Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1891 — THE SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

THE SENATE AND HOUSE.

WORK OF OUR NATIONAL LAWMAKERS! Proceedings or the Senate and Qoase ol Representatives Discussed and Acted Upon—Gist or the Business. The day after New Year’s the Speaker laid before the House the resignation of H.. H. Markham as a member of the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. Referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On motion of Mr. McKinley, of Ohio, the House then, adjourned until Monday. Jan. 5. Although it was understood when the Senate adjourned Dec. 31 that the session on Jan, 2d was to be merely formal there were forty Senators present when the journal was read, including Mr. Allison, who had been absent from the city for ten days past. The Sen-ator-elect from Idaho, Mr. McConnell, who has not yet been sworn In, was also present and was introduced to a good many of the Senators, as was also Mr. Dubois, of Idaho, who has been elected for the term to begin i March 4 next. No business whatever was transacted and the Senate, on motion of Mr. Spooner, adjourned till , Jan. 5 at noon. Thus far five Republicans have agreed to vote against the election billon a direct vote and there are two others who say they would; vote for a motion to lay it aside and take up finance. This is not enough. A Republican Senator who Is earnestly opposed to the election bill said to a reporter that in time it waahMdgSirthe Senate, but. it could by no possibility be passed by the House in its amended form. By the time, it got to the House, he said, it would bo too late for the attendance of a quorum to bo secured in that body. The bill, he said, could never become a law. The Senate met at noon on the sth. with the Vice President in the chair, and with a fulln er attendance of members than on any other day at the same hour since the session began. The galleries were also well filled with spectators. The journal of the 2d imst. was read, and was of the briefest possible character; consisting of one short sentence. Scores of petitions for and against the Conger lard bill were presented, and for and against the Torrey bankruptcy bill. On motion of Senator Stewart the election bill was; laid aside and the financial bill was taken up. The vote was Si to 28. eight Republican Senators voting with the Democrats. This practically kills the election bill and. means the passage of a silver, bill by the Senate. Inquiry among Republican Senators develops tlie fact that they were all surprised at the displacement, of the election bill. One 'Western Senator, who. personally regards the bill with indifference, but who was not willing to abandon it now that it was a party measure, said that the friends of the 1)111 did not know what to think or do now, for they had been so surprised they had not had time to consider the situation. The Senator said heregarded the vote as decisive of the fate of the bill, and that- was the opinion of the majority of his colleagues with whom hehad talked. Senator Spooner, one of the foremost advocates of the election bill, was seen but would say nothing. Of the Republican Senators voting to bury the election bill Washburn was the only one wlio wasnot an out-and-out free-coinago man. He • justifies his vote on the. ground that he has been opposed to the election measure, and that this was the only opportunity that he had to get It out of the way. Besides, the measure he voted to take up is not a freccoinage bill, but the Bhe'rman compromise bill. It amounts to the same, however, for • the Democratic-Republican free-coinage combination will substitute a free-coinago amendment for the Sherman bill. No business of Importance was transacted by the House.