Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 April 1890 — THE SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

THE SENATE AND HOUSE.

NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING. Proceedings of the Senate and House of Representatives Discussed and Acted On—Gist of the Business. In the Senate, on the Ist inst., the House bin authorizing the Mississippi River Commission to purchase or hire such boats as may be immediately necessary to rescue inhabitants of the, overflowed districts and to use the boats for that purpose Vas laid before the Senate and was passed immediately. Among the bills reported from the committees and placed on the calendar was the House bill to amend the census law in relation to Chinese residents. Then at 12 UJO, on motion of Mr. Edmunds, the f'enate proceeded to the consideration of executive business. When the doors were reopened the Senate adjourned. In the House Mr. Oates, of Alabama,, from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported a resolution reciting that it is alleged by tha Attorney General that in many United States District Courts the practice of suspending sentence after conviction in criminal cases prevails without warrant of law, and that in some parts of tho country United States District Attorneys, Marshals and deputies, and United States Commissioners have been guilty of maladministration and corruption in office and directing the Committee on Judiciary to inquire into the extent, cause, and effect of such iJiegtl practice. Adopted. The following bills were passed: Providing that depositions of witnesses before United States Courts may be taken in the mode prescribed by the laws of the States in which such courts may be held. Limiting to six years tie time within which suits maybe brought, against accounting officers and their bondsmen. To continue the publication of the Revised Statues. Exempting from the provisions of the law requiring steamers to carry life lines boats plying on inland waters. Author- • izing the construction of bridges across the lowa River at or near Wapello, lowa. Transferring from Galena, 111., to Dubuque, lowa, the offices of Inspectors of Hulls and Boilers. Senate bill creating the offices of Surveyors General in North and South Dakota. Admitting free of duty articles from Mexico to the St. Louis Exposition of IS9O. The fortifications appropriation bill, with an amendment providing that • the board which inquires into facilities for producing steel forgings shall extend its inquiries to the Indianapolis arsenal. The bill appropriates $4,521,678. Appropriating $32,000 for improving tne Zoological Park in the District of Columbia, the District to bear half the expense.. The naval appropriation bill was reported by Mr. Boutelle and placed upon the calendar. The death of Representative Wilber, of New York, was announced, and as a mark of respect to his memory the House adjourned.

In the Senate on the 2d inst. the Judiciary Committee reported favorably the bill declaring: trusts unlawful. The bill declares every contract or combination in the form of a trust or conspiracy in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States or with foreign nations to be illegal. Every person who shall, make any such contract or engage in any such, combination or conspiracy shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall, be punished by a fine not exceeding $5,000 or by imprisonment not exceeding one year or by both. Circuit courts are invested with jurisdiction over cases arising under the act. The Senate spent the afternoon in the discussion of the Montana election case. Senator Gray, of Delaware, occupied most of the time with his argument in favor of McGinnis and Claik, the Demociatie contestants Sens tor Everts introduced a resolution expressing the Senate's deep, regret at the death of Congressman David Wilber, of New York. The Vice President appointed a ro’nt commit: ea to act with the House committee wi.h reference to the funeral arrangements, after which, on motion of Mr. Evarts, as a further mark of r. spect the Senate adjourned. In the House a bill was passed continuing, in force the act authorising the construction of a bridge across tlie Mississippi River at Forest River, S. Dak. The Senate bill authorizing the construction of a bridge across the Brazos River near its mouth was also passed. The following bridge L-ills were also passed : Across the Missouri River between Io«a and Nebraska; across the Arkansas River at Pendleton, Ark.; across the White River by the Mississippi and Little Rock Railroad Company. Authorizing the construction of a bridge across the Hudson River from Jersey City to New York. The House then proceeded to the consideration of the Idaho admission bill and the debate had not closed when the House adjourned.

The Senate spent most of the session in debating the Chinese enumeration bill, which, finally went over. The Montana Senatorial contest was also discussed and laid over without action. Senate bills were passed appropriating $75,000 for a public building at Aurora, 111.; appropriating SIOO,OOO for a public building at Leadville, Col.; to reorganize and establish the customs district of Puget Sound. In the House the Senate concurrent resolution was agreed to requesting the President to invito from time to time, as fit occasion may arise, negotiations with any Government with which the United States may have diplomatic relations, to the end that any differences or disputes arising between the Governments which can not be adjusted by diplomatic agency may bo referred to arbitration. A bill was passed authorizing the Secretary of War to deliver to the State of Colorado flags carried by Colorado rigiments. Mr. Lawler, of Illinois, introduce*! a bill to test the science of short spelling and to establish 100 schools for that purpose. Referred. The House then resumed the consideration of the Idaho admission bill. On the final vote for the passage of the bill the Democrats refused to vote, as no quorum of Representatives was present. The Speaker counted a sufficient number of Democrats to form a quorum and the bill was declared passed. The bill as passed declares Idaho to be a State of the Union and on an equal footing with the original States, and that the Constitution which the people of Idaho have framed for themselves is accepted,, ratified, and confirmed. The special feature of the constitution adopted by the people of Idaho,, which had attracted attention during the debate, is that which disfranchises all persons who arebigamists or polygamists, or living in what is known as patriarchal, plural or celestial marriage, or who in any manner teach polygamy, or are members or contributors to any organization which teaches, advises, counsels'or eucouruges polygamy. The House,, after the passage of the bill, adjourned. The Senate was not in session on the 4th inst.. In the House, after the reading of the journal! the House proceeded to the consideration of various private pension bills. In speaking on one ■ of these bills Mr. Stone, of Missouri, declared that no people had been so despoiled and burdened under the name of patriotism and under the guise of pension laws as bad the people of the United States. He denounced the demands of the Graud Army of the Republic and asserted that thePresidency was put up and sold to the highest , bidder. He believed that the Government had been generous enough to the soldiers. He favored a liberal system of pension laws, but he entered his earnest protest against indefensible extravagance in public expenditure. He favored the granting of liberal pensions to true and brave soldiers, but he was opposed to granting pensions to undeserving soloiers or to bounty-jumpers. Mr. Lane, of Illinois, in favoring the bills, said the Democrats of Illinois did not indorse the words of the gentleman from Missouri, but believed as he (Lane) did, that the Government had not done justice to the men who had defended it in its hour of peril. Mr. Cbipmau, of Michigan, criticised and denounced the speech made by the gentleman from Missouri. It was not the time to talk of the cost of pensions. He well remembered the day when cost was not counted; when the government was prodigal of money and lavish of blood; when the motives which brought men under the flag were not scanned and analyzed; when the man who enlisted was the hero of the hour. Then no man was mean enough to suggest that men went out to risk their lives for the paltry pay of sl6 a month. The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Stone) cried a halt, but the time for a halt had not come and would not como until reasonable provision was made for the needs of every soldier of the country. The country needad a service pension; it needed an increased pension for the deaf and dumb; it needed a pension for widows, and it needed a law establishing a rule of testimony in pension cases, whereby the oath cf a private soldier would receive aB much credence as that of an officer. The pension system must continue until the last soldier who served the country in the war was dead and fathered to his lathers.