Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1888 — NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS. [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS.

What Is Being Done by the National Legislature. Another day was wasted in the House in filibustering against the direct tax bill on tn* 9th ult, the entire time being consumed in a dreary round of dilatory motions and roll calls. In the Senate the bill for the admission of South Dakota into the Union was up for consideration, and Mr. Plata spoke in favor of it, The bill to authorize the sale of mineral lands to aliens was taken up, and Mr. Faulkner spoke In opposition, to it Mr. Allison introduced a bill ter a perms* nent court of arbitration between the United States and Great Britain and France. The Senate, in executive session, confirmed these nominations : William E. Purcell to be United States Attorney for Dakota; P. W. Grierson, Postmaster at Calumet, Mich.: J. Fort Howard, Wis. The President nominated to the Senate Joseph J. Rogers and John Schlyer* to be Receivers of Public Moneys at Grand Forks, D. T., and Wakeeney, Kan respectively. The bill authorizing the sale of mineral lands, to aliens passed the Senate on the 10th inst. Mr. Butler addressed the Senate in opposition, to the Dakota division bill, ana argued against, the dismemberment of the Territory. Tha> dead-lock in tbe House continued, the opponents of the direct-tax bill keeping up their* filibustering tactics to avert the passage. Mr. Lawler, of Dlinois, was arraigned before thebar of the House for absenting himself from, roll-call, and, after some wrangling, was finally* excused.

The dead-lock in the House of Representatives continued on the 11th inst., and no business whatever was transacted. At a caucus of the Democratic members, held in the evening, it was decided to end the dead-lock by postponing the direct tax bill until December 6 next, with a condition that when it is then taken upa reasonable time shall be allowed for debate, and a vote taken on it. Speaker Carlisle ia said to have strongly advocated the acceptance of this proffered compromise. Mr. Holman declared that tbe present proceedings were of the most extraordinary character ever witnessed in a legislative body, exhibiting tbe spectacle of a great majority retreating before a small minority. He called on Mr. Oates to state his position in the matter. Mr. Oates replied that if he followed his own views he would consent to no measure that - id not involve tbe absolute defeat of thebill. But he was a Democrat, and if the caucus dec.ded against him he would abide by its decision and support it with hi» vote. He favored postponement of the tax bill, but would regret to see the caucus agree to the condition that a vote should be taken up at a fixed date. Much deoate followed, and the caucus finally adopted the postponement proposition. Unan mous consentwas given by the House to Representative White, of New York, to have read an official bulletin issued by Dr. Barker, which noted an improvement in ex-isenator Conkling’s condition. The reading was listened to with close attenton, and at its close a round of prolonged applause arose from both Democrats and Republicans. The Senate listened to speeches by Mr. Morrill, in opposition to the President’s tariff message, and Mr. Davis, in favor of tbe admission of the southern half of Dakota, and passed the following measures : The military academv appropriation bills; for the purchase of the Shields swords (not to exceed $10,000): for the relief of the First National Bank of Marion, lowa, lor interest on lost coupon bonds ; appropriating $150,000 for a public building at Fort Worth, Tex. ; increasing the limit of cost for the public building at Detroit, ’ Mich., to $150,00J.

The long dead-lock In the House was practically broken on the 12th inst. by the adoption of a motion, offered by Mr. Cox, of New York, to adjourn following day. The House had been in continuous session for nine days, and the members, tired out from loss of sleep, were greatly relieved when the long session was brought to a close. Mr. Coke, of Texas, addressed the Senate on tariff reform, and Mr. Cullom, of Illinois, spoke in favor of the admission of South Dakota as a State.

When the House of Representatives met on the 13th inst. tho clerk proceeded to read the journal of the legislative day of Wednesday, April 4. The journal consisted of ninety manuscript pages, exclusive of seventy-one rollcalls. The reading consumed one hour. A large number of exclusive documents which had accumulated during the dead-lock were referred. Senate amendments were concurred in to the bill authorizing the construction of a bridge across the Tennessee River at Chattanooga, Tenn. The postoflice appropriation bill was reported, and referred to the committee of the whole. The conference report on the bill to ratify an agreement with the Gros Ventres, Piegan, Blood, Blackfeet, and River Creek Indians was agreod to, and so was the conference report on the bill dividing the great Sioux Reservation into smaller separate reservations. The remainder of the day was spent in committee of the whole in the discussion of a bill for the payment of a claim for $7oO for the occupation of certain property in Memphis by United States troops in 1864.