Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1893 — THE EXTRA SESSION. [ARTICLE]

THE EXTRA SESSION.

Tuesday’s session of the Senate was quite lively. Senator Sherman made a 1 speech that was listened to with marked attention. The debate was sharp at times and tinged with acrimony. At one time it looked as if there would be a personal encounter between Senators Morgan and j Washburn. The fiery Southerner indirectly challenged the Minnesotan. The storm serves as an index to the feeling of impatience and resistance which has been gradually accumulating. Mr. Dolph in the course of a lengthy speech said the Senate was in a ridiculous, attitude before the country. It was time the Senate showed a little backbone. After a personal controversy which was engaged in by various Senators, Mr. Sherman resumed in a speech that was characterised by great earnestness. He laid the responsibility for the situation on the Democratic side of the chamber. The President, he said, had expressed his opinion, and while the Republicans did not believe m him or his politlcs, and were under no obligations to him, yet they furnished two-thirds of the votes, nearly, to. carry out liis will, while the party that the President represented stood unable to formulate a policy or to say what they desired. If they did not agree with the President let them say so, or let them formulate something else. “We simply intend to suspend the coinage of silver, not to demonetize it," Mr. Sherman said. ‘ln times past, when the Republicans were in the majority, we never shrank from the responsibility which is now upon the Democratic party. We were Republicans because we believed in Republican principles, Republican men and Republican measures, and whenever a question came up in this chamber to be decided, we never pleaded the baby act.” Mr. Sherman argued in favor of strengthening the gold reserve, and said that he had seen a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury to the effect that there would be a deficiency of at least 950,000,003. In this exigency the erection of public buildings and public improvements should be suspended. After an extended debate between Messrs. Sherman, Mills ' and Morgan, Mr. Voorhees moved that the Senate take a recess until 10 o’clock Wednesday, which was agreed to. Wednesday’s session of the Senate met at 10 o’clock. A quarter of an hour was wasted in waiting for the forty-third Senator to make up a quorum. Prayer was dispensed-with. A spirited discussion of the quorum question on Mr. Dolph’s motion to amend the journal was had. Mr. Morgan reopened the question. He held that the Supreme Court never had, and could not, pass upon any rule of the Senate. One of the most effective and amusing points made by Mr. Morgan was when, in speaking of the executive interrerence, he said: “The trumpet was sounded; the forces were marshaled; the clock had struck .at the White House, and the cuckoos here all put their heads out of the boxes and responded to inform us of the time of day.” (Laughter on the floor and in the galleries.) Mr. Morgan, referring to the action of the'Secretary of the Treasury, said he did not believe Congress could confer discretion upon that officer to coin at his will. The Secretary, in that respect, had but partially executed a mandatoryjaw. Mr. Morgan urged that the Sherman act should be repealed out and out Mr. Platt inquired whether the Senator from Alabama believed that the law, as it now. elisted, gave the Secretary of the Treasury the right to coin the seignorage. Mr. Morgan believed the Secretary had the right to coin every bit of it. To-day there was a clear trampling ont of the mandate of the law. In the course of his speech Mr. Morgan referred to Mr. Mills as the mouthpiece of another, which Mr. Mills quickly and excitedly denied. The Dolph motion was laid on the table. Mr. Teller then addressed the Senate. In the course of his remarks he denounced Mr. Cleveland as a usu rper and became entangled in a controversy with Messrs. McPherson, Mills and Hill. Mr. Frye took occasion to read a written opinion by James G. Blaine in regard to dilatory motions. Mr. Mills concurred in the opinions of Blaine and indorsed his rulings while Speaker. At 5:15, on motion of Mr. Voorhees, the Senate took a recess until 10 o’clock Thursday.

The Senate, Thursday morning at 10 o’clock, entered upon the third division of the legislative session of Tuesdayjwith less than a dozen members present. When a quorum had been secured, a report from the finance committee was presented and read containing the communication from the treasury department in response to a resolution calling for information as to the probability of a deficiency in the revenues of the Government. The committee shows a deficit for the first three months of the present fiscal year of over 821,003,003, at the rate of over 887,000,030 for the year. It shows the actual expenditures during the first three months to have been over 898,000,0(0, or an average of about 833,003,000 a month. At the same rate the expenditure for the year would aggregate about 8394,000,000, or about 831,000,(00 more than the estimate of expenses, and would show an increase of expenditures over supposed actual receipts of a little over 877,000,003. The Secretary says a definite forecast for the whole year was impossible, for it was apparent that should the present conditions continue, the deficit at the end of the year would be about 850,000,000. Mr. Stewart addressed the Senate on a motion to ameud the journal, but soon drifted into a discussion of the silver question. A controversy between Messrs. Dubois and Hill resulted in the declaration by Mr. Dubois that if his own expulsion from the Senate would prevent the passage of the repeal bill he was willing to make the sacrifice. Mr. Dubois said a majority favored a compromise. Mr. Hill asked how under the present rules of the Senate a vote could be reached if there was determined opposition. He held that a determined minority could Indefinitely defeat the will of the majority and the will of the people of the country as well. A very unpleasant exchange of personal Itos ensued between a number of Senators and much disorder resulted. When (Order was restored Mr. Butler said: “I am perfectly well aware that under the rules of this body, which the Senator from New York and the Senator from Texas are ready to trample upbn, cast aside and discard and convert the Senate into a town meeting, no applause shall be allowed in the galleries, and if I have been the meant—nobody applauds

me—but if tbefriendsof the Senator from, New Yotk are gathered here for the purpose of expressing their approval of his methods I should be very glad, Mr. President, to invite the Senator out on some street corner, where he and I can have it out for the benefit of the masses.” A general debate on the proposition to apiend the rules ensued. Mr. Stewart again secured the floor and said that Mr. Hill was on the fence on the silver question. Mr. Butler interrupted with the remark that after a little further display of the eloquence of the Nevada Senator that Mr. Hill would drop completely over on the silver side. The balance of the day was consumed in such frivolous interchange of pleasantries until Mr. Peffer secured the floor and resumed his speech began last Friday. At 5:05, upon motion of Mr.Voorhees, the Senate again took a recess until 10 o’clock Friday.