Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-01-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
FROM our regular correspondent.
Astu NGTOE Jan. II. 1856

Since It's hGuuaV vacation, tOn-
gress has been in session a week,
and the Senate has been at work.
SILVER, woman suffrage, and polyg-
amous Utah have been prominent
features in its discussions. Nor
monism is doomed so far as the
Senate is concerned, the Edmunds
anti polygamy bill having passed
that body by majority of thirty
one. The measure is a crushing
blow at the Salt Lake Hierarchy.
II places all temporal affairs of the
Mormons in the hands of fourteen
trustees, and makes the church
funds unavailable for immigration.
The delegate from Utah, Mr..
Game, sat on sofa in the Senate
chamber while his Territory was
under Senatorial fire, listening eager
ly to all that was said. When the
/ final vote commenced he straigbten-
ed up and grew straighter and
straighter as it became more evident
that the bill would carry. lie look
ed very unhappy over the result, and
when asked what the Mormon peo-
pie would think, he said with a sigh
ooh, they are used to it now"
During the week Senator Ed
munds has displayed some of his
old-time formidableaess ia the SEN
ate. lie was aroused by opposition
to his anti-polygamy bill. Secretary
Teller, of Colorado, is conservative
in regard to the Aormons. He
thinks the evil in Utah should be
treated with a velyety hand, and
that the government is prosecuting
the Mornons. Senator Van Wyck,
of Nebraska, pictured the extrava-
gance of the present Utah commits
sion in a ludicrous way that greatly
amused the galleries. About this
time Senator Gray, of Delaware, the
successor Of Secretary Bayard was
to make his maiden speech, and SEN
ator Edmunds was asked to retire
Polygamy for the day in favor of
the silver question. The Senator
from Vermont wanted his Utah bill
"sat out" and brought to a vote.
Besides he had said these Financial
disserta;ionsp which the Democratic
Senators were pressing to the front
for publication, to the exclusion Of
business, were untimely, inasmueh
as there was no financial measure
before the Senate at present. He
yielded to the debutant, however,
saying it was so important for new
Senators to make their first speeches
that they should not be thwarted by
anything but the falling in of the
walls. After this ungracious intro
duction Mr.. Gray read a speech in
favor of suspension of coinage III
which he used the current argu-
ments. He was followed by Sena,
tor Mcpherson, Of New Jersey, who
is on the same side of silver. The
latter had been supplied with infor-
motion from the Treasury Depart
ment, and his speech was more in
tcresting from the fresh facts it con
tanned.
Woman Suffrage is not popular in
the Senate. The gallant band who
recorded themselves in favor of it
by voting against that provision of
the Edmunds bill depriying the
women of Utah of that privilege
numbered only elyen, while thirty
seven hard, cruel Senators said yes,
take it from them. Senator Ed
munds declared he would vote to
grant the right Of suffrage to women
whenever he thought that a majority
of the women of the, United States
wanted it. At present he things
they do not want it, and he believes
that their wishes should govern the
matter,
The House has received and
heard the titles read of hundreds Of
new bills, and members have learn
ed where they are to work on the
standing committees. There were
many djsaPpointmentS and surprises,
OF course. In the distribution Of