Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-11-28
FRANK B. CLARK, JILL. SWENSOn

as a permanent scheme of administra-
ton could be provided by congress,
the commission system four years
later was adopted after full consider
alton as a permanent plan Of govern
ment; so that the ordinance of the
District of Columbia remains until
this date substantially in the form de-
vised by Senator Allison In 1874. it
is interesting to note that in essential
particulars it is the exact frame work
Of municipal government adopted
some years ago by the city Of Calves
ton, and within year, after a most
Illuminating discussion by the people
of the capital of our own state. At
the elections in 1874 the democrats
secured a majority in the house #
representatives, and when congress
assembled in December it was con-
sidered essential that during .ne
short session provision should be
made for the resumption of specie
payments. A caucus committee Of the
senate consisting of eleven senators
was selected for the purpose of pre-
pairing bill looking to that subject.
Although new member of the body,
Senator Allison was placed upon this
committee. The bill reported to the
caucus was unanimously agreed to by
the republicans, reported to the sen
ate and passed, receiving every re-
publican vote. 1t passed the house
of representatives without amendment
and became a law on the 14th day of
January, 1875. The preparation of
this act of congress known as the re-
sumption act gave Senator Allison
the opportunity to take a leading part
in the most important legislation
since the war, the legislation which
made the deprecated currency Of the
country as good as gold in all the
market places of the earth. So con-
spicuous was his service in this great
work that in March. 1877, he was
placed on the committee at finance
and since that time he has
hesn a raember ~ that COM
mittee. He could have been
Its chairman, but for the fact that in
1881 he became chairman Of the COM
mittee on appropriations, and chose
to retain that craftsmanship rather
than assume the other.
Preserved Golh Standard From Deg
graduation.
Thus 1t will be seen that
for over a quarter of a cen
fury he has occupied a position of
unparalleled influence In the business
of congress. Perhaps the most import
ant service which he rendered the
country during that period was his
successful effort to preserve the gold
standard from degradation through
the unlimited coinage of silver at a
fictitious valuation. 1t is very easy
for use In these times when the silver
agitation has been SO nearly forgotten,
tnat even Mr. Bryan feels safe In say
ing that President Roosevelt has stol-
en- the policies which he stood for ten
years ago, to portray Senator Allison
as compromiser of sound financial
principles and a mistaken leader of
his party; but when it is remembered
that early in the session of 1871 LIE
whelming majority, passed bill for
yer, and that the Glamour for the paa-
sage Of free silver bill has been
greater In the senate than in the
house, it will be seen that the hand
which guided the course Of the legisla-
ton was the hand of man who had
mastered all the arts of parliamentary
leadership. The free silver bill came
to the senate and was referred to the
committee on finance. Being we'll
aware that the senate If called upon
to divide on the question of free
coinage, would follow the popular agi-
tation of which Mr.. Bland of Missouri
was the spokesman, Senator Allison
came forward with a proposition
which preserved the gold standard,
but at the same time made provision
for limited coinage of silver on gov
eminent account The Allison amend
ments were adopted by the committee
and he was directed to make the re-
port and take charge of the bill in the
senate. This compromise between
the advocates Of free silver and those
who are opposed to any recognition
whatever of silver as money metal
in the Judgment of all thoughtful peo-
pie at the time and ever
since saved the national credit at
the most critical period in our his.
tory The Bland-Allison act stood I'M
disturbed until the Fifty-frst congress-
when amendments, supposed to be
more favorable to silver were embod
led in what was commonly called the
Sherman act Neither of these acts of
congress were ideal in their wisdom.
They were not put forward as the
end of all perfection. They were con-
fessedly compromise between extreme
opinions for the express purpose of
preventing the substitution Of the sill
yer dollar for the existing standard in
Il. ~ IL q