Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1890 — THE NATIONAL SOLONS. [ARTICLE]

THE NATIONAL SOLONS.

SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Out National Law-Makers and What They Are Doing for the Good of the Country Various Measures Proposed, Discussed, and Acted Upon. In the Senate, on motion ol Mr. Aldrich, the House bill to authorize the payment of drawback or rebate on tobacco (to correct an omission in the tariff bill) passed on the 10th, and it now goes to the President for his approval. The Senate then resumed) consideration of the election bill, and Mr. George spoke In opposition to it. Mr. George* occupied just four hours in the delivery of his speech, all of which he read from manuscript. Senator Farwell Introduced a bill) to amend Section 1 of the aqt of July, 1890, “directing the purchase of silver bullion, and the issue of Treasury notes thereon, ”• so as to read as follows: “That the* Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed to purchase from time to time alii the silver bullion that may be offered at the* market price thereof, not exceeding $1 for--371.25 grains of pure silver, and to issue in payment.for such purchases of silver bullion Treasury notes of the United States to* be prepared by the Secretary of the Treasury , in such form and of such denominations, not less than $1 nor more than SI,OOO, as he may prescribe. And a sum sufficient to carry into effect the provisions of this act is hereby appropriated. Congressman Abner Taylor introduced in the House a bill to restore the law in relation to importation of tinplate as it was before the McKinley bill was passed. Ho proposes to reduce the duty to 1 cent a pound. He says he does not ask that tinplate be put on the free list, because he is a protectionist, but he thinks 1 cent will give all the protection needed. He would like to have the McKinley act amended by reducing duties that it increased on some other articles, but he does not seem to be hopeful, the Ways and Jieans Committee will consent to any change in the Jaw. In the Senate, the resolution offered by Mr. Plumb for daily meetincs of the Senate, with recesses from 5 to 8:30 p. m., was taken up on the 11th. Mr. Cockrell suggested that if 11 a. m. were fixed for the hour of meeting there would be an opportunity to attend to some committee work, whereas jf the Senate met at 10 no committee work could be done. He also questioned the advisability of night sessions and the probability of an attendance of a quorum. No vote.was taken. On motion of Mr. McKenna, of California, the House passed the* Senate bill appropriating SIO,OOO to reimburse Charles N. Felton, formerly Assistant Treasurer of the United States at San. Francisco, for losses incurred in the payment of forged checks.

The Senate decided on the 12th to hold longer daily sessions. The resolution offered by Mr. Dolph Instructing the Committee on Privileges and Elections to inquire and report whether the right to voteat any election for Presidential electors, members of Congress, or State legislatures is denied to any male citizens of any State, or is abridged, except for participation in the rebellion or other crime, was taken up, and Mr. Dolph stated the reasons which had Induced him to offer it. What he desired the committee to give special attention to was whether some States had not provided in their constitutions or laws such voting qualifications as were not permitted by Section 2 of the fourteenth amendment, to the Constitution, without an abridgment of representation. He claimed that the* constitution recently adopted In Mississippi did impose such qualifications and tbat. therefore, the representation of that Stateshould be abridged. The reapportionment bill, based on a representation of 356members of the House of Representatives, as originally proposed by Mr. Frank of Missouri, was favorably acted on by the* House Committee on Cfensus. The agreement to report the bill was unanimous, although Mr. Holman and Mr. Tillman reserved the right to vote for a different number than 356. The only vote taken was on a motion made by Mr. Holman to fix the* number at 332, and It found no second. Among the bills introduced and referred, on the 13th, were the following: By Mr. Gorman—To establish a record and pension in the War Department. By Mr. Frye—To establish a marine board for theadvancement of the interests of the merchant marine. Mr. Casey offered a resolution calling on the Secretary of Agriculture* for information as to the progress madein the investigation for irrigation purposes under the deficiency act.of. last, session. After considerable discussion the resolution was agreed to. The Senate then resumed the consideration of the election bill. Mr. Jones, of Arkansas, made an argumentin opposition to it. The interstate meat inspection bill, which passed the Senate some time ago, struck a snag in the House. This: measure was designed to relieve meat products to some extent from the delays, and expenses of State and local inspectors by providing for careful inspection by United States inspectors. The* bill went through the Senate easily, but when it was called up in the House some of the Democrats raised an outcry against it on the ground that it was an unwarranted assumption of power belonging to the States, and the friends of the bill consented to allow it to be referred to the Committee on> Agriculture for a report rather than to risk an immediate vote. The proposed legislation Was desired by Chicago packers. Mr. Edmunds presented the credentialsof the election of his colleague, Justin 8. Morrill, in the Senate on the 15th. Laid on the table. The first bill considered on the* calendar was one enlarging the rights of homesteaders on the public lands. Passed. (It provides that parties who settled opposite unsurveyed lands, and therefore wereobliged to take up less than 160 acres, may extend their holdings not to exceed 160 acres. On motion of Mr. Pierce the House bill was. passed for the erection of a public building at Fargo, N. D., at a cost of SIOO,OOO. TheSenate then proceeded to the consideration of the election bill, the floor being taken by Mr. Colquitt. He made an earnest appeal for the abolition of sectionalism. In theHouse Mr. Spinola. of New York, from the* Committee on Military Affairs, moved tosuspend the rules and pass a bill appropriating SIOO,OOO for the erection of a monument to the victims of the prison ships at Fort Green, Brooklyn. Mr. Allen, of Michigan, opposed the bill. Thesoldiers had died for their country, and they had suffered untold horrors. But it. was likewise true that there were all overthis country living men who had suffered horrors equally atrocious. At Libby Prison, at Andersonville, and at every prison pen south of the Potomac during the war men had lost their health, and to-day were physical and mental wrecks because of theirconflnement in the prisons of the South. They should be relieved before monuments to Revolutionary heroes were erected. Themotion was lost.