The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-23

washington, January 2O.-ADuSeS In
the expenditure OF appropriations was
the text Of the discussion in the House
today during the consideration OF the
urgent deficiency appropriation bill,
which will be the continuing topic for
Monday.
The portrait Of ex-Attorney General
Knox for which the department OF
justice has asked S2615 was again the
topic of comment The most ami
mated discussion of the day took
place on an amendment by Mr. Keifer
of Ohio to increase the amount for the
transportation Of silver coin.
Mr. Smith, Uowa) declared the prac-
tice of transporting silver coin from
and to sub-treasuries was graft pure
and simple in the interest OF express
companies.
Mr.. Hill Comm said it was "una-
dulterated graft" Every secretary
of the treasury from Carlisle down, he
said, had disapproved of the practice.
He said he could give a specific in
stance where an express company
was paid by the government $4,000
for transporting its own money from
San Francisco to New York.
Mr.. Williams Miss stated that if
the movement of silver was stopped
or restricted it would work hardship In
agricultural districts. The amend
ment was lost.
Mr.. Humphreys (Miss.) discussed a
measure he has pending to make the
government records OF federal tax
payers and license holders available
as evidence.
In prohibition and local option sec
tons of the country, he said. the
present practice of withholding this
Information really placed the federal
government in the position Of aiding
the violators Of local laws. Persons
operating blind tigers" said MFR.
Humphreys must always obtain fed
eral licenses and thus avoid pursuit
by government agents but the govern
ment records were withheld by the
rule sof the internal revnue bureau
from being available by state officials
in making prosecutions. The rule Of
the internal revenue bureau, he said,
contravened the we'll established rules
of evidence of our Jurisprudence.
Stating that there had been con-
siderable criticism of southern cotton
planters i'm their efforts to decrease
their cotton acreage, Mr.. Sims, Tenn)
denied that this would increase Euro
pean acreage and placed in the Re-
cord an article from the Government
Crop Reporter on the subject.
Mr.. Tawney discussed the so-called
0nor(10rf kxy
departments.
Having his attention called again To
the item in the bill OF S2,61J, for a
portrait of ex-Attorney General Knox,
Mr.. Padgett (Tenn) asked Mr. Taw-
ney If he believed that to be q justi-
fable appropriation.
Mr.. Tawney said he did not think
any man could justify it Mr.. Taw-
ney said il was hoped the present dis
cussiOn If nothing else would put an
end to the practice.
Mr.. Littauer remarked that the
state department had sought to evade
the law Of last year restricting the
| use OF government carriages to heads
| OF departments, and had secured car
| riages for assistant secretaries out OF
the fund Ito enable tine President 70
meet unforeseen emergencies I'm the di-
plomatic and consular service" A
provision has been inserted In the
bill TO prevent this
Mr. Littauer said the Portsmouth
peace conference had cost the gov
/ ernment $4,000 and the entertainment
| OF Prince Louis Of Battenburg had
cost S4,311 OF.
Rising to the defense OF a provision
| for eight clerks in the treasury To
| count money, Mr.. Gaines said this old
money should be retired It was
rotten, dirty, bacteria-carrying. dis
ease-breeding paper money" 1t
smelled like dead animals and ought
To be retired from circulation.
The House adjourned till Monday.