Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1893 — THE NATIONAL SOLONS. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL SOLONS.

SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Oar National Lawmakers and What They Are Doing for the Good of the Country— Various Measures Proposed, Discussed, and Acted Upon. Doings of Congress. The Senate resumed business at the close of Its holiday recess with a a fair show of Industry and an attendance of a few more than a quorum. Mr. Allison (Rep.), lowa, made his first appearance this session, having been absent hitherto as a delegate to the International monetary conference, and had an opportunity of adding to his knowledge on tbe subject of gold and silver by listening to a speech of Mr. Stewart, (Kep. ), Nevada, In opposition to the bill introduced by Mr. McPherson (Dem.), New Jersey, to suspend the purchase of silver bullion under the Sherman bill. TJhe Senate took up tbe anti-option.bill as the unfinished business. An amendment was offered by Mr. Washburn (Rep), of Minnesota, and agreed to, inserting In section 2 the words so as to make the proviso read: “That such contractor agreement shall not be made, settled for delivery or settlement of difference, or by any other mode of performance or settlement In or upon any Board of Trade, etc.” Mr. White (Dem.), of Louisiana, moved to insert in section 3 the word “flour” as one of the articles referred to, Mr. White’s amendment was agreed to. The vote was taken, after further discussion, and resulted: Yeas, 12; nays, 30. As a quorum did not vote the roll of Senator* was called. Forty-four Senators, just a quorum, answered to their names. But without further action on Mr. White s amendment the Senate went into executive session and soon adiourned. The feature of Thursday’s session of the Senate was the speech delivered by Mr. Vilas (Wis.) against the anti-option bill. Senate hill permitting M. P. Deady, United States Judge for the District of Oregon, to resign on and after March 4 next, and thereupon to be entitled to draw his salary as judge during his life, was passed. Senate bill concerning the testimony In criminal cases or proceedings growing out of the interstate cdmmerce law was on motion of Mr. Wilson (Iowa) taken from the calendar and passed. (It provides that no person shall be excused from testifying on the ground that his testimony might tend to criminate himself.) The Senate after a short executive session adjourned. The second general appropriation bill to pass the House this session was the fortification appropriation bill, and it went through without amendment or the slightest debate. The bill appropriates $1,735,055. The consideration of private pension bills was. removed, and a few of the measures were passed without opposition. Then, as there was no quorum, the House adjournod.

Friday’s session of the Senato was given up exclusively to the discussion of the bill on the subject of quarantine regulations and its correlative measure, the bill to suspend immigration for one year. Many amendments were offered. The session ol the House was an uneventful one. The attendance was small, and nothing but private business was considered, with the exception of a bill providing for the muster and pay of certain officers and men of the volunteer forces. About twenty-five private pensions bills were passed. The Senate was in session Monday tot five hours. Half of the time was spent on Mr. McPherson’s (N. J.) joint resolution authorizing and directing the Secretary ol the Treasury to suspend all purchases ol sliver under the Sherman act, and the other half on the bill granting additional quarantine powers and imposing additional duties upon the Marine Hospital service. Mr. McPherson addressed the Senate at length In support of his joint resolution. Mr. McPherson had not finished his speech at 3 o'clock, when the quarantine bill wai laid before the Senato as the spocial order, but It was laid aside temporarily to allow Mr. McPherson to conclude. The House Committee on Banking and Currency by s decisive vote pushed the Andrew banking and bullion purchase repeal bill, togethei with the Cate amendment for the coinage of silver bullion now in the treasury, through the committee and ordered its report to the House. A motion of Coj (Tenfl.) to carry out the State bank plant in the Chicago platform was defeated by 1] to 1. Mr. Townsend (Cal.) offered the Steward free-coinase bill. This was voted down. The Cate amendment was the* adopted, and then Mr. Cate was authorized to report the bill as agreed to by t vote of 8 to 3. The bill as agreed upor provides that national banks upon a deposit of interest bearing United State; bonds shall be entitled to receive circulating notes to the full par value of the bond; deposited. At present 90 per cent is th< limit. Section 2 reduces the tax on national bank circulation from to 14 of 1 per cent each half year. Section 3 repeals the Sherman silver bullion purchase act Section 4 is the Cate amendment and amends the coinage section of the Sherman act so as to read as follows: That the Secretary of the Treasury shall coin into standard silver dollars so much o: the silver bullion purchased under the provisions of this act as may be necessary to provide for the redemption of the treasury note; herein provided for. and shall coin from tim< to time into standard silver dollars the remainder of such bullion for the uses of th< treasury as speedily as the demands upon th; treasury may render practicable the paymeni out of the treasury of such standard silvei dollars, and such standard sliver dollars coinec under this provision of this act for the uses ol the treasury shall be covered Into the treasury 7s miscellaneous receipts,'and any gain oi i eniorage arising from any such coinage shall he accounted for and paid into the treasury.