Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1888 — NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS. [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS.

What la Being Pom by the National Legislature. The bill to inccvporate the Maritime Cana] Company of Nicaragua passed the Senate on the 27th ult., by a vote of 38 to 15. All the Ben ators voting in the negative hail from the Southern States. The Senate considered at length the bill granting pensions to ex-soldieri and sailors who are incapacitated for the performance of manual labor and to dependent relatives of deceased soldiers and sailors. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Matson, from tbe Committee on Invalid Pensions, reported adversely a resolution reciting the “luO-day circular' issued by Gen. Black, Commissioner of Pensions, and directing the committee to Inquire whether any pension claims have been rejected through non-compliance with the requests contained therein. Mr. Matson said that such a circular had been issued, and that its effect had been salutary. The resolution was tabled by 119 yeas to 99 nays. Mr. Long, at the request of the Home Market Club of Boston, introduced a bill reducing the tariff on sugar. There is a bounty clause in the bill allowing a bounty of $1 for every ton of beets or sugar can* raised and manufactured into sugar in the United States, and for every 100 pounds of sugar or molaxses produced from the mapl* tree. The taxes on domestic manufactured tobacco are to be reduced 50 per cent., as ar* also special taxes on retail dealers in the same commodity. Provision is made for the withdrawal free of tax from bonded warehouses of distilled spirits or alcohol to be used for scientific or manufacturing purposes'or in the arts. A bill for tbe admission of Wyoming was introduced by Delegate Carey. The Senate resumed consideration of tbe grand army pension bill on the 28th ult, tbe question being on Mr. Call’s amendment making the bill apply also to those who served in the war with Mexico or (for thirty days) in any of the Indian wars. The amendment was agreed to after quite a protracted partisan debate. Senator Sherman introduced a bill authorizing the Comptroller of the Treasury to issue to national banks circulating notes to the amount of 100 per oent. of the par value of the bonds deposited with the Treasurer of tbe United States to secur* the payment of circulating notes upon the bank making proper application therefor; but at no time shall tbe total amount of notes go issued to any such bank exceed the amount at tbe time actually paid in of its capital stock. Tbe House passed the following public-build-ing measures : Appropriating $400,000 (reduoed from $500,000) for a puMlo-building site as Omaha; for a public building at Bar Harbor, Me., $25,000 (reduced from $50,000); New York (Appraiser’s building and site), $1,500,000; Texarkana (Interstate building), $100,000; Indianapolis (additional ground), $125,000 ; Bay City, Mich., $150,000; Milwaukee, Wis„ $400,000.

When the Senate resumed consideration of the Grand Army pension bill, on the 29 th ult., Mr. Wilson (Iowa) moved to insert the words “from the infirmities of age," so as to pension all ex-soldiers suffering "from the infirmities of age or from mental or physical disability.” A long debate ensued, which was participated in by Messrs. Wilson ot lowa, West, Plumb, Platt, Teller, and Wilson of Maryland. Mr. Sherman, from the Foreign Relations Committee, reported favorably the bill to amend the Chinese restriction acts. Mr. Sherman also reported a resolution requesting the President to negotiate a treaty with China containing a provision that no Chinese laborers shall enter the United States. The bill for the compulsory education of children and the bill to establish a national art commission passed the Senate. In the House there was a warm debate on the bill authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase bonds with the surplus revenue, in the course of which Messrs. McKinley and Weaver attached and Mr. Breckinridge, of Kentucky, defended the policy of tho administration. The bill was flnallv passed. The House also passed the bill dividing the State of Minnesota into two collection districts, and making St. Paul a port of entry and St. Vincent a sub-port. Eulogies on the late Seth C. Moffat of Michigan were delivered by Messrs. Cutcheon, Ford, Oates, O’Donnell, Whiting, Cannon, Hayes, Allen, Wade, Osborne, Chipman, Oalllnger, and Conger. Resolutions reciting the past services and worth of the deoeased were adopted upon motion of Mr. Barrows, and as a further mark of respect the House adjourned.

The resolution reported from the Foreign Affairs Committee requesting the President to negotiate a treaty with the Emperor of China containing a provision that no Chinese laborer shall enter the United States, was adopted by the Senate on the Ist inst. The Senate resumed consideration of the Grand Army pension bill, the pending question being on Mr. Wilson’s (Iowa) amendment to add the words "from the infirmities of age.” Mr, Beck delivered a set speech against the bill, and without reaching a vote the Senate adjourned to the sth inst. The House of Representatives passed the joint resolution, reported from the Foreign Affairs Committee, accepting the invitation to take part in the international exnibition to be held in Paris in 1889. The House also passed the joint resolution authorizing the President to arrange a conference to be held in Washington in 1889 for the purpose of promoting arbitration and encouraging reciprocal commercial relations between the United States and republics of Central and South America and the empire of Brazil. A bill creating the office of Assistant Superintendent of the railway mail service, with a salary of $3,000 per annum, and fifty-four chief clerkß at $2,000, with allowances ot $3 per day for expenses while actually traveling, was favorably reported to the House of Representatives on the 2d inst. The House passed the “omnibus bill,” which provides for the payment of thirty odd claims for supplies used for the army during the war. The Houbb adopted a resolution providing for an evening session every Friday for the consideration of private pension and political disability bills. A bill granting right of way to the Aberdeen, Bismarck and Northwestern. Railway Company through the Sioux reservation in Dakota was placed on the calendar. The Senate was not in session.