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7.
QUESTIQPF THE HOUR
Another Financial Debate in the
United States Senate.
CAUSED BY HiLL'S RESOLUTION
The Speaker Were ilic Senator
"From New York, and Wolcott,
Lodge, Stewart rend. Teller.
"WASHINGTON. Feb. 16. A storm of
financial debate swept over the senate
today, exceeding in intensity any discus
sion in the upper branch of congress for
many days. It was brought on by Hill's
advocacy of his resolution denning the
policy of the government for bimetalism
an 1 for paying: its obligations in the best
money in use. The New York senator
spoke with his usual vigor, and was close
ly followed in his plea for sustaining the
national credit by a declaration of policy
to the world. But Hill's speech was
irfrcly the warning note of the storm.
H was followed by Wolcott of Colorado,
Lodge of Massachusetts, and later by Tel
ler of Colorado in the most scathing de
nunciation and arraignment of the admin
istration for its recent bond contract with
the Rothschilds and other foreign bank
ers Wolcott made a direct and personal
cnUnsm of the president. Lodge was
r ore temperate, but quite as severe in his
1 -rsonal arraignment of the president, de
clanng the recent bond contract was the
I 'a.' kest act in the history of American
firvnte. Teller added to the flood of
cntK ism on the recent acts of the admin
l?tration. Hill replied briefly and with
flJint. He declared that a futile effort
v.aj being made to arraign the president's
c Iniinistration for its appeal to the Roth
t Julds, while as a matter of fact former
l "-publican administrations had sold bonds
io tnese same roreign bankers. Hill de
t "ared the president and secretary of the
treasury had secured the best terms pos
f .Me. The senator closed by reading the
press cablegrams from Berlin, announc--rr;
the purpose of Germany to convene
mother international monetary confer
ence. No action was taken on the Hill
r. olution, and a renewal of the financial
'-it i u.Mon is expected Monday, Vilas hav
ing already given notice of a speech.
AVhn the Hill resolution was first taken
u; Sherman offered a substitute declaring
the policy of the government should be
tcward maintaining a parity between
rr"tals so that every dollar coined should
bo equal to every other dollar. Should
there be any disturbance in parity then
the bonds should be paid in standard gold
coin.
Wolcott moved to lay the resolution
a?id the substitute on the table.
Hill declared himself an earnest bimet
als!, and hoped to see the restoration of
' lOr succeed. He wns reinioml to renrl
the dispatches from Berlin announcing that
rrtlon had been taken looking toward the
rehabilitation of silver. "This declaration
of tMpoUax-iot the-ffovernment should
rive the,' support of evoyj'sejiatQr'v
Fiid lie, "unless there sits about this
c.relc a gold monometalist or a silver mono
mctalisu It is a wise resolution for the
present emergency." Hill said the declar
ation first announced is the true policy
of the government, that our efforts should
ho turned to the accomplishment of bi
metalism, and added:
"1 need not remind both political parties
that this is what they profess. It Is of su
j rome moment that we should declare to
tl tountry and to the world that it is
roesary to maintain the single gold
tiandard or the single standard of silver.
On general financial questions congress
is farther apart now than it was six
months ago. The provision for gold bonds
on one hand is met by the proposition for
unlimited silver coinage on the other.
"What has become of the proposition to
rclecm the greenbacks, and other finan
c al plans? But in this condition of in
a tion congress can at least take this
ce tep that will assure the world that,
j 'though we may have our hands tied on
t i e various measures, our bonds may
1 1 taken with tlte full assurance that they
vwll be pakl by the best money in use.
1 H. ro is a prospect of a further issue of
1 nl. Let us keep down the interest.
Y hat can either irty gain by inaction
en this subject; by bringing on a panic
t! e comlmj summer, ami bringing eon
gr i-s back to Washington again for fur
h, r legislation?"
in'l clotted with an eloquent peroration
f r maintaining the national honor. In
c "illusion, he said:
Vt least wc can say that this congress
is i t committed to gold; we will proceed
8' l.iilv toward the realisation of bl
i ' tal mil and that we will maintain our
r lu nal Itonor and credit by paying our
0 Ms. in the best money in use."
Wolcott. who followed, declared that
Hill was merely threshing old straw. The
present time was, he declared, innppro-
1 -ate for such a resolution coming on the
l.c . Is of the monstrous attack which the
1 . "jtlent had mad a upon the currency ami
i-clit of two United States in his bar
ren to sell our bonds abroad on such
t nns as he had made with the European
I nkers. This action he pronounced the
i est disastrous assault upon the coun
try s financial system which had ever been
xra ., adding, with growing earnestness:
The worst feature of the whole
i ret, hod business is that the attack is
rale by a man who. because of his po
sition, should have stood the foremost
It our defense. Our nest has been be
fouled by the man who should have stood
foremost for our credit."
Wolcott orlticifed the recent contract
n i le for the sale of the bond In Europe.
H- did not believe that the bankers
t! rough whom the negotiations had been
r-Mle will eer be called upon to advance
i-'.T" than 10 per cent of the amount of
I -n Is on account of advance in their
T-. o. He had been assured that in New
" 'k alone. 112 had been tender! for
SrOiVOoo worth of bonds, and said he
rad the authority of one of the leading
1. 1'ikors in New York for the statement
t1 it within SO days the whole issue would
be worth 13A. He continued:
If i-peaking directly to the resolution
sir 1 the desire expressed by it to uphold
c r national credit, there were ever any
lion who were not entitled to consider -t
-n they re the Rothschilds and ttie
president, becau they have sought to
I' ken oer credit "
He asserted that the resolution and the
f-ecn ot j hi were in the same direc
tion as all other efforts made to discredit
fc.ner, and then launched out into a de-fc-se
of the silver advocates, declaring
t!'0 did not advocate this course because
Uh were unpatriotic or because of seif
l h purposes, but because thev would re
Ke.the suffering of the country, tnd
t" did not believe this was possible of
- implisameat until the sovernmeat
fctai.dard should be estabnshed. There
c U W no prosperous times with wheat
at - tnts a bushel. He referred to the
I--ocvdin iR the German reicostag- of
SetTday coaeerntng silver, as an indica
t 5ii that thre ws to be a change ia tad
Intern Rt of silver. He concluded:
W e are working toward It, out if any
a"t could serve to irxi-xe cobts in
ixat direcUon. it Is the dlssraceful and J
dishonorable dicker of the president with
the Rothschilds."
Lodge said the substantial and Import
ant part of the resolution was the half
declaring the right of the holder to re
ceive his pay in the best money. He
would push all the other declarations of
the resolution aside as immaterial and
let this stand. He did not regard it as
necessary to define the question as to
who was a, bimetalist, or to pronounce for
the parity of all kinds of money, as the
latter declaration was already to be found
embodied in our statutes. The point was
In neither of these directions, but in the
sustaining of the credit of the country.
He believed that the holder of a govern
ment bond should be able to ask for pay
ment in the best money, and in gold if
that were the best, and he believed It to
be a question on which the parties should
agree. He agreed with "Wolcott that the
president had assailed the credit of the
country, but asserted that he had made
the attack by his assault upon our coin
bonds. For that reason, because of this
attack, lie thought that congress should
declare itself without equivocation or
reservation. Reverting to the contract.
he said:
"The profits allowed the European bank
ers are enormous, gigantic, and the con
tract the blackest ever made by an ad
ministration in dealing with American se
curities. But this fact only renders It
more important that the country should
make good Its promises. It is not a ques
tion of blmetalism, but of the good name
of the country. That credit has been im
peached and attacked by those who should
have defended it, and it therefore be
hooves congress to come to the rescue. I
hope a vote will be reached, not only on
this resolution, but on the entire financial
question, believing the country has a
right to know whether the senate is a
free-coinage body or a body opposed to
that policy."
Stewart opposed the Hill resolution as a
surrender of silver and as binding the
gold fetters on the people. Hill was again
on his feet as soon as Stewart closed.
He said:
"At least, the debate has cleared the at
mosphere. The true purpose of these pro
fessed friends of silver has been laid bare.
It wasthat they intended to pay our gov
ernment obligations in silver coin, no mat
ter how degraded, how depreciated that
metal might be. It was for the purpose
of securing this disclosure that the reso
lution was presented. It was brought
forward to have senators disclose their
policy and to present a different policy.
To the fling of the senator from Colorado
that I am a bimetalist on a gold basis, I
answer he is a bimetalist on a silver
basis. It is a mere play of words. Such
men were not for blmetalism at all; they
wore for silver, and silver only."
Hill turned to the attacks being made
on the president, saying:
"It is not for me to express approval
of the contract with foreign bankers, but
the president has not been free to act as
he desired. He has been bound hand and
foot by the present law. The democratic
congress has refused to heln him."
Gray Do you mean to sav this senate
is at present democratic?
No. said Hill, "we no longer have the
majority, but Willie we rlid hnw. w nn
oflT action and procrastinated until the
powar passed out of our hands.
JThesenator-ifromiCoIoradoScaiinotaiar-
iVralsm, thlSmtinstraUon'TbecaTse has
contracted -with the Rothschilds, for in
this emergency, where will you look for
vast sums of money? Will you get it from
the miners of Colorado?"
"Wolcott responded: "No, not from the
miners of Colorado, for they have been
ruined by the legislation of the senator
from New Yorlc But there are Americans
to take the bonds had they the chance."
Hill declared that the only way to se
cure such a vast sum as $62,000,000 was in
going to the money kings of the world.
Republican administrations had appealed
to the Rothschilds, and it was useless
to raise a party cry against the admin
istration's course in going to foreign
bankers. At this point Hill took a slin of
paper irom his table, saying:
"I have here an announcement that I
hear with joy. It is a press cable from
Berlin announcing that the reichstag has
directed the making of efforts to secure
international monetary conferences."
Hill read the cable in detail and then
said:
"I rejoice at this news, as much as the
senator from Colorado, perhaps more so.
I sincerely believe an international agree
ment for blmetalism is possible. This res
olution announcing the policy of this
country on blmetalism would be the an
swer of the United States to the action
of Germany. I hope the response maygo
to Berlin today, and that the world mav
know that the credit of the United States
is to be maintained at all hazards."
A 2 o'clock the agricultural appropri
ation bill was taken up. but the financial
sentiment was too strong to give way to
agriculture, and Teller returned to the
Hill resolution. He said it was the most
remarkable paper he had ever seen. He
would try not to go outside of parliamen
tary language in speaking of it. He con
tinued: "This interest of the senator from New
York for silver by proposing a resolution
for gold, shows his regard for bimetalism.
For the last 90 days a prearranged effort
had been made to put the country on a
gold basis, so it could not get away from
it. The senator from New York has taken
part in that effort. This effort has been
in the direction of putting gold to a pre
mium. There has virtually been a con
spiracy to this purpose, and with this ac
complished, the plan would be to require
payment alone in that money. Indeed, as
a matter of fact, gold is even now at a
premium, for it has appreciated when
everything else has depreciated. Of
course, the sliver dollar will depreciate
at this discrimination against it."
He denounced as cant the assertion of
interest in maintaining the parity and
paying "the best dollar." and asserted:
"The best dollar which they want is
the dollar which It will take the most
sweat blood to get.
Referring to Hill's profession ot wmet
alism. Teller said Hill would be welcomed
to the ranks when he should show him
self to be honestly in favor of bimetalism.
but. he added. If this resolution contains
his sentiments, he will be of no assistance
to us or to the world. He went on:
"The senator from New York Is noted
for his courage, but It takes a higher de
cree of courage than he has shown In
anything else to stand out in defense of
a transaction which puts our securities
at a lower rate than thnu n.r w-.nt j
- ... .. (,,1, OJJU
when he savs that no senninr ar. I
cently criticise that transaction. I want to
say that his idea and mine differ as to
what decency is."
Hill interrupted to repeat what he had
said, whereupon. Teller said:
"The senator has a right to make any
statement he sees fit."
Hill replied: "He has no right to put
words into my mouth which I did not
utter."
Continuing. Teller declared that, as a
senator, he construed it to be his duty
to protect the reputation and the Interest
of the United States, and he declared he
would not be frightened out of his pollcv
of putting the bond transaction before the
country In Its true light. He declared It
waa the most scandalous transaction he
had known since his entry into public
life, and said:
"It te the first time in the history of the
iConduded on Second Page.)
POHTLA3STP, OBEGpy
APPROPRIATION BILLS
Last of the Regular Measures Re
. ported to the House.
CARRIES SIX AND A HALF MILLIONS
This 3ralej the Total Amount of De
ficiency Appropriations This Ses
sion Close to Nine millions.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. The house
committee on appropriations today re
ported the general deficiency bill, the last
of the regular appropriation bills of this
congress. The bill appropriates $G,51S,571,
of which the principal appropriations are
as follows:
Treasury department ?1,150,415
War department - "sosw)
I Navy department l,15o!415
Department of justice 2.3&1.430
Postofllce department L2S2.148
government printing office 40,000
Judgment of court claims 71G.033
Audited claims 76,703
In addition to the sum recommended in
this bill, appropriations have been made
during the present session of congress
to supply deficiencies in appropriations for
the support of the government during the
current and prior fiscal years, as follows:
December 21, ISM, printing 5 100.000
December 24, 1S34, census 400,000
January 25, 1S95, urgent deficiency. 1.SC4.421
The total amount of deficiency appro
priations for this session is, therefore, $8.
S82.E95. The recommendation of Secretary Gres
ham for an appropriation of $425,000 for the
payment of all claims bv firpnt Britain
growing out of the seizure of fur-sealing
vessels in Behring sea, was called up In
the committee for the first time, and the
members declined to recommend any ac
tion upon it because they had not been
able to look into the matter sufficiently
to take action upon it immediately.
Breckinridge was authorized to offer an
amendment in the house for the payment
of these claims without any recommenda
tion from the committee for or against
it, and the members reserved the right
to vote as they see fit on. the question.
No action was taken by the full commit
tee on the subcommittee's recommenda
tion that 5200,000 be appropriated for a
government exhibit at the Tennessee ex
position of 1S9G, bat the item will be taken
up in committee Monday, and if approved,
will be embodied in a separate bill. Under
the department of state is a clause, "that
the disbursements made to members and
attaches of the Behring sea tribunal of
arbitration at Paris by Major E. W. Hal
fcrd and John W. Foster, dishnrsinp- nrti.
cers of said commission, under the au
thority and with the approval of the sec
retary of state, out of moneys heretofore
appropriated, shall be allowed by" the con
troller or tne treasury. This settles
treasury,
For the commercial bureau of the Amer
ican republics, there is an item of $5000;
for the enforcement of the Chinese ex
clusion act, $50,000. The following sums
are provided for completing public build
ings already under way:
Fort Dodge, Iowa $ 1,300
Paris, Texas 4000
Richmond, Ky. "-coo
Springfield, Mo 5,090
For collecting the internal revenue, in
cluding expenses under the oleomargarine
act, and for the inspection of tobacco ex
ported. $75,000 is allotted, and for the cus
toms service, $600,000. The office of the
eleventh census, it 13 provided, shall be
abolished March 4, 1S95, and the terms of
all employes cease, with the exception of
a force not to exceed 90 to complete the
work under the direction of the secretary
of the interior.
The Snndry Civil Bill.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. The subcom
mittee of the senate committee which
has charge of the sundry civil appropria
tion bill concluded its labors late today
and sent the bill to the public printer, in
order to have it ready for the full com
mittee, which meets Monday. The bill
as It will go to the full committee will
contain an amendment providing for the
issuance of time certificates of indebted
ness to the amount of 5100,000,000, to draw
3 per cent and to run for three years. It
is distinctly understood that thosA nr t
be used only for the purpose of meeting
the treasury deficit, and are not to be of
a character to be used as bank reserves.
There is some difference of opinion in the
full committee as to whether the secre
tary of the treasury has sufficiently indi
cated that the certificates are needed, but
there is little doubt the full committee
will accept the recommendation of the
subcommittee. It Is believed the full
committee will dispose of the bill at one
sitting.
ROUTINE OF CONGRESS.
Agricultural Bill Under Considera
tion When the House Adjourned.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. In the senate
toaay Dubois presented a telegram from
Phoenix. Ariz., which recited that at a
meeting of republicans in Arizona it was
unanimously resolved that the republican
sentiment of the territory was "unequiv
ocally in favor of the admission of Ar
izona to statehood at the present session
of congress."
Senator Allen presented a resolution,
which was agreed to. calling on the sec
retary of the treasury for a list of na
tional banks which had been depositories
of public funds during the last 10 years,
the Interest paid, terms of contract, etc
At 2 o'clock consideration of the agri
cultural appropriation was resumed, but
laid aside to permit Teller to talk on
Hill's bimetallic resolution. When ho had
finished, the appropriation bill was again
taken up. The committee amendment for
an inspection of live cattle, the meat of
which, fresh, salted, canned, narked. ft
is to be exported, was agreed to. The
bill was then laid aside without final ac
tion, and the senate at 5:20 went into ex
ecutive session, after which it adjourned.
In the Hon.tc.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 16. The house to
day concluded the general debate on the
naval appropriation bill. The increase of
the navy authorized in the bill, consisting
of three battle-ships and twelve torpedo
boats, was supported by Adams, Milllken,
Bartlett, Coombs and Talbot, and was op
posed by Washington. Washington ar
gued that it was bad policy for the
American republic to attempt to con
struct and maintain an immense naval
equipment. Adams reproached Washing
ton for his sentiments. He had never ex
pected to hear them from the lips of a
man bearing the name of Washington.
If the Monroe doctrine were to be pre
served, a navy was absolutely essential.
Bartlett, speaking for the metropolis, ap
pealed to his democratic colleagues not
to abandon the policy first advocated by
William C. Whitney in 1SS5. when he was
made secretary of the navy. After some
Jbott. in ch.rge of the measure? clos I
turuier aeoaie in ravor of the bill. Tal-
SUyDAYORyiKG-,
the general debateWlth a resume of the
arguments adduced support of the In
crease of the navysThe committee then
rose- fi
The senate bill wasspassed granting two
condemned-cannothe Iowa Historical
Society, at Des MSjaes.
The senate amendments to the postofflce
appropriation bilis?t?ere disagreed to and
the bill sent to conference.
The house agreep the senate amend
ments for the salegSf. isolated tracts of
public lands, reducing the minimum prices
for such lands fromj2 50 to $1 25 per acre.
The 12 pension bills reported at last
night's session werejpassed, as was alao
a bill to place Warren C Beach, on the
retired list as captain." .
The remainder ofthe day was devoted
to eulogies on thelUe and character of
the late Senator Colquitt of Georgia.
THE PACIFIC UAIIiRO ADS.
Reilly'a FnndinsBlH to Be Reported
Baclr toThe' House.
. WASHINGTON, Jgeb.. lC.-Rellly's Pa
cific railroad fundlngbill will be reported
back to the house .next' Monday by Chair
man Rellly, with atrong minority re
port filed by Representative Boatner.
Catchlngs, who represents Speaker Crisp
on the committee qjjSuIes, said to a cor
respondent today tfiathe did not see how
his committee couldjposslbly give further
time for cocslderationtpf the Pacific rail
road bill this sesslpnlHe said that at
the present rate ofirogrcss the naval
appropriation bill-wouIdTtake up the time
of the house until nSTuesday, and that
the remaining appropriation bills would
occupy the rest ct' tSessessIon.
Camlnctti SeelSSlnformntlon.
WASHINGTON, Ff. 16.-Caminctti of
California today intgo&uced a resolution
In the house calllngjupon the secretary of
the treasury, attorney-general and "the
commissioner of railroads for the follow
ing information respecting the Pacific
railroads: ja
"First The amountjgiow deposited in
the United States treasury bv thi vnriniw
bond-aided rallroadsJwjth the accumula
tion applicable to th&demption of out
standing bonds underJtRe Thurman act.
"Second The amountf now in the re
spective funds of sa5fconipanies appli
cable to the payment' the first and sec
ond mortgages Issuedjpy said companies.
"Third The amountdue now from the
United States to eacfijoC said companies
for transportation ofmalIs, troops, etc.
"Fourth Tha amoulft? of the first and
second mortgage bonos1 issued by said
companies payable lnJS95 and 1S03, with
the date on which installment was made
payable. S
"Fifth From whatjjjiuhd was the first
installment due January, 1895, on bonds
issued by the Central jgaclflc railroad and
aid by the United States."
A Tallc "With. MlIuntinKton.
WASHINGTON. Febl6.-C. P. Hunting
ton is quoted as having'.said to a senator
yesterday:
"I am not here to propose any particular
bill. I have become soslck of the worry
and tedium of trying- to'show congress the
Dest way out of the railroad difficulty
that I have now concluded to let congress
settle the Jjill for itse'C,?-! m nniv br
iSS'Uaff rJbfcHthlnsi
"" u-c" Keuxieu TK?t lar too long. ,it
grows worse every yeah The longer you
delay, the worse muddle the th!nr win ho
in. YOU must do semethin"- nnl ttiot of
once. There is no time better than at the
close of the short session, for then all
useless bugaboo debate Is cut off and the
thing Is done in a businesslike manner."
THE MINERAL LANDS.
Secretary Smith's Reply to the House
Resolution.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. Secretary
Smith sent to the house today informa
tion as to the amount of land patented to
the land-grant railroad companies since
May, 1S04, the means taken to determine
its non-mineral character, and whether
any lands patented were before or since
claimed as mineral. The commissioner of
the general land office, who compiled the
information, says that prior to July, 1894,
there were no specific regulations for de
termining the non-mineral character of
lands listed and selected by land-grant
railroads, and that the examination was
made from books in the department, and
the land shown by the records to be clear
were submitted with a recommendation
that they be approved for patent. Since
1S94, if upon examination by the mineral
division any mineral claim was discov
ered, the tract was eliminated and the
proper steps taken to determine its char
acter. It has not come to the attention
of the office that any of the patented
lands, before patented or since, have been
claimed as minerals.
Recardinc the list of nendintr KPloottnnc
awaiting approval, the commissioner says
that it Is utterly impracticable for the
force of his office to prepare such a list,
even for the states of California, Oregon,
Arizona, Idaho and Montana. There are
pending about 30,000,000 acres, spread over
more than 3000 lists, some of them cover
ing more than 1,000,000 acres each, and the
impracticability of furnishing the lists can
be seen.
Schedules submitted showing the lands
by districts patented since May, 1804, give,
in acres:
Idaho 91,414Oregon 229,913
Montana S03,201iCalifornia 973,250
The resolution requesting this informa
tion asked the secretary to suspend the
issue of further patents until additional
legislation by congress. To this the com
missioner says that no further lists con
taining lands in the mineral states above
named will be submitted to the interior
department for approval for patent until
directions from that department shall be
received.
Has Passed the Sennte.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. The senate
and house conferees on the bill for the
examination and classification of mineral
lands in the states of Montana and Idaho
have reached an agreement practically
on the basis of the bill as It passed the
senate. The bill was reported to the sen
ate today, the amendments accepted and
the bill passed. It is understood that like
action will be taken In the house Monday.
The bill has been before congress for the
past four years.
The Lands in California.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 16. r,,iTnir.otn
California introduced a resolution today
calling upon the secretary of the Interior
to suspend action until all selections filed
by land-grant railroads for lands in Cali
fornia until January 1, 1S96, unless legis
lation providing for examination of min
eral lands within the limits of said selec
tions shall be enacted previous to that
date.
OTHER. CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.
Friendly Arbitration Sujcjjestcd.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. Among the
miscellaneous business transacted by the
house today was the passage of a bill
declaring It to be the sense of congress
that Great Britain and Venezuela should
settle by friendly arbitration the Guiana
boundary dispute, which has been in ex
istence since 1S37.
The Olympin. Torpedo Outfit.
NEWPORT. R, L, Feb. 15.-The torpedo
edToe "LSKS
FEBHTJABY 17. 1895.
SILVER i GERMANY
International Monetary Congress
Voted On in the Reichstag.
BIMETALISM UNDER DISCUSSION
Resolutions Adopted Instructing: the
Federal Government to Issue In
vitations to Other Nations.
BERLIN, Feb. 16. The silver question in
the United States and Europe has been
the subject on which the political and
financial worlds In Berlin have been chief
ly occupied during the past week. The
financial troubles in the United States are
followed here with the closest attention
and the National Zeitung, Cline's Journal,
and other newspapers have commented at
various lengths upon the situation at
Washington.
Wednesday night, during the subscrip
tion ball at the Royal opera-house, the
emperor showed the interest he felt In the
matter by engaging in a lengthy conversa
tion with Mr. Runyon, the American am
bassador, on American financial affairs.
The conversation touched on the tariff
and political questions, but his majesty
asked to be informed more especially about
the financial crisis, the coinage troubles
and the gold reserve in the national treas
ury. On receiving the information sought,
he expressed a hope that financial mat
ters in Mr. Runyon's country would be
soon straightened out again. He also took
occasion to refer to the close commercial
relations between Germany and the United
States,
An important phase of the silver ques
tion was reached today, when the reichs
tag declared in favor of the resolution
submitted yesterday by Count von Mlr
bach, an agrarian leader, summoning an
other international conference on the cur
rency question. Mlrbach's resolution in
structed the federal government to issue
invitations for an international monetary
congress, to take action for th rehabili
tation of silver as a circulating medium, j
previous to its adoption, Count von Posa-dowsky-Wegner,
secretary of state for the
Imperial treasury, in behalf of the govern
ment, declared its sympathy with the ob
ject aimed at by the resolution. The reso
lution, which was submitted to the reichs
tag by Mirbach, had received the signa
tures of an unusually large number of tho
210 members of that body, comprising con
servatives, national liberals, ultra-mon-talnes,
and members of other parties.
Among the signers were to be found not
only the names of professed bimetalists,
but other members who have heretofore
maintained a more or less neutral atti
tude on the question of bimetalism. One
of the signers was the son of Prince Ho
henlohe, the imperial chancellor.
The bimetalists who slmpf! th mnllnn
want nothing more nor less thai! blmetal
ism. But they have been prevented front
ffvrTrninr n rirHn-.i.K nff An. ... v..
the opposition of their mdderale"fc"oneague.?
wno aia not desire an alteration of the
gold currency. There is a suspicion afloat!
that the support of the latter is not entire
ly genuine, but has as its motive a desire
to bring about an international conference,
"whose decision, they believe, would be ad
verse to the reinstatement of silver, and
thus settle the question for some time to
come. The result of the debate was fore
shadowed yesterday, when Prince Hohen
lohe indicated the attitude of the govern
ment in a carefully-worded declaration,
which he read, as follows:
"Without prejudicing our imperial cur
rency, one must confess that the difference
in the value of gold and silver continues
to react upon our commercial life. Follow
ing, therefore, the tendencies which lead
to the appointment of a civil commission. I
am ready to consider, in conjunction with
the federal government, whether we can
not enter upon a friendly interchange of
opinion, as to common remedial meas
ures, with the other states that are chief
ly Interested in maintaining the value of
silver."
When Mlrbach's motion came up In the
reichstag this afternoon in its regular or
der, the discussion was resumed by Siegel,
a national liberal. He opposed the reso
lution, and urged that the impression
should not be created abroad that the
reichstag considered the existing mone
tary system unsuited to the interests of
Germany. He was convinced that Great
Britain would take no part in any inter
national agreement for the introduction
of a double standard. Leuschner, of the
reichspartie, declared he was in favor of
an international conference, which, he
was fully persuaded, would adopt the
principle of bimetalism. Richter, of the
people's party, said that Hohenlohe was
temporizing. His attitude indicated a de
sire on the part of the government to bow
before the agrarians. This vacillation was
a danger in such an important matter.
The present resolution was an agrarian
intermezzo, preceding the principal act by
the protectionist resolution of Count von
Kanitz. If he got nothing, the agrarians
would stir up such discontent as would
not be allayed by 10 anti-revolution bills.
Count von Posadowsky-Wegncr, who fol
lowed Richter, said that it was not denied
that the ever-falling price of silver was
prejudicial to industry and to the Ger
man silver mines. Consequently the de
cline tended to deprive a large body of
workingmen of their means of subsist
ence. Even monometalists admitted that
the depreciation in the price of silver was
hurtful. Continuing, he added:
"The premier and minister of finance
of France had stated that France must
revert to the double standard and that
Germany was responsible, because she first
began the use of the silver standard. The
rural nomilation believed that the fnll in
the price of silver was answerable for the
fall in the value of the product. This
opinion was shared, moreover, by many
manufacturers. Therefore, it was the
duty of the government to return a be
nevolent answer to the question which
had been put by a majority of the reich
stag." This utterance was greeted with much
conservative cheering. Von Kardoff, a
well-known champion of the law, de
scribed blmetalism as a protection to the
German peasant classes as a sure bul
wark against socialism. This remark was
greeted with derisive laughter from the
socialistic benches. The chief opposition
against a double standard came from the
privy councilors in the ministerial de
partments. Count Wcgner here arose
from his seat and declared that the chiefs
of the departments were responsible for
the policy of the departments. After a
speech by Meyer, which elicited a reply
from Von Kardoff, the motion of Mirbach
was put to the house and carried, amid
loud atmlause from the members of th
right. The motion was carried by the
united vote3 of the conservatives and
centrists, and, with a few exceptions, the
national liberals.
The recently formed German bimetalist
league will meet soon. Speeches will be
delivered by Von Kardoff, Count Mirbach,
Arendt and two well-known manufactur-
In the lobbies this evening, the chief
I topic wo3 Chancellor Prince Kohenlohe's
cautious statement that he had no objec
tion to opening negotiations for a mone
tary conference. The practical signifi
cance of bis assurance seems to be in
doubt. The bimetalists. however, certain
ly expect an early decision from the fed
eral government, empowering the Imperial
chancellor to take steps toward summon
ing a conference. Privately, the chancel
lor is said to be without bias in the mat
ter, and both monometalists and bimetal
ists regard him as a rather slippery trim
mer In the conflict of the standards. The
bimetalists feel that they cannot rely upon
his taking the initiative, and therefore
are determined to seize every opportunity
in the reichstag to strengthen their de
mands for international action. They will
also organize a series of mass meetings
in Leipsic, Frankfort, Cologne, Dresden
and other centers. The first of the meet
ings will be held here next Tuesday.
THE SEALING QUESTION.
This Government to Invite England,
Ru&sin. and Japan to a Conference.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. Important ac
tion upon the seal fisheries in Behring
sea was taken today by the house ways
and means committee. It was agreed to
authorize the president to invite the gov
ernments of Great Britain, Russia and
Japan to unite with the United States in
sending a joint commission to investigate
the seal fisheries of the North Pacific and
Behring sea. The president will be au
thorized to arrange modus vivendi wit'i
these powers for the protection of sea.'.s
until the report of the commission has
been made and acted upon. The secretary
of the treasury will be empowered to take
steps to kill seals under the terms of the
Dingley bill in case the nations refuse to
join the United States in an investigation.
The plan which the committee agreed
upon was recommended by Assistant Sec
retary Hamlin, of the treasury depart
ment, who'visited the Alaskan waters last
year and looked into the seal Interests
there, and by Chairman Wilson. Each
government that decides to become a party
to the agreement will be invited to desig
nate three commisricners and to arrange
that the commission shall begin its work
without delay.
There has been much discussion in the
committee of the piopriety of reopening
the seal Question, in view of th relations
adopted as a result of the findings of the
.fans tribunal, and the question was sub-
mitteu to De one which afforded grounds
for a difference of opinion. The members
were unanimously of the opinion the reg
ulations had fallen shcrt of accomplishing
their purpose, and it was contended that
Great Britain could have no reason for
uissatisfaction, if representations are
made to her that the speedy extermina
tion of the seal herd is inevitable unless
further measures of protection shall be
adopted, and If she Is invited to co-operate
with the ether governments which
are Interested in the seal Industry.
The commission takes the view that
rules should be adopted to govern seal
fishing in all the Northern waters, those
under the jurisdiction of Russia and
Japan, as well as those of Great Britain
and the United States. The establish
ment of the present mile limit is held to
be entirely insufficient for protection. The
!;JInitedJ3fates5shouldproceed to kill the,
SealStf thVrtilPr TliTnTPrlrlwMntt-tn tnlri
steps for additional restrictions, seemed
at first a rather startling- one, but after
consideration the commission was brought
to its support, and holds that this govern
ment has power to do whatever it thinks
best with the seals in its terriory and in
the waters under its jurisdiction. Whether
the senate will take the same view of the
question involved in this new plan is a
subject of debate, for Senator Morgan
has argued that the work of the Paris
tribunal was entirely effective.
THE SCHOONER AVAIILBDRG.
No Action Taken So Far by the Gov
ernment OJHcisilM.
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 16. Collector Fisher
has been exchanging telegrams since Wed
nesday with the department" at Washing
ton concerning the departure of the
schooner H. C. Wahlberg. but so far no
orders of a public nature have been issued.
The delay is supposed to be due to the
magnitude of the case. Collector Fisher
reported, of course, to the treasury de
partment, but it is probable that the de
partment would refer It to the secretary of
state, and perhaps to the attorney-general,
as international questions are involved.
Captain Martin has asked permission to
clean his boat, and the request has been
granted. It is, therefore, expected she
will be beached for that purpose. An offi
cial search of the vessel disclosed the fact
that she had about a ton of salt on board,,
presumably for curing otter skins, but
there were no skins, and few If any of
the tools necessarv for handling otter.
The fact was developed today that pre
vious to Captain Martin's departure from
San Francisco, November 23, he was in
correspondence -with Captain Hayward, of
this city, for the charter of the schooner
yacht San Diego. Martin wanted to char
ter her, without captain or crew, a condi
tion which Hayward would not accept.
Later Martin purchased the Wahlberg of
the United States government at San
Francisco, the boat having come into pos
session of the government after a libel
proceeding, on account of delinquent sail
ors wages.
THE COAL TESTS.
Reports of the Secretary of the Navy
to the Senate.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. In response
to a senate resolution, the secretary of
the navy yesterday afternoon sent to the
senate a statement showing the reports
of various tests of coal made within the
past 12 months on board of vessels of the
navy and at the navy-yards. The report
also gives the constituents of coal as far
as they have been chemically tested. The
points at which vessels load coal most ad
vantageously are as follows: The Atlan
tic ocean Norfolk and adjacent waters.
Port Royal. Gulf of Mexico Key West.
New Orleans, Pensacola and Mobile. The
Caribbean sea St. Luclen, St, Thomas
and Cartagena. Pacific ocean San Fran
cisco, the ports of Vancouver Island and
Puget sound, Honolulu, the Australian
and New Zealand coal ports, Nagasaki in
Japan, and Talcahuana, Chili.
IN FAVOR OF RANSOM.
Gray Circulating a Petition In the
Senate ANkiiifr His Appointment.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 16. Senator Gray
is engaged in circulating in the senate a
recommendation to the president that
Senator Ransom, of North Carolina, be
appointed minister to Mexico, to succeed
the Hon. I. P. Gray. He has so far pre
sented it only to democrats. All of those
to whom it has been shown have signed,
except Senator Hill, and he has asked to
be excused on the ground, not of oppo
siton to Mr. Ransom, but because he says
he is not making recommendations to the
president. Many of the republicans have
expressed a desire to slim the document
and It will be prtsented when the members
scan nave seen canvassed completely.
To Be Combined With Oregon's Malls
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. The postofflce
department has Issued an order that here
after all lines and postoffices east of the
Missouri river, making a separation of
mail for California, will combine mall for
oGces In Del Norte county. CaL. with
mails for Oregon.
PEICE FIVE CETS
THE GOLD DEPOSITED
Twenty-two Millions and But One
Million Omside New York.
SMALL PORTION OF BONDS SOLD
The Banks Desire to Rctnln Their
Bond as Bnsis for New Circula
tion. "When Money Hardens.
NEW YORK, Feb. 16. Of the $22,000,000
gold deposited in New York and other
cities, $1,000,000 has been deposited out of
town, at San Francisco and Baltimore.
The $10,000,000 deposited in the legal de
positories, the First, Park and City Na
tional banks and the Bank of Commerce,
today represent principally the gold hold
ings of these banks, which were taken
from the banks' accounts and credited on
the books to the government account,
subject to the disposition of the treasury
department. It was reported in Wall
street, although the managers of the syn
dicate decline to confirm the report, that
the syndicate has sold $30,000,000 worth of
bonds at 111, Ieavin? only 52,500,000 more
bonds to be placed in this country. How
ever, a member of the syndicate stated
today that only a comparatively small
portion of the bonds would be offered for
sale, as the banks desire to retain their
bonds to anarge extent as a basis for new
circulation when money begins to harden
later in the year, as is anticipated. The
savings banks are also desirous of ob
taining a proportion of the bonds for in
vestment. Bids at 115 were made today
to members of the syndicate, but were
not considered. The managers of the syn
dicate intend to offer the bonds at a price
which will Insure a quick absorption of
the amount to be sold, and will not base
their judgment on any such isolated bids
as have been made for small scattered
lots. Russell Sage, who withdrew $350,000
in gold from the subtreasury yesterday,
is not and will not be a member of the
syndicate, and none of the syndicate mem
bers will take any of this gold from him.
All the members of the last syndicate who
withdrew- gold from the subtreasury have
been carefully excluded from the Belmont-Morgan
syndicate.
Comment of English. Editors.
LONDON. Feb. 16. The Statis. com
menting on the new gold loan, says:
"Three and one-half per cent bonds are
a good investment, and will be eagerly
sought, but they will not end the crisis.
Gold will go to a premium, but
the United States will pay its credit
ors gold, though its domestic currency ia
silver, the same as Russia and India pay
gold."
The Economist says it is absurd to
pretend that the United States Is under
obligations to pay gold. The case, the
paper says, is identical with that of India,
whichtJdf itfcelectsi'a"gold'loanf' can bor
wfcataralessratethangperAcgnt.'fcbut has to -pas a"a,dd!fl6nslTercentfor
a rupee loan.
ALONG THE MEXICAN BORDER.
What Civil Service Commissioner;
Lyman Learned, on His Trip.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 16.-Civll Servica
Commissioner Lyman, who recently in
spected the custom-houses along the
Mexican border, today submitted to tho
commission a report of his investigations
there. It deals largely with smuggling
carried on along the line, and shows that
under the existing conditions on the
Mexican side of the Rip Grande this un
lawful industry is very profitable. Lyman
submits his views in relation to an im
provement of the service. He says:
"Eagle Pass is now the most important
point in the Gulf district, being tho
northern terminus of the Mexican Inter
national railways which connects with
the Southern Pacific and other railway
systems in the United States. It is the
function of the mounted inspectors of
police to guard the 500 and odd miles of
territory bordering on the Rio Grande.
They also have duties in connection with
import and export of merchandise. With
the small force of inspectors employed,
this policing is not effectively done. It i3
probable, however, that smuggling on a
large scale, of bulky articles or of cattle,
is to a considerable extent prevented.
These inspectors all carry Winchesters
or other reneatinsr rifles and revolvers.
and are made the targets of smugglers
and olher desperate characters. It Is
probable that some practical tests will
have to be applied in order to secure men
of the right stamp for this class of
service."
The commissioner visited the Corpus
Christi and El Paso districts, and says
that with rare exceptions only one kintl
of regular customs examinations will bo
required in these districts, namely the
clerk - inspection examination. Whilo
studying the situation from the American,
side the commissioner also visited all tho
Mexican ports along the border to ascer
tain the practice of the Mexican customs
officials. One of the principal difficulties
which our customs officials have to deal
with on the whole frontier, he says, la
the constant and persistent smuggling
of goods of European manufacture from
Mexico Into the United States.
THE INCOME TAX.
Another Snit Bronprlit to Test XtM
Constitutionality.
COLUMBUS, O., Feb. 16. C. D. Rogera,
jr., has brought suit against the Columbus
Carriage Manufacturing Company, W. S.
Rodgers, A. D. Rodgers, Beal and Hamil
ton Poste, to test the income tax law
Plaintiff says he owns 147 shares of stock
in the above company, which is engaged
in manufacturing and dealing in buggies.
The company for the year 1S94 earned a.
large amount of money aBove its expenses,
and declared a dividend. The above-named
defendants are a majority of the board of
directors, and by virtue of the income tax
law intend to pay the United States a tax
of 2 per cent upon the company's net prof
its, for the year ended December 21, 1834.
Plaintiff allesres that said tax is unconsti
tutional, null and void, and that It is a
direct tax In respect to the real estate
owned by the company, and likewise a
direct tax upon Ihe rents, issue and profits
of said real estate, and also upon its per
sonal property, which direct taxes are not
in and by said act apportioned among tho
several states as required by section 2 of
the article of the constitution of the United
States. Said tax is imposed on such cor
porations, although individuals transacting
similar business under like conditions and
having like property, etc., and income, are
exempted from the payment of said taxes!
Plaintiff also alleges that persons holding
stock in such corporations and receiving
dividends therefrom, and having other
sources of income are exempt from the
tax, if their net Income Is less than $4000
per annum. The effect of such company's
being compelled to pay the tax would tend
to lessen the value of the shares and divi
dends, and compel such persons holding
said shares, although their incomes are
less than $4000, to virtually pay such in
come tax.