Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1894 — THE NATION’S SOLONS. [ARTICLE]

THE NATION’S SOLONS.

SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Our Ifational Law-Makers and What The, Are Doing for the Good of the Country— Various Measures Proposed. Discussed and Acted Upon. Doings of Congress. The Senate occupied Its time Wednesday In considering tariff bill amendments 'the House passed the bill for the validation of affidavits jnade before United States commissioners ita all land entries. Mr. Marsh, of Illinois, severely denounced the practice of the Akricul ural Department ot collecting and publishing statistics of crops, upoa speculators a ere enabled to manipulate the grain and cotton msrseta His apuendment to strike out the para. Enph providing for the publication of monthly crop repbrts Was defeated. Mr. Wilson, of Washington, offered an amendment appropriating SBOO to enable the Secretary of Agriculture to continue . experiments in the production of Itpmji and flux in «tho State of Washington. Atr.-ed’ to, ..Mr. Coffeen offered an.- amendment. which was adopted, including the sheep scab, pleuro-pneumonia, tuberculosis and other diseases of animals, which the secretary is authorized to investigate. Mr. Hainer proposed an amendment directing the President to enter into correspondencewith the authorities of Great Britain for the abrogation or modification of the law which requires cattle , iryportpd into Great Britain from this country to be slaughtered at the port of entry, and prevents them from being carried to other parts of the kingdom. Agreed to. Mr. Pickier offered an amen meat increasing the appropriation for the purchase, propagation. and distribution of seed from $130,000 to $160,000. Agreed to, An amendment was agreed to providing that after May 1 the Secretary of Agriculture shall distribute all the seeds on hand, giving preference to those persons whose namesand addresses have been furnished by Senators and Representatives in Congress, and who not before, during the same season, been supplied by the department.

The Senate again wasted a day. Thursday. in a bootlei-s fight over tariff bill amendments. Am >ng the bills favorably reported in the House was one by Mr. Chlckering, of New York, from the Committee on Railways and Canals, to inquire into the feasibility ot constructing a ship canal from the Hudson River to the great lakes. Concerning the agricultural appropriation bill Representative Herman offered an amendment raising the appropriation for irrigation investigations from SB,OOO to $25,000. It was defeated. An amendment was adopted authorizing the Secretary of the Agriculture to investigate the nutritive value of food products: also an amendment providing for the introduction of ramie, a Chinese plant resembling silk; also an amendment providing that persons who should knowingly publish a false weather forecast or warnings should be fined not to exceed $50(1 or imprisonment not exceeding ninety days or both. An amendment was also adopted authorizing the Secretary oi Agriculture to inquire as to the feasibility of displaying weather signals from postal cars. At 5 o’clock the consideration of the bill was concluded and. the committee of the whole having risen, the bill was favorably reported to the House, and the previous question being ordered the bill was passed in spite of Mr. Marsh’s efforts tc recommit

The Senate Friday decided to Inaugurate longer hours, commencing Monday, and then settled down to real work on the tariff schedule, disposing of eleven pages—more progress than has been made in three weeks. The House found a filibuster on its hands, caused by a motion to consider appropriation bills running counter to private bills. The legislative, judicial and executive appropriation bills were taken up, after an agreement to close general debate at 5 o’clock, and to adjourn over Saturday, was reached. But little progress was made in real work. Mr. Boatner. of Louisiana, gave notice that he would offer an amendment to deduct pay of members for nil time they were absent without leave, except in case of sickness. Adjournment was taken until Monday. The Senate on Monday combined a sluggish investigation of bribery charges with its tariff talk, and no work was done of much importance. Almost immediately upon assembling the House went into committee of the whole on the legislative appropriation bill. Mr. Hayes offered an amendment which declared that the section which allowed the docking of members’ salary had been heretofore repealed. Mr. Dearmond, of Missouri. made a point ot order against the amendment. The chairman (Mr. Richardson) sustained the point of order. Mr. Hayes appealed from the decision of the Chair and the chairman . declared the nays had it. Only a bare quorum voted. Roll-call was demanded, and the decision of the Chair was overruled by 89 to 102. The question was then put on Mr. Hayes’ amendment declaring the statute repealed which authorized the sergeant-at-arms to deduct from the salary ot members for absence. It was agreed to—llß to 84. Mr. Dockery give notice that a yea and nay vote would be demanded on the amendment when the bill was reported to the House. The House adjourned. The Senate disposed of seven paragraphs of the metal schedule Tuesday, after eight hours of debate. Tho debate was marked by quite a number ot interesting clashes between the Republicans and Democrats. The question of civil jervlce reform was given full sway In the House, the occasion being the amendment to strike out the paragraph in the legislative appropriation bill providing for the civil service commission. It gave opportunity for some stirring and not a few amusing speeches. Tho amendment was adopted by a vote of 109 to 71 amid great Democratic applause and Republican cries of “Spells.” No other amendments of any importance were made in the bill, the only ones adopted being to correct the totals of a few amendments. In the earlier proceedings the resolution providing for an investigation of the alleged armor plate frauds was adopted.