Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-03-09
DISCUSSION FILLS SENATORIAL
ATMOSPHERE WITH SPIRIT
OF CONFLICT.
DANGER OF DEFEAT OF BILL
ARISES FROM OVER AMEND
MENT.
CONSIDERATION OF MEASURES
GOES oVER-PARTY PLEDGES
5RONEN,

Washington, March 5.-After labor
ing yesterday for almost six hours in
an atmosphere surcharged with cleo
tricity generated by sharp conflict OF
opinion, the senate again failed to
reach vote on the postal savings
bank bill, and took a recess until to.
day
The result of this action is that the
legislative day of March third is con
tinued. There is some uncertainty as
to whether final action even then will
be reached. When recess was taken
Senator Carter, in charge of the bill.
said that eight senators had express
sions yet to be delivered and he did
not undertake to indicate an opinion
as to how many other speeches these
might provoke.
Not during the several weeks that
the postal bill has been before the
senate has there been a day OF de-
bate approaching in any degree the
proceedings of yesterday. Beginning
at 1880 the flow of oratory continued
without interruption until after 3
when, in despair of reaching an end
Mr.. Carter moved recess.
During the day there were speeches
by Senators Root, Carter Cummins
Rayner, Clapp, Borah, Clay, Newlands
and a number of others, representing
almost as many views as there We're
speakers.
The Cummins amendment to the
SmoOt amendment, limiting to times
of war the exigencies in which pos
tai funds may be withdrawn from
banks was a technical subject of dis
cussion during the entire sitting, and
during that time there were many
rather acrid exchanges of views.
Senator Root dwelt especially upon
the necessity of protecting the credit
of the country and he appealed strong
ly to the patriotism of the senators in
that interest. Mr.. Carter strongly
seconded this appeal, and drew even
a more vivid picture of the possibil
ity of an unexpected national demand
for funds than was presented by the
New York senator.
Both Senators Clay and Cummins
charged Mr.. Smoot with inconsistency
IN or; e.;no H. ,,racon+ipo on ap9ppd
ment prohibiting the withdrawal OF
postal funds from local banks and fol
lowing that UP with another provision
authorizing such withdrawal in the
contingency of a need for funds by
the government.
Mr.. Smoot defended his course as
due to the fact that he had been con,
WINGED of the unconstitutionaIity OF
the proposed law without some pro
vision justifying it under the borrow.
ing clause of the constitution Mr.
Carter stated frankly that his change
of position was due to the parliament
airy necessity of putting the bill in
such shape as to insure the majority
vote for it.
In response to questions by Senator
Clapp, Mr.. Root said his amendment
contemplated the investment of the
postal funds in bonds TO be issued
hereafter He said he hardly thought
the board would approach the invest,
ment in the S730,0O0,O00 existing two
per cent. bonds as some had feared.
Appealing for a candid treatment of
the question. Mr.. Carter said that
even if the postal funds should be in
vested in government securities little
harm could result, as most of the
funds would consist of money now
boarded.
He declared that the acceptance of
the Cummins amendment would insure
sthe defeat of the bill and he appealed
TO all friends of the legislation to
yield their personal opinions.
Mr.. Borah supported the Cummins
amendment. Controyerting Mr.. Root.
he asserted that the Smoot provision
would be a constant threat to every
bank taking postal money.
The proposition pending, Mr.. Clapr
declared, was different from the orig
inal postal savings bank scheme and
he warned republicans that the time
would come when excuses would not
be taken for broken party pledges"