Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1886 — CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

CONGRESS.

What Is Being Done by the Na*tional Legislature. Mb. Vooriiees introduced in the Senate, on the 30th ult., an enabling act for tbe people of Montana, preliminary to the admission of the Territory to the Union. Gen. Logan's bill to increase tbe efficiency of tbe arinv was debated. Mr. Cullom introduced a bill appropriating $500,000 for tho erection iu Washington city of a monument, with appropriate statuary, to commemorate the illustrious pnblie services of the late Abraham Lincoln. Tbe nomination of O. O. Howard to be Major General in place of John Pope was confirmed by tbe Senate. In the House of Representatives Mr. Randall, Of Pennsylvania, asked unanimous consent to offer tbe following resolution: Resolved, That a committee of five members be appointed, whose duty it shall be to investigate the circumstances and causes attending the kill- - ingon the 18th of March.lßß6, in Carrollton,Miss., of a number rs colored citizens of said State. Mr. Reagan, of Texas, objected, on the ground that Congress had no jurisdiction over the matter. Mr. Randall then asked to have the resolution referred, but Mr. Reagan objected, notwithstanding the request made by Mr. Barksdale, of Mississippi, in behalf of the Mississippi delegation, that there might- be no objection. The House indulged in a long debate on the postoffice appropriation bill, during which time there waß a lively interchange of personalities between Messrs. McMillin and Houk, both of Tennessee. Mr. Dolph, of Oregon, addressed the Senate on the 31st ult., in support of the bitl for the admission of Washington Territory. Mr. Vance spoke in support of his bill to repeal the civil service law. When tho army hill came up, Gen. Logan took occasion to deny the reports that there was a coolness between himself and Senator Hale, of Maine, because of the latter's opposition to tho army bill, which, it had been further reported, was inspired by Mr. Blaine. Tho Illinois Senator denied that he was standing in tbe way of any mnn's Presidential candidacy. In executive session the Senate confirmed’ a large number of nominations, and rejected three—those of John C. Wise, to be postmaster at Mankato, Minn.; H. N. Jewett, of Massachusetts, to be consul at Sivas. and the postmaster at Webster City, lowa. In tbe House of Representatives of Mr. O'Neill, of Missouri, reported from the Committee on Labor a bill for the voluntary arbitration of differences between common carriers engaged in interstate and territorial transportation of property or passengers and their employes. The bill was referred to tbe committee of tbe whole and the House went into committee, with Mr. Springer (Ill.) in the chair, for its consideration. Mr. O’Neill spoke iu support of the measure, which was the best one tho Labor Committee could formulate. It provided simply for a voluntary arbitration. He knew that this was disappointing to many members pf the House, but if they would but reflect they would realize that the first thing to consider was how far they could regulate the disputes by an appeal to public opinion. If this method failed, then be could see but one other, and that was the strong arm of the Government to take the giant corporations by the throat and tell them that they must yield to arbitration ; that tho Government could not have tho condition of affairs that to-day prevailed throughout five States of tlio Union—a practical revolution—all business suspended, aud the people of great cities suffering from tbe increased cost of foed and fuel. Messrs. Hammond (Gn.), Weaver (Iowa), Brunirn (Bn.), and Daniel (Va.) opposed the bill. Mr. Weaver thought that tbe cure of all labor troubles lay in the increase of the currency. Mr. Reagan (Texas) opposed the bill because it would take from the local tribunals where it belonged tbe adjustment and settlement of a local question. The bill appropriating $500,009 for the erection of a monument to Abraham Lincoln at Washington, passed the Senate on tbe Ist inst. Messrs. Dolph aud Morgan addressed the Senate in support of the bill to admit Washington Territory into the Union, after which the amendments proposed by tho committee and another affecting the school lands were adopted. President Cleveland nominated to the Senate for tho vacant brigadier generalships Colonel Thomas H. Ruger, of tbe Eighteenth Infantry, and Colonel Joseph H. Potter, of the Twentyfourth Infantry. The House devoted tho day to the discussion of the labor arbitration bill. The Labor Committee’s arbitration bill occupied the exclusive attention of tbe House on the 2d inst. Various amendments wore offered, nearly all of which were voted down as fast as they came up. Mr. O’Neill, of Missouri, said that people were suffering for foed in the West on account of the strike, while constitutional cranks stood quibbling on the floor of the House. Ha begged the House to crush out tho obstructionists. Mr. Lawler of Illinois spoke in support of tlio bill. Ho said that its opponents had had throe long months to prepare something upon tho question and had nor. done so. But now they insulted tho intelligence of tho well-meaning men on the Committee on Labor who had given it their attention. Passing on to tho consideration of tho strike on the Missouri Pacific, ho declared that without wishing to become communistic in bis utterances he was free to say that if Jay Gould was hung to a lamp-post in Now York it would be a blessing to the consmunity known as tbe United States. | Laughter. 1 The action of Jay Gould might cost hundreds and thousands of lives throughout tlio" Western States. The death of a man like this was nothing compared with what might occur if the difficulties werj not settled in those States. Mr. Farquhar, of New York, supported the bill. Mr. Glover, of Missouri, declared that it was a constitutional abortion. Ho denounced it in tho name of capital. He denounced it in the name of labor, because it offered a stone, and not bread. The first four sections of tho bill were adopted, with slight amendments, and pending consideration o’ tho fifth section the House adjourned. Tbe Senate was not in session. Only tho House of Representatives was in session on tho 3d inst. When tho labor arbitration bill came up, in committee of tho whole, Mr. Warner, of Missouri, offered an amendment providing that the members of tho tribunal of arbitration shall receive a compensation of $lO a day for tbo time actually employed. It also prescribes the fees and compensation to bo allowed tho clerk, stenographer, marshals, and witnesses, provides that the tribunal shall have the power to limit tho number of witnesses in each case whose fees shall be paid by tho United States, and appro nriates a sufficient s urn to carry the provisions of the bill into effect. Mr. Tillman, of South Carolina, offered an amendment to the amendment providing that not exceeding SI,OOO shall be paid out of the Treasury to defray tbe expenses of any single arbitration. The amendment was agreed to, and Mr. Warner’s amendment, as amended, was adopted. Tho committee then rose and reported tbe bill to the House. It was immediately passed—yeas 195, nays 29. The following is the negative vote: Allen (Miss.), Barnes, Belmont, Bennett, Breckinridge (Ky.i, Crisp, Croxton, Davidson (Ala.), Daniel, Foran, Forney, Glover, Hale, Hammond, Harris, Hemphill, Hill, Hutton, Irion, Jones (Ala.), Norwood, O’Ferrell, Berry, Reagan, Rogers, Sadler, Skinner, Tillman, and Tucker. On motion of Mr. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, tbo title of the bill was amended so as to read “To provide a method of settling controversies and differences between railroad corporations engaged in interstate and territorial transportation of property and passengers and their employes.” Aftrfr the labor arbitration bill bad passed the House took up tbe silver debate. Mr. Fuller, of lowa, argued iu favor of a double staifdard, and charged that tbe officials of the Treasury Department were violating tbe laws and thwarting the will of tbo people iu refusing to pay out silver on the obligations of tlio Government. Mr. Barksdale, of Missisuippi, opposed the suspension of silver coinage, as did Mr. Caldwell, of. Tennessee. Mr. Gallinger, of New Hampshire, argued in favor of the suspension of silver coinage. President Cleveland’s "innocuous dosuetude” was exactly what the silver dollar needed. Mr. Woodburn, of Nevada, defended the silver dollar from the charge of dishonesty, and argued in favor of nil unlimited coinage. Messrs. Price, of Wisconsin, and Neece, of Illinois, spoke in opposition to the suspension of silver coinage.