The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-17
Pettigrew's Philippine Resolution
and Lodges Substitute Laid on
the Table by the Senate.
ANOTHER SPIRITED DEBATE
TEMPERATE SPEECH BY MIR. VEST
ON MKINLEY'S POLICY.
The Missouri Senator Strongly OPP
posed to Wearing n Muzxle or Be-
ing Classed as UnpatriOtic.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-The urgent de-
ficiency appropriation bill was taken up in
the House to-day under an agreement
which limited the general debate to to-
day 1t was the general expectation that
it would precipitate stormy debate on
the question of expansion. in view of the
large army and navy items 1t contains
but the members early became much en-
crossed in a discussion of an item Of
$4,000 for rural free delivery, in which all
are personally interested. and the SUBJ
ject of expansion was barely touched on.
The last hour of the debate was enlivened
by an attack of Mr.. Richardson, the mi
nority leader, on the secretary of the treas
ury, for his course in connection with the
sale of the New York custom house. Mr..
Richardson said one Of the newspapers had
gone SO far as to charge that Mr.. Gage
had been guilty of embezzlement. techni-
cally and legally, and was. therefore, SUBJ
feet to impeachment. Mr.. Richardson said
he did not go to that length, but .ne Sec
retary of the treasury, he said, had GER
tainly violated the strict letter of the law.
Mr.. Richardson sad that in his opinion
the secretary was not guilty of embezzle-
ment and expressed the opinion that he
had right to deposit the money in gov
ernment depository, such as the National
City Bank then was. But he desired to go
beyond that. The custom house was sold
to the bank July 3, 1899. for $3, 365. 900. Just
before the sale (June 81 the secretary re-
ceived a letter from A b. Hepburn, say
ing: "Of course this bank is very strong
and If you take the pains to look at the
list Of directors you will see we have great
claims in view of what was done in 1896"
Mr.. Richardson then read a list of some
government deposits in this bank at vari-
Gus times to show that for six months it
had the use OF an average of 900 of
government money. Was that due to the
contributions made by the directors to the
campaign fund of 1896, he inquired.
Turning again to the sale Of the custom
house. the deposit of the money in the
purchasing bank and the lease of the
property to the government at the rate of
$4,000 a year. he asked what had the gov
ernment got out of the transaction? A
paper credit of s3.215. 600 and the privilege of
paying $l36.oc0 year rent What had the
bank got? The rent, the use of the pur-
chase money which it loaned, according
to newspaper reports. at enormous rates.
and. by Withholding the last $4,000 of the
purchase price to prevent the title from
passing, exemption from taxation on the
property it had purchased. II leave it to
any honest-minded man." said Mr.. Rich
ardson. 'if that is dealing fairly with the
trust money of the United States?" [Dem-
ocratic applausel.
Mr.. Hopkins, OF Illinois, quickly chal-
lenged Mr.. Richardson's statement that
the bank was not liable for taxes, declar-
ing taxes accrued from the time the bank
purchased and took possession. the mere
paper deed not affecting this, but only evil
dencing ownership. Mr.. Hopkins said the
report of the Secretary of the Treasury
not only met frankly and honestly every
charge but it showed business capacity
that must receive the intelligent approval
of the people of the United States. Demo
cratic jeers.1 The report Of the Secretary
of the Treasury, he continued, exonerated
him from every insinuation. He said the
National City Bank had been a government
depository long before Mr.. Gage came into
office. 1t had been selected by Demo-
cratic Secretary of the Treasury because
of its well-known financial ability. But in
stead of following the course of his Demo-
cratic predecessor in making few favor
lite banks repositories, Secretary Gage had
selected repositories all over the United
States The record showed that the pro-
ceeds Of the sale were not deposited for
the use Of the National City Bank, but
were subject to check day by day. so that
the bank had to so conduct its affairs that
it could be withdrawn without warning at
any time. Why this cutlery? Mr. Hopkins
inquired. The money was as safe as it
would be in the treasury of the United
States 'I say" he concluded, that the
Secretary of the Treasury is entitled to
the appreciation of every honest man. Sec
retary Gage has made a record that any
American ought TO praise instead of de-
nounce." IGreat Republican applause.l
This closed the incident.
Earlier in the Cay, Messrs. A. w. Smith,
of Michigan: Loud. of California, Living
ston and Griggs, of Georgia; Bar
ney, of Wisconsin; Butler, of Pennsylvania.
and Lands. of Indiana, all praised the rural
free delivery system. Alr. Robinson. of In
diana, expressed the opinion that Congress
III the regular postofice appropriation bill
would vote 81. 900 for rural free delivery.
Mr.. Ball, Of Texas. introduced the ques-
tion of expansion. He had read extracts
from the Declaration Of Independence, the
speeches of James Wilson. of Pennsylvania.
in the constitutional convention and of
Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. 1t was
long step. said he. from the conceptions
of the government portrayed in these utter
ances to the declarations OF the spokesman
Of the present administration.
Mr.. Davis. of Florida. said he deplored
the spirit OF expansion which had taken