Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-11
BILL IS
TOPIC IN HOUSE
DISCUSS PLAN ITO IMPROVE
CURRENT CONDITIONS"
Amendment Adopted Providing That
Government Deposits Shall BE
Made only on competi-
tive Bids
BY Associated press.

p9 RSSoCldteu fTeHN.
WASHINTON, Jan. 1O.-The session
OF the house today was given over
almost entirely to a discussion of the
bill on banking and currency ito inn
prove current conditions" A sudden
interest in the measure seemed to de-
/ bership present throughout the day.
Democratic opposition mainly was
dlssipated by the adoption of an amend
ment offered by Mr.. Williams of Mis-
sissippi providing that government de-
poslts shall be made only on competi-
tive bids. Final action on the bill was
not taken.
The army and Indian appropriation
bills were reported.
A resolution was adopted directing
the secretary of the interior to inform
the house whether or not any of the
principal or interest of any Indian
trust funds or other moneys of any
Indian tribe are being expended for
support OF any Indian contract schools
other than government schools, and If
so what authority he had for so doing.
The house then went into committee
of the whole to further consider the
bill to improve current conditions.
Mr. Bartlett of Georgia, who was the
sole member of the banking and cur
rency commission opposed to the bill
and who filed the minority report upon
it, made brief but vigorous speech in
,rx-1, ic1, hn bo t,o6 annIn0iaa
to make to the house or to the people
of the country for his position regard
ing the bill. He affirmed his adher-
ence to Democratic principles and said
he could not favor bill he did not
believe in. In a sarcastic vein he
spoke of the alleged anxiety of the
Republicans to reform currency condi-
tions, when he said they knew they
were adopts and past masters in the
art of being ostensibly for something
they did not intend to pass.
The Williams amendment, providing
competitive bids, was adopted, ia
to SO.
Mr.. FoWIer's Amendment
Mr.. Fowler spoke in advocacy of his
own amendment which provides for
government deposits up to 25 per cent
cent interest, the government to have
first lien on the banks securities.
Mr.. Thayer of Massachusetts,, refer
ring to the Fowler amendment. said he
had IAN inkling in some way" that il
the bill became a law most of the
money would go to New York.
An amendment to the Fowler amend
ment was offered by Mr.. Bowie of Ala
bama, designed to meet the suggestion
of Mr.. Thayer, providing that "all
moneys so deposited shall be equitably
distributed between the banks in the
several states of the union," but Mr..
Thayer contended that the Bowie
amendment did not go far enough.
On rising VOTE 139 to Ia, the COM
mittee agreed to incorporate the Bowie
amendment as a part of the Fowler
amendment. The Fowler amendment as
101 to 125.
An amendment was agreed to strik-
ing out section of the bill repeating
the law prohibiting deposits of more
than $S,000,000 during any calendar
month for the purpose of withdrawing
circulating notes, and substituting
therefor a provision permitting ma
tional banks to retire their outstanding
notes in the discretion of the secretary
of the treasury not exceeding per
cent of their circulation.
An amendment by Mr.. Thayer Of
the amount of silver to be recoined
into subsidiary coin to $15,0o0,O00 in any
one year was adopted.
The committee, 131 to 81, rejected the
amendment of the committee on bank
ing and currency providing for the re-
coinage of standard silver dollars
from cash in the general fund of the
treasury"
An amendment was offered by Mr..
Little of Arkansas to strike out sec
tion and substitute for it new Sec
tion authorizing the secretary of the
treasury W pulSiluoC SiiNC puiiiOh 90
may be necessary and to coin the same
into such subsidiary silver coin as he
may deem necessary without regard
to any heretofore prescribed limit.
Action on the amendment, however,
was deferred by the bill being laid
aside.
At 5:O4 the house adjourned until to-
morrow.
Comments by Cigar Men