Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1888 — NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS. [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS.

Wliat la Being D«ne by the National Legislature. The House bill to provide for the purchase of United States bonds by the Secretary of theTreaeury came up in the Senate March 26, and Mr. Plumb offered an amendment in the * form of a new section requiring the Secretary of the Treasury, whenever the circulation of anational bank is surrendered, to issue treasury notes to an equal amount. The amendment, was laid on the table—yeas, 23; nays, 22. Mr. Plumb then renewed the amendment, modified in regard to the legal-tender quality of the proposed Treasury notes,end it waa adopted -yeas, 28; nays, 2L Mr. Cullom, from the Committee on Territories, reported resolutions declaring it - to be the sense of the Senate that new States should be admitted only on the basis of equality and that Congress ought not to exercise any supervision over the construction of any sucfu new State further than is necessary to guarantee to each State a republican form of government ; that the proposed constitution for Utah, contains provisions which would deprive such proposed State of equality, and that it is the sense of the Senate that the Territory of Utah ought not to be admitted until it is certain beyond doubt that the practice of polygamy has been entirely aban- - doned by the inhabitants and until it is likewise certain that the civil affairs of the Territory are not controlled by the priesthood of the Mormon church. A bill was reported to the Senate providing for a<*litional quarantine ■ stations and making appropriations therefor... as follows: At San Diego, Cal., $55,500; San.. Francisco. $103,000; Port Townsend, W. T.. $55,000. The bill for the organization of the Territory of Nebraska was reported to the House by Mr. Springer. The Montana admis- - sion bill was also reported to the House and placed on the calendar. Mr. Kerr, of lowa, presented a bill in the House to • amend the interstate commerce law so as to • prevent a railroad from bringing into a State articles which the roads within the State are - not permitted to transport. Mr. Laird introduced a resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to Lieut. A. W. Qreely and others for their courage, energy, and fidelity in the conduct of the late scientific expedition to the • Arctic seas. A bill was introduced by Mr. Kerr, of lowa, for the establishment of a permanent Board of Arbitration between the United States and Great Britain and France. Mr. Stewart introduced a bill to amend the naturalization law so as to require would-be citizens to make oath that they are not polygamists, anarchists or communists. The President transmitted to the two houses of Congress, on March 27, a report from Mm- - ister Pendleton at Berlin showing that trichinasis prevails in certain parts of Germany. He-* also transmits a report from the Consul at Marseilles, representing that 30,000 swine have - died in that department during the last • four months from a highly contagious and fatal disease, which is thought bj the Commissioner of Agriculture to be very similar to hog cholera. The President recommends • the passage of a law prohibiting the importation ot swine or hog products from either of the countries named. Senator Blair's bill giving the preference to disabled Confederate soldiers', as against other ex-rebels in Federal appointments was opposed by Senator Edmunds in a vigorous speech. Senator Palmer has introduced a bill for the purchase of the Portage Lake ship canal. The • House adopted the resolution of the Committee on Elections in the contested election case of Worthington vs. Post, from the Tenth Illinois > District. The resolution confirms the right of Post, the sitting member. The Union Pacific funding bill was debated by the House. Mr. Plumb, from the Committee "on Railways and Canals, made a favorable report on the bill toprovide for ascertaining the propriety and feasibility of constructing a gulf and lake waterway.

Mr. Farwell introduced a bill in the Senate, , on the 29th ult., authorizing and directing the - President to make a proclamation prohibiting , the importation of products of foreign states • in certain cases. Mr. Berry addressed the Senate on the subject of the President’s message • and in advocacy of tariff reform. Sixty-one-bills were taken from the calendar ana passed by the Senate. Among the more important - measures passed were the following: Increasing the allowance tor the San Francisco public building to 4850,000. To extend the southernand western boundaries of the State of Kansas. House bill to ratify and confirm an agreement with the Gros Ventre and other tribes of Crow Indians in Montana, with amendments. Relating to the inclosure of certain points of interest on the battlefield of Gettysburg. In aid of the Centennial and Memorial Association of Valley Forge, and to secure the Washington headquarters mansion and grounds occupied' by the Continental army ot 1777-8. The House spent the day, in committee of the whole, on the Indian appropriation bill. Mr. Nelson, of Minnesota, took advantage of the general debate to spdak upon the tariff and urge upon his fellow-Republicans the necessity of tariff reduction. The bill granting a pension of 82,000 per annum to Mary S. Logan and the Senate bill increasing to $2,000 a year the pension of Appolin. A. Blair wore taken up by the House of Representatives on the 30th ult., and after a lengthy debate were passed, the first by a vote of 154 to--95 and the latter by 148 to 91. Twenty-four other pension bills were passed by the House.. A joint resolution appropriating 825,000 to enable the United States to participate in the international exhibition to be held in Barcelona, Spain, in April, 1888, was passed. The House-non-concurred in the Senate amendments tothe House bill authorizing the President to arrange a conference with the Central and South American republics for the purpose of encour- ■ aging reciprocal commercial relations. There* was no session of the Senate.