The National tribune., 1900-01-25

of financiering. wherein the National City
Bank achieved certain rare advantages:
that after having effected a purchase oi the
Custom House property the bank had tcCn
ipermitted to deposit bonds to secure S3.2iJ.-
600 of the purchase price, thus getting free
use of the money: that $50 900 OF the stipulat
ed purchase price had been withheld for the
purpose of forcing the Government to pay
taxes on the property for an indefinite
period, and finally that all this was the in
direct result of political obligations due
certain officials of the bank from the Ad-
tministration. The Government still occu-
pies the Custom House property, and rs Il
matter of rental Mr.. Gage has agreed to
pay the bank four per cent. on the pur-
chase price so long as the United States
remains tenant.
Mr.. Hopkins-Does not the gentleman
from Tennessee know that from the time
the bank leased this property to the Gov
ernment it will be responsible for the taxes?
MIR. Richardson-No the contention is
that they are not liable for the taxes as
long as the title remains in the Govern
ment of the United States.
MIR. Hopkins-How could they lease
property the title to which they did not
have? The mere fact that the deed had
not been made would make no difference.
The bank would be responsible for the
taxes.
Mr.. Richardson-Then by your state
ment you have got your Secretary of the
| Treasury liable to impeachment in this
House and before the country. Applause
ON the Democratic side. l will tell you
why. | say you have made him liable. be-
cause he says in this letter that he did
agree to pay the bank four per cent. interest
| from the date of the sale on the Sd of July,
1899. II you say he did not have to do it
he did what was unlawful and for which
| he ought to be impeached.
Mr.. Hopkins replied to Mr.. Richardson.
| saying in part:
"The Secretary OF the Treasury can
meet any facts in connection with this
| transaction, and it shows that his con-
duct has been honest and fair, and he has
shown great capacity in looking out for
| the interests of the Government OF the
United States. Derisive laughter on the
Democratic side.l He could not provide
against the insinuations that are hurled
against him by the gentlemen from the
| other side of the chamber. The gentle
| man says that under the statement that
| made the Secretary of the Treasury is
| liable to impeachment. ! deny it. Any
| man who has thimble full of brains or
any knowledge of law ought to know bet
| ter than to make statement of that kind.
The only item in the bill debated was the
| rural free delivery. This was opposed by
Mr.. Loud, of California. Chairman Of the
Committee on PostOffiees and Postroads.
In answer to a question from MIR. Loud
Mr.. Cannon stated that the rural free de-
| livery service had been so extended that
| the appropriation was absolutely necessary.
Speaking on the appropriation for rural
free delivery Mr. Livingston said that the
experiment so far as it had been carried
had demonstrated that it was cheaper than
the star route service.
The appropriation was further advocated
and the benefits of the service asserted by
Messrs. McRae of Arkansas; Butler, of
Pennsylvania; lands, of Indiana, and
Robinson, of Indiana.
Mr.. Bell. of Colorado, a member Of the
Committee on Appropriations, under the
rule. had an hour, and he utilized the op-
portunity to make general speech. touch
ing upon the tariff and currency particu-
larly Mr.. Bell said he had no criticism
to make OF the personal character of the
Secretary of the Treasury, but he asserted
that the events of the past few weeks had
demonstrated that man ought not to be
placed in that position whose private in
terests are radically opposed to those OF
the people.