Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1888 — DOINGS OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

DOINGS OF CONGRESS.

important measures considered AND ACTED UPON. At the Nation’s Capitol What Is Being Done by the Senate and House Old Matters Disposed of and New Ones Cons'dered. The second session of the Fiftieth Congress convened on Monday, Dec. 3. About thirty Senators and 236 Representatives were present. The usual committees were appointed by each house to inform the other brunch that it was ready to proceed to business and to inform the President that congress was ready to receive any communications he desired to make, after which both houses took a reeess. At the conclusion of the recess the President's message -was received and read in each house, its delivery occupying an hour and twenty minutes. In the heuate the portions of it which discuss the questions of tariff revision, treasury surplus, fishery troubles and the West incident were listened to with very close attention and apparent interest, in the House that portion oi the message in wnich the President treats of the tariff question was listened to attentively by members on both sides of the House. Now and then u smile, more of triumph than of derision, would appear upon the face of some enthusiastic Republican, but the silence was not broken until the clerk read, in a clear voice: “The cause for which the battle is waged is comprised within lines clearly and distinctly defined. It should never be compromised. It is the people's cause.” Then the Dejnocrats could no longer restrain their feelings and broke into a round of applause, which was answered by the Republicans with laughter. The reading of the message in either house being finished was, on motion, properly referred and ordered printed. The floral decorations of both halls of Congress were unusually elaborate, and especially were handsome and fragrant bouquets to be seen upon the desks of members who hud been worsted in the late election. The blind chaplain, in hie praver, thanked God that since the last session not a member of the House had been “called home by death,” whereat a sad smile was seen to pass over the faces of some of the statesmen who have been called Lome by their constituents. The galleries were well flllod by prominent lad;es, Mrs. Cleveland occupying a conspicuous seat, as did wives of members of the Cub.net, A bill for the establishment in the Interior Department of a Bureau of Health, to be under the direction of a Commissioner, who shall receive an annual salary of $5,000, was introduced in the Senate the 4th inst., by lenatur Gibson. It has a large number of provisions. Three Senators—Messrs. Plumb, Berry and Dolph—and Representative Mcßae introduced bills similar in their provisions, to allow persons who have been forced by drought, etc., to abandon or relinquish their homestead entries, to make anothir entry. A similar bill was passed by both houses last year just before the close of the session and failed to i ecome a law only for tt» reason that it did not reach the President in time for his signature before Congress adjourned. In the House Macdonald (Minn.) presented a petition of citizens of North Dakota, for the immediate admission into the Union of South Dakota and Montana, and for Constitutional Conventions in North Dakota, Washington, and New Mexico. Referred to the Committee on Territories. Representative Stone (Ky.) introduced a joint resolution in tho House proposing an amendment to the Constitution providing that iho Presido.it and Vice President shall be chosen every fourth yetr by the direct votes of the people. Tho resolution provides that the board authorized by the laws of each State to count the votes for State officers shall also count the vote of the f-tute for President and Vice President, certify the result under oath, and transmit the same to the proper officers of the Government before the second Monday in December next succeeding the election. Apa ograph of the joint resolution forbids the holding of any local or State election, except for members of Congress, on the day set apart for the election of President and Vice President.

When the tariff bill was taken up in the Senate on the sth inst., Mr. Harris moved to lay the Senate substitute for the Mills bill on the table. The motion was defeated by a strict party vote —yeas, 19; nays, 26. An amendment to thetoba.co section, offered by Mr. Vance, reducing the limit ot c.aim for rebate from SlO to »5, was rejected, as were several others; one amendment, however which was agreed to without division provides that when the health or lite of a prisoner under the internal revenue laws is endangered by close confinement lhe judge may issue on Older providing lor such prisoner’s reasonable comfort and. well-being. A vote was taken on a motion made by Mr. McPherson to strike out alt the section? as to alcohol used in manulactures and it was rejected—yeas, 17; nays, 24. After disposing of thirty pages of the bill and reaching t e end of schedule A lhe Senate proceede i to executive business and soon after ad.omned. The Houfte passed the bill to quiet the title of settlers on the Des Moines liiier lands in lowa. As passed, the bill-provides that any person who, in good faith, may have seitle.i or may hereafter settle on and improve any tract ot public lands, the title of which is belie? ed to be in the United btates at the time of said settlement, for the purpose of perfecting his title under any of the lana laws, shall bo permitted to plead in support of his title to said laud against any party or parties—other than the United States—claiming the same, the title of the Uni.ed States as fully and completely as the same might be done by the United States itself. Delegate Gifford’s bin to amend the law providing for the division of the Sioux r servation. in Dakota was presented to the House. - The House ordered tne printing of 25,000 copies of the Pres.dent’s message. The tariff bill was further considered by the Senate on the 6th inst. No vote was taken on nny of the amendments offered, and after eight pages had been gone over the bill was laid aside. Resolutions were adopted continuing the select Committees on Meal* Products and on Relations with Canada. A resolution passed calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for information as to the expenditures in the public building at Wichita, A an. The Senate received from the Secretary of State copies of the certificates of Presidential electors in Kansas. Maryland, North Carolina, and Georgia, and they were referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. Mr. Butler introduced a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment enlarging the Presidential term of office to six years, wnich was laid on the table. The principal part of the day was .akon up in the House in the discussion of the direct-tax bill. The usual resolution lor the distribution of the President’s message was reported from the Committee ot Ways and Means by Mr. McMillin and adopted by the House. A resolution calling on the Secretary- of the Treasury for information as to what relief can be furnished by the revenue-cutter service and the life-saving service to American whaling and fishing vessels wrecked in Behring; Sea or the Arctic Ocean, was adopted "byi the House on the 7th inst. Mr. Foran ofXjhio. from the Committee on Appropriations,'reported the invalid pensions appropriation bill, whichwas referred to the committea of the whole. Mr. Crisp, of Georgia, from the Committee on Elections. submitted the report on the South Carolina contested election case of Smalls against Elliott, and it was placed upon the calendar. It finds in favor of the comestee, Elliott. The minority report presented by Mr. Rowell, of Illinois, also placed upon the calendar, provides for the seating of Smalls. The House thpn went into committee of the whole, Mr. McMillin, of Tennessee, in the chair, on the private calendar, the pending business being the Senate bill to incorporate the Nicaragua Canal Company. The House then adjourned. The Senate was not in session.