The Washington herald., 1906-12-06

Yesterdays session Of Congress was es-
sentially a business one. A big batch OF
bills were introduced in both Houses. The
annual report Of the Secretary OF the
| Treasury was received. as well as a large
number Of reports Of lesser importance
from other departments The President
/ himself sent in six letters Of transmittal.
which, among other things. gave MS ear
nest Endorsement to the movement to es-
/ tablish memorial in memory Of Dr. Wal
ter Reed, who gave up his life in the IN
/ terest OF yellowfever investigation; ap-
proved Of the decision Of the governor OF
/ Alaska that the Territory was not ready
for home rule; and urged the payment Of
a large sum Of money to the Roman
| Catholic Church in the Philippines. He
also sent in message urging legislation
that would give the President the discre-
ton to dismiss summariIy officers Of the
navy without trial He said that the
danger Of the power being abused is so
slight as to be altogether outweighed by
the considerations OF public policy.
The House touched on currency reform
yesterday when il passed the bill. by a
rising vote OF III TO 81, authorizing na-
tional banks TO make loans on farm lands.
1t provoked decided opposition from the
friends OF State banks and Of Eastern
financial interests.
The bill provides that a national bank
may lend for a period OF one year . per
cent Of it's capital on farm land. to the
extent Of 20 per cent Of a conservative
market value Of the land. BY an amend
ment tackled on to the bin such loans
cannot be for a longer period than one
year
Let US remove the long ban that has
existed against the landed interest Of the
country" was the way the Committee on
Banking and Currency presented the bill
to the House. There was q general sour
rying to get on the band wagon Col.
Pete Hepburn, Republican. Of Iowa,
Joined Representative John Sharp VIII
liams. Democratic floor leader, IN sup
porting the measure. Col Hepburn de-
clared the statement that large sums OF
money must be borrowed from the East
TO move the Western crops was about
mythical conditions. The farmers are
constantly lending. instead Of borrowing,
said he. He demanded for them the Op-
porJunity Of lending and borrowing
through the national banks Of their own
community, instead Of being forced 20
send their money to Wall street to be
used in speculation.
The bill was advocated by 3Ir. Lewis.
Of Georgia, its author, a national bank
president; Mr.. Prince, of Illinois who re-
ported il from the Committee on Banking
and Currency and others, chiefly upon
the ground that it would tend 10 keep
money from Wall street and keep IL in
circulation at home. Messrs. Hiu. Of Con-
necucut. and De Armond. OF Missouri,
vigorously opposed 1.-THE former because
be deemed il the entering wedge in the
destruction OF the national banking sys-
TEN. and a paniC-breedeT for the whole
country; the later. that it would operate
to drive State banks out OF existence.
Mr.. Hill said it was impossible for a bank
to lock up its funds in year-IOng real es-
tate loans, while its deposits remained
subject TO check without limitation. Bat
the House decided to abide by the judg-
ment and desires Of those bankers who
thought they could continue 10 DO a
profitable business under those conditions.
The House also passed a bin incCr-
porating the National Germar-American
Alliance, with an amendment proposed by
the Committee on the Judiciary, making
Il the alliance Of the District Of Column
bin. The purposes of the alliance are set
forth in the bill as follows:
The conservation Of the principles OF
representative government, and the pro-
lection and maintenance Of all civil and
political rights; the protection OF Ger
man immigrants against imposition and
deception. and 10 assist in their natu-
ralization; the study of American institu-
tions, and the publication Of American
1
language. literature and drama. and the
perpetUatiOn Of the memory and deeds
OF those early German pioneers whose in
huence has been of incalcuiable benefit
to the intellectual and economic develop
ment Of this country, and whose loyalty
in times Of stress and strife is a matter
ot history.
II was stated in the course Of a brief
debate that the alliance includes a men,
bership Of 100000. The passage Of the
bill was advocated by Representative
Rartholdt, its author, and Representative
Stafford, one Of the Milwaukee Repre-
sentatives.
Representative Hepburn deprecated the
perpetuatiOn of national or race distinc-
uons in the citizenship OF the United
States, and asked Mr.. Bartholdt if he
would accept an amendment striking out
the word German American ought
20 be good enough for any one" he said
Mr.. Bartholdt said he recognized the
force Of Mr.. HepbuTn's objection to the
hyphenization, and personally, he would
consent TO the change suggested; but he
had no authority TO do so. The bill pass
ed without dissent.
BY division. bill was passed to author
ize the Secretary of the Navy to exer-
else his discretion in fixing the amount
0f certified checks presented TO secure the
compliance with contracts to furnish
naval supplies. This was the first bill 20
pass the House at this session. It re-
'eived strictly party vote