Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-05-28
washington Letter,
Washington, ID, O., My 20, 1879,

session OF congress VIII NO bipusht w
u close, The very warm weather OF
the past iew days made II mighty IN
comfortable work discussing bills and
vetoes and sci adjournment talk gong
at lively pace but chapgel 10 cooler
northern breezes the last OF the week
quIels matters down again, The few
measures which The majority wish TO
pass could b. disposed Of and the ses'
sion ended by the l0ih Of June easily,
were II not for the flibustering tactics
Of the minority The republicans have
settled down to the obstruction policy
entirely, Even Mr., TowLsends bill
to prevent the removal OF cases from
State to Federal courts has been made
q point Of attack, and two days have
been consumed Ia dilatory motions,
aud breaking tho quorum by refusal 10
vote, The chief object Of tho bill Is
to protect farmers aud others In tho
West where there Ia great compliant
against the course Of insurance com
papies aud other corporations femoy'
Ing cnIca from the State courts, fire.,
quenlly compelling liligantS to surren'
der their rights because Of their inabil-
ity TO stand the expense and loss OF
time necessary TO follow cases cut OF
the state, The republicans are fight
ing the bill MS n party measure on nc
count Of political oases brought In tie
South and elsewhere, which are invari-
ably taken before Federal courts, pre-.
sided over by such partisan judges as
Settle aud Bond. Mr.. Townsend, be.
Ing Western man, had other than
political ends N view when hc intro.
duccd tina bill, and there is majority
Of ever 80 in favor of IL in the House,
including all the Greenback members.
The House committee on revision Of
the electoral laws have instructed their
chairman, Mr.. Bicknell, to report a
bill. which is substantially the same rs
that reported by Mr.. Southland in the
last congress 1t fixes the election
and mode Of procedure Of the electors
about The same as the existing law,
bu, in the event that one Of the three
cert ,6cates is not received by the
President Of the Senate, requires the
Secretary OF State to send special
messenger to the delinquent state af'
ter il. Controversies as TO electoral
votes to be decided by the highest ju.
dlcial tribunal OF the State. The
course of the two houses of Congress
in counting the votes is left as under
the present law, and both houses must
agree to reject the vote of any State.
In spite Of the decision OF the highest
judicial tribunal OF n state, the vote
can be rejected by the concurrent &C.
ton of the two houses; if there is no
such judicia! decision upon contro.
yerted return it cannot be counted un.
less both houses so agree; and it
there are conflicting decisions, both
houses must agree before the vote can
be counted. Objections must be
made in writing, as now, and in con,
sidering them the houses must separ.
ate. No action will be taken by con-
gress on this subject during the pres
ent session.
Senator Mcpherson has introduced
bill to regulate the transportation of
live stock, and he intends to call 1t up
for action as soon as the yellow fever
bill shall have been disposed Of. 1t
provides that live stock in transit shall
not be confined for longer period
than twenty-eight consecutive hours,
unless transported in cars or boats
where they can be provided with food
or water; once in twenty-eight hours
they shall be taken out and fed and
watered. Mr.. Rushing, who for more
than year has been pressing law Of
this kind, says that the agitation has
so impre ssed public sentiment that it
has broken up the "Eveners" associa.
ton. which monopolized the business
Of live stock transportation. This, he
says, has reduced the cost of shipment
from West to East from $1l5 to $40
per car, aud, in the aggregate, has
brought down the cost of live stock
transportation from $2O,OOO,OOO to
$l2.OO0,OOO. The difference between
these figures, he claims, go to the pro-
ducers and consumers.
The Warner silver bill is having a
hard time in the House, but will
eventually pass, think, as there is .
majority of about seven votes in its
favor. And speaking of silver reminds