Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-15

currency bill, agreed upon by the Re
publican caucus, was put through the
House today under special rule, by
a vote of 1874 to 145. Fifteen so-calle(
"inSurgentS'' of the majority party
voted with the Democrats, who Went
on record solidly against the meas
ure.
The closing moments of the debate
publican enthusiasm. This was caused
by the refusal of the great majority
of the Democrats to go DIN record fol-
the Williams bill, which had been Of
fe-ed by Mr.. Kahn of California as q
substitute for the Vreeland bill in &C.
cordance with a well-laid plan Of the
mcjorlty leaders to ascertain where
the Democrats stood on the bill
which, it was contended by several,
was supported by Mr.. Bryan. Ninety
three Democrats voted present
which aroused the Republicans to a
high state of hilarity at the expense
of the minority Only a handful of
Democrats had the temerity to vote
"aye' or mo"
The action of Mr.. Kahn was due to the
refusal of Mr.. Williams to present his bill
as q substitute, which under the rule he
was specifically authorized to do
AS soon as the bill reaches the Senate
Mr.. Aldrch will call meeting of the
finance committee to consider it. 1t is
expected that the committee will vote
unanimously to amend the House meas
ure by striking out all after the enacting
clause and inserting the provision of the
bill which was passed by the Senate. 1t
is not doubted that the Senate will ap-
prove the action of the committee. The
effect of this course would be to send
both the Vreeland and the Aldrch bills
to conference.
Washington, May 14.-Of the 800
members, only about $50 We're preeSnt
when the House met today, notwith-
standing the fact that the currency
question was to be debated The
large number of vacant seats was the
subject of much comment. Majority
Leader Payne promptly made the
point of no quorum and this sugges-
ton necessitated a roll call
Mr.. Vreeland, N. Y, then offered
resolution to suspend the rules and
Vreeland currency bill, debate to con-
clude at 5 o'clock. The right WAS ac-
corded the minority to offer as a sub
stitute the Williams bill.
When the reading of the resolution
had been concluded, MIR. Prince of the
Republican ''insurgents" made a point
of order that the resolution was priv
iliged, but Speaker Cannon sharply
informed him that it made no diff
ference whether it was or not. that
the motion was to suspend the rules
and he overruled the point.
While the call was in progress men,
bers came in rapidly. The call dis
closed the presence of 306 members,
about the largest attendance since the
opening dav of the session.
Mr.. Vreeland called attention to the
Democratic filibuster of the past
month as the result of their demand
for certain remedial legislation and
said that the majority now had d right
to expect large Democratic support of
the Republican measure. The only
reason for not supporting the ma
iority measure, he said, would be be-
cause the bill came from the Repubi-
can side of the chamber and the min
GRITTY were unable to bring forward
anything of their own. Prince, Ills,
(Rep.D was vehement in his denunci-
alton of the rule. saying it was an in
suit to the committee on banking anG
currency. He called on the member
ship to join with him in voting against
the resolution,
The minority leader, Mr.. Williams,
in replying to Vreeland, commended
r1-a+ notice had already been served
on the Democrats that they were legis-
l..ti, ,Iy t.,suaIr4d Tor the rest OF This
session. The Vreeland bill. he char
acterized as an infamy. Williams in
sisted that the Democrats were not op-
posing the bill because it was a Re
publican measure. WHO stands for
the Republican machine in this
House."
The vote on the rule was taken and
it was adopted 174 to 1916 The Demo-
Gratis voted solidly against it, and had
the support of Is Republicans.
The Vreeland bill was now taken up
for discussion. In supporting it, Over
street, Ind said that if the bill had
been law when the panic of last fall
arose the panic would not have last
ed three days. He strongly advocat-
ed the creation of the currency conf
mission for which the bill provides.
In the opinion of Ollie, Dem.,) KY,
the bill instead of quieting the storm,
would be the formenter of one. Never
in the history of the government he
declared, had so much power affecting
the property and interests of the peo-
pie been lodged in the hands of one
man, the secretary of the treasury.
The bill was also denounced by Mr..
Pujo. Oem) La. He said that it's
title more properly should be 'the d.
gested Vreeland bill for the purpose Of
enhancing the value of undigested Sc
curities.''
The bill was characterized by Will
liams, Miss, as one to meet political
emergency in the Republican party