mo-
uVcs called Into Que~tion-Rich-
ardsOn and suIzer Mnde the At
tHcISs-BiII to Reorganizc Weather
Hureau and Pension the Employees
Received black Eye.
Washington, Jan. GA bill for the re-
organization and Improvement of the
weather bureau which Includes provisions
for pensionlng disabled and aged employees
of the service received a black eye in tho
House to-day. and its opponents believe 10
is killed,
The bill was bitterly fought by the op-
ponents of civil pension rolls, on account
OF its life tenure provision.
The early portion Of the day was devoted
to a lively scrimmage over the Sulzer res-
olution, to investigate Secretary Gage.
which the Committee on Rules recom-
mended should be sent to the Ways and
Means Committee, as the latter commits
tee has the response of the Secretary in
ts possession.
There was no opposition to the pros
posed action, but Mr. Richardson of Ten
nessee and Mr. Sulier of New York used
| II as a text for renewing their attacks
upon the Secretary Mr.. Gage was de-
Tended by Mr Hopkins of Illinois, Mr..
Hin OF Connecticut and MIR. Dazen OF
| Pennsylvania.
Mr. Richardson, leader of the minority.
while not opposed to the reference, said
he was decidedly of tho opinion that an in
vestigation should be made. The govern
ment had taken paper credit for 50 ,215. COZ
| for the Custom House property, which Iefs
the pltlful sum of $4,000 sull due the gov
ernment Why could the cerdit not havs
been for the fun amount?
He insisted that the reason had develops
ed. II had been the intention of the Secre-
| tary of the Treasury he said, to relieve the
bank OF its tax obligation to the state and
| city of New York by retaining the title
| in the government. The government had
| agreed to pay rent for the property yer
| the bank was not to pay taxes upon H.
| He called attention TO the letter of the
Secretary of the Treasury asking Congress-
TO appropriate $4,000 for the properly
sold in the manner he had described to-
! prevent the bank from being liable for
| taxes.
| 'If that was the secretary's motiven
said Mr. Richardson, emphatcally Il ana
| here 10 condemn it aud TO insist that IL
/ i'll becomes the Secretary of the Treasury
to go into partnership with private COR
poration."
with IT'S interest on its nominal payment
to the government and Its deposited bonds
| and with the rental charge upon the gov
| ernment. rental being per cent. on tho
purchase price this juggling had enabled
| the bank 10 make 1857 600 up to date.
Mr. Sulzer of New York. the author OF
| the resolution, said the Republican party
| dared neither to smother nor ignore the
resolution. Ever since the present sec-
| retary had been IN office, Mr.. Sulzer said,
| he had been aiding the National city Bank
| at the expense Of other national banks.
1t had been making millions. coming and
going" lie declared that the people OF
| the country recognized that the Secretary
of the Treasury was unfit and incompetenr
| TO hold the purse strings. The United
| states treasury was made the instrument
of the Standard Oh trust. Aye, more. he
said the people believed the Secretary
| should be impeached.
In Defense of Gage.
MIR Hopkins Of Illinois. replying. said
| all this discussion was premature and QUO
of place.
Il Simply rise" said he. Ito protest
| against this unfounded, unwarranted and
| untrue charge made by the gentleman
from Tennessee (Mr. Richardson). What
right has he to impute false and fraudu-
lent motives to the Secretary of tha
| Treasury"
"Why did the $4,000 remain unpaid?s
interrupted Mr.. RIchardSOn.
TN come to that" replied Mr.. Hopkins.
Proceeding, he said Mr.. Richardson had
charged that the secretary had entered
into "A fraudulent contract. II AFFIRM he
said that there is no support whatever
for the charge The custom house prop
erty was sold TO the National City Bank.
| IT took possession and made a lease.
claim that the city and state of New
York can proceed to the collection OF
taxes just as If the paper title had pass
ed.
Under the law the Secretary of the
Treasury sold the property to the highest
bidder. The National City Bank bid $780,
900 more than any other bidder. What il
the next offense? That the purchase price
was deposited with the National City
Bank. That bank is a government de-
pository, selected by a Democratic admin
istration. because of its financial standing,
and a deposit in that bank was the same
as If il had been In The sub-treasury or in
the treasury itself"
Mr. Hin of Connecticut declared that the
resolution for an investigation was pure
buncombe, intended for political purposes.
Just as a similar resolution directed
against the Democratic Secretary of the
Treasury in the last administration was
As to holding back $4,000, Mr.. Hill re-
piled that the law under which the prop
erty was sold compelled the payment of
only $75O0OO cash, and the remainder from
| time to time.
The Secretary was compelled to receive
| any cash payment in excess of $750,0OO.
| Furthermore, the city could not lose the
| taxes upon the property He proceeded to
| explain the tax laws of New York rela-
| tive to the national banks.
| Therefore" said he In conclusion, the
| disreput9ble charge that the Secretary of
| the Treasury did anything with fraudu-
| lent intent falls to the ground" Cap
| plause on the Republican sde)
Neither Mr. Hopkins nor Mr. Hil said
| Mr. Richardson. had made any answer
| 10 his question as to why the Secretary
| Of the Treasury had not taken a paper
credit for So 265, COO instead of So 215,000. He
| insisted that failure to answer had lefr
| open the question as TO taxation. He also
! questioned the right Of the National City
| Bank, with a capital OF $7,0OO000, to buy
real estate to the amount of half Its
capital.
The resolution was passed without a d.