Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 April 1890 — NATIONAL CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL CONGRESS.

In the Senate on the 31st Mr. Reagat jpoke in favor of the bill for the issue of treasury rates on the deposit of silver bullion. The dependent pension bill was taken up and passed by yeas, 42: nays, 12. The nays were the following: Bate, Berry, Blackburn, Cockrell, Colquitt, Daniels, Harris, Jones (Ark.) Pugh^Reagan, Ves and Wilson (Ind). The bill allows pensions (1), to dependent parents of deceased soldiers, (2) to soldiers suffering from mental or physical disabilities which incapacitates them from earning a living. In the House, on motion of Mr. Carlisle of Kentucky a resolution was adopted calling on the Secretary of State for information showing what changes have been made by foreign countries since 1879

in the rates of duty imposed on breadstuffs, and what laws have been enacted or regulations made in such countries since that date, obstructing, prohibiting, or in any manner interfering with the importation or sale of such articles. The army appropriation bill was passed. The Senate on the Ist passed a bill for the relief of Mississippi flood sufferers. Several bills were reported from com mittees. The House instructed the judiciary committee to inquire into the illegal praotice of suspending sentence in U. S. courts. The senate bill for a surveyor general of North and South Dakota passed. A bill passed admitting free Mexican exhibits for the St. Louis exposition. A bill passed exempting lake steamers from carrying lifelines. The fortifications bill, appropriating $4,521,678 passed. The national zoological park bill, providing for A park in the district of Columbia, was passed—yeas, 117; nays, 66. The Idauo admission bill will be voted on Thursday at 2 o’clock. A debate ensued over the proposition to establish gun foundries at Rock Island, 111., and on the Pacific coast. The investigation was made to include Indianapolis by the labors of Bynum and Chandler. The Senate on the 2d debated the Montana contested election case. Mr. Edmunds, from the j udiciary committee reported back the anti-trust bill in the form of a substi tute.

The House took up the Idaho ad mission bill. Mr. Dorsey said the only opposition came from the Mormons. Mr. Mansur denounced polygamy, but protested against the provision of the constitution disfranchising people without trial. The real reason for the exclusion of the Mormons was not that they were bigamists, but because they were supposed to be Democrats. Delegate Dubois urged admission as a direct blow at Mormonism. Delegate Smith denounced the committee for failing to report a bill for the admission of Arizona, which had every qualification possessed by those already admitted. Mr, Chipman denounced the Idaho constitution for deny ing people access to the courts. Mr. Perkins favored the bill.

The Senate, on the 3d,took up the House bill to amend the census law, by providing for the enumeration of Chinamen and the issue to them of certificates of residence. Mr. Hale thought that the bill should be even more severe than it is in its restrictive features. Mr. Eustis said the bill had nothing to do with the census, but rather with municipal police and international obligations. The bill put peculiar degradation on people protected by treaty rights. China is engaged in many public works, the contracts for which might be secured in the United States, and it is manifestly,bad policy to get into difficulty with China. Mr. Hale said the bill was only intended to carry out the United States policy of Chinese exclusion. Mr. Eqstis denounced the bill as a shameful pieoe of legislation. The bill went .over Bills were passed for public buildings at Aurora, 111., and Leadville, Colorado, and to reorganize and establish the ous toms district of Puget Sound. Adjournment was taken until the sth. The House passed bills as follows: To gather information regarding the fur seal fisheries of Alaska ; senate resolution for arbitration Of international disputes; house bill turning over Colorado’s flags to that State; house bill providing that in time of peace court-martials shall fix no punishment greater than a limit fixed by the President; the Idaho admission bill. The last named bill was warmly debated. Upon final passage the Democrats refused to vote, and the Speaker counted a quorum by yeas, 129; nays, 1. The Democrats propose to test this rule in the oourts. The debate was very interesting. We give extracts: •

Mr Buckalew of Pennsylvania opposed the Idaho Constitution because it outlawed the members of a certain church, while Mr. Oates of Alabama criticised the compulsory education feature of the Constitution, and Mr. McAdoo of New Jersey, while denouncing the practice of polygamy thought that the Constitution invaded the domain of religious belief. Mr. Springer of Illinois said that the majority of the committee on Territories hau seen fit to frame the Idaho bill in such a way as to secure partisan legislation instead of proper legislation to bring a State into the Union. The minority would offer an amendment providing that a new convention should be held £pa the Constitution submitted to a vote ol the people of the'Territory as had been done in the case of Dako, Montana and Washington. The amendment required the Edmunds Tucker test oath to be taken by every person voting upon the Constitution. Gentlemen on the other side said the provision of the Idaho Constitution disfranchising the Mormons was in line with the Edmunds-Tncker law. There was a vast difference between them. Under that law not 10 per cent, of the Mormons in Utah were disfranchised ; under the Idaho Constitution not a member of the Mormon Church would be allowed to vote. Even a Gentile, if he dropped a nickel into a Mormon con tribution box, would be deprived of the right of suffrage. He did not objeot to the admission of Idaho, bat he thought that she should be treated as the other new States had been treated by Congress. Referring to the political features of the measure, he charged the Republicans with the purpose of admitting Territories UDder such provisions as would insure an increase of the^rrepresentation in the Senate. The minority of the Committee on Territories represented the pe pie of the United States. It represented the 5,500,000 Democrats who bad voted for Cleveland. It represented the majority of the people, because Clevelaud had received a popular majority. And it seemed, from the returns from Chicago, Milwaukee, Schenectady and Rochester, that the Democrat o party was not losing ground. When November, 1893, came along the Democratic party would elect a Rreaident who would repro seat the majority of the people, instead of

a man Who represented trusts and monopolies. Mr. Hendetson of lowa said that the attitude ei the Democratic party was a familiar Bight to the country. It was the Democratic party behind iteokl 3hield—a Constitution of its own making, sota Constitution made by the fathers. The Democratic party was in its old breeching, pulling back, back, when the civilized world cried “forward and /onward.” [Applause on Republican side,] The Democratic party waß a polygamist. [Laughter.] It had a whole batch of wives. [Laughter.] Mr. Turner of New York —We never had more than one name. Mr. Henderson—No, you never had more than one name, but you have had a batch of wives. Who were they ? Slavery was one; slave territory was another; treason was another. [Derisive laughter on the Democratic side. 1 Mr . Henderson—Oh, you recognize them boys. [Laughter.] You know their names. And now you have polygamy for one of your wives. Corrupt ballot boxes was one of your wives; and you have.been true to every one of them. [Laughter.] You never left their bed and board for a single moment. I like your loyalty to them; but do not sneak behind constitutional shields to cover up your purpose. Now, when the little Territory has set an example of morality that snould appeal to this legislative body, you bring in constitutional shields to try to fight under that cover. But the people know what you are. Stick to your women, boys; we will help Idaho to stick to the principles she has advanced. [Laughter and applause.] The House on the 4th passed thirty-five private pension bills. The debate was enlivened by a protest from Mr. Stone of Missouri, against such extravagance and prodigality of granting pensions, and the defense of the present system by Mr. Lane of Illinois, and others.