Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1890 — DOINGS OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

DOINGS OF CONGRESS.

MEASURES CONSIDERED AND> ACTED UPON. At the Nation** Capitol—What I* Being Done by the Senate and House— Old Matters Disposed Of and New One* Considered. Mr. Quay’s resolution, fixing the time for voting on the tariff bill and designating the other legislative business to be taken up at this session, was laid before the Senate on the 20th. Mr. Hoar demanded the yeas and nays on agreeing to the resolution, and then, offered as a substitute for Mr. Quay’s resolution his own proposition making it in order “when any bill or resolution shall have been under consideration for a reasonable time” for any Senator to demand that debate thereon bo closed. He also moved to amend Mr. Quay’s resolution by adding to it a provision to include in the business tobe taken up the Federal election bill, and to have the vote on it taken Sept. 4. No vote on it was reached. The House amendments to the Agricultural College bill and to the meat inspection bill were laid before the Senate and concurred in. These bills now go to the President for his signature. In the House the meat inspection bill was taken up. Mr. Funston (Kan.), Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, said that it was proposed by this measure to open foreign ports to American meats. By opening those ports millions and millions of foreign gold would be brought into this country and would relieve the embarrassed condition of all classes of industry. The bill was then passed. The House then proceeded under the special order to the consideration of the bill defining lard, but without disposing of the measure the House adjourned. The resolution heretofore offered by Mr. .Plumb to prevent the sale of spirituous, vinous, and malt liquors in the Senate wing of the Capitol was laid before the Senate on the 21st, the pending questions being on Mr. Blair’s amendment to add the words, “And drinking,” and on Mr. Butler’s amendment directing a daily search for liquors in committee rooms and other apartments. Mr. Gibson suggested jokingly the extension of the amendment so as to direct the search of Senator's, desks. Mr. Plumb objected to both amendments as calculated to belittle the resolution, which he had offered seriously and in deference to public opinion. After debate the matter went over until the 22d. In the House the compound lard bill was taken up. Mr. Allen (Mich.) supported thd bill. The agitation of this question had been provoked by the careful, thoughtful' action of the farmers in their yarious assemblies and organizations. Whether they were right) or wrong they called for it. It was not true that this bill in any way, shape or form affected the men who produced cotton-seed oil. The evidence of Fairbank & Co. and of experts all over the country was to the effect that cotton-seed oil was superior to hog’s lard. If that were so it was absurd that a tax of two mills a pound would prevent the people who desired to use compound lard from purchasing that article. If It- was true, as stated by Mr. Fairbank, that compound lard could be made of 20 per cent, of lard and 80 per cent, of cotton-seed oil why not brand it a-s “cotton-seed oil compound?” Why attach the word “lard” to it? It was done for the purpose of selling the commodity as “lard” and by so doing defrauding the farmers of the market which they would otherwise possess. No vote was taken on the bill. The paragraph, 178, of the tariff bill relating to wood screws -having been reached In the Senate on the 22d, Mr. Carlisle said that that was an article which American manufacturers were selling abroad very much lower than they were selling them at home. He produced price lists in support of his statement; also a letter from the American Screw Company of Providence, R. I. That was another illustration, he said, of the policy adopted by the other side—in allowing drawbacks on exported articles. Mr. Stewart said that the assumption that there was anything wrong in the sale of American manufactured goods iu foreign countries cheaper than at home arose from a want of information. There was nothing wrong in it, and nothing injurious to American consumers. That was the policy which Enggland had pursued for the last century and which English statesmen had advised on all occasions. In the House Mr. Henderson (111.) submitted the ieport of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors on Senate amendments to the river and harbor bill, recommending non-concurrence in these amendments and agreeing to. the conference asked by the Senate. Mr. Kerr (Iowa) raised the point of order that the amendments must first be considered in committeo of the < whole. This point was sustained by the Speaker. The Senate devoted the 23d to eulogies o* tho late Senator Beck, of Kentucky. Senaator Blackburn speaking of the religion of the deceased, said: “His had been the roligion of humanity. ’ He had believed that a man who helped his fellowmen was doing God's service. His life had been molded in that faith. If there were one soul at whose approach the pearly gates of the celestial city would open widest and offer freest entrance to its eternal glories, it would certainly he to one which in its life on the earth strove hardest to aid the weak, to shelter the defenseless, to lighten the burdens of the heavy-laden, and which brought the most smiles and the f jwest tears to the children of the world.” The compound lard bill was taken up in th j House. Mr. Hitt (Ill.) said that for the last ten years our whole diplomatic service had teen trying to vindicate the American hog and prove that American pork was pure and who sesame. While our diplomats had be.n doing this our citizens tad been sending through the world an adulterated pork product. It was time for Congress to enfore honest dealing. When it came to a vo:e it was found that there was no quorum and the "House adjourned. Mr. Aldrich (Rep.) introduced a resolution In the Senate on the 25th. to fix a time for voting on the ta £P,'l bill. The resolution, at the suggestion of Mr. Gorman (Dem.), was modified so as to continue the general discussion vp to and including Wednesday, Sept. 3. to have five ■ minutes’ debate on Thursday, 4. Friday. 5, and Saturday. 6, and to fix Monday, Sept. 8, and thereafter for consideration of tne bill and amendments without debate; then three hours to be allowed to each side for general debate, and the final vote to be tuken on the passage of the bill. The matter was not disposed of. Congressman Lewis F. Watson, representing the Twenty-seventh Pennsylvania District, died suddenly at his hotel, and as a mark of respect both houses adjourned, The Senate Committee on Postal Affairs decided to make the bill to extend the free delivery system apply to cities of 5,000 inhabitants or to cities where the postal receipts amount to 55.000.