The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-15
FORTY.NINTH CONGRESS-.
THE HURD- ROMEIS CONTEST DE-
CIDED IN FAVOR OF
The Sitting Member-Frank Hurd's
Speech - Proceedings In
the Senate.

from senator JaCKtOug bhllhB buat ne
had acce pied the United States Judge
ship of the Sixth Circuit; that bis seat
! in the Unit d Statee Senate had there
fore become vacant, and requesting
the President pro tenn. OF the Senate to
80 inform the Executive OF Tennes-
see.
The Chair said information would
be accordingly sent to the Governor
| of Tennessee.
The Chair also laid before the Sem
ate memorial OF the Wool-Growers'
Convention, held at ST. Louis, COM
planning OF the proposition to place
wool on the free list. Referred.
Senator Morgan said he had been
instructed by the Committee on
Foreign Relations to give notice that
tomorrow at 2 O'Clock, or as coon
thereafter as practicable, he would ask
the Senate 10 go into executive session
for the consideration Of an important
matter.
Senator Dolph gave notice that on
Friday he would ask consent TO adj
dress the Senate on Indian depreda-
tons.
Senator Butter then addressed the
Senate on the subject OF open execu-
tive sessions. He had examined With
care, he said, the subject under con-
sideration aud had come to the con-
Clusion that the ules providing for
secret sessions ought TO be abtogated.
There was never a time when the
necessity for the abrogation bf these
rules YVES made 80 plain as at the
present.
He charged the Republican majority
in the Senate with interfering with
the constitutional prerogative Of the
President for party purposes, and said
he wanted the Senate doors wide open
when action was being taken on
Presidential nominations in order that
the country might be advised OF the
frivolous character of the glounds on
which action was refused on nomina-
tons. His Senator Butler's) expert
ence in the Senate convinced him that
there was no use and no necessity for
secret sessions, except perhaps in con-
sidering treaties with foreign nations.
The surest, safest and nearest toward
civil service reform, Senator Butler
said, was through wide open doors OF
the Senate for executive as well as
legislative sessi one, and theo topermit,
by law, the members OF the Presidents
Cabinet to come on the floor Of Con-
gress from time to time and participate
in debate, but without vote, as pro-
vided by the bill introduced by Sem
ator Pendleton. No other course
could 30 we'll tend to the proper under
standing OF public questions, or the
better relations of the executive and
legislative departments Of the govern
ment.
Senator Riddleberger submitted as a
substitute for the pending leso uton
relating to executive sessions, reso-
luton providing "that all matters
other than the relat ng treaties should
be considered and acted upon by the
Senate in open session." 1t was or
dered printed.
On motion of Senator Blair the SEN
ate took up the bill reported by him
from the Committee on Pensions "ior
the relief OF soldiers of the late war
honorably discharged after six months
service who are disabled and depend.
ent upon their own labor for support,
and OF dependent parents Of soldiers
who died in the service or from disa-
hilities contracted therein" Senator
Blair said the bill YVES substantially
the same bill that had been passed by
the Senate at the last session, but had
failed in the House Of Representatives
A 2 O'Clock h matter went over for
to-day and the Interstate bill was laid
before the Senate.
Senator Cullom detailed the pro-
visions Of the me asure at great length.
Senator Palmer said he would vo.e
for the bill, not because he thought it
all that he would approve, but be
cause he thought it looked IN the
right direction. Among the servants
of civilization, he said none APP
preached the -ailroad in efficiency. 1t
had net only made the wilderness
b ossom as the rose, but bad
also enabled the rose to be readily ex-
changed for the products OF the city.
No small task that it had accomplished
was in rendering the nation homo
geneous. 1t had reduced the cost
of transportation Of years food from
the West to the Eastern seaboard to
the price OF one days labor. senator
Palmer here entered at considerable
length into the question OF railroad
history in the United States, 40 well
as in Europe, to show the rapid and
extraordinary development Of rail.
roads and their increasing tendency to
contraction. To-day, said Senator Pa.
mer, half dozen gentlemen in Wall
street could get together and by a
piece OF financial iuggleIy dictate the
profits or losses OF thousands Of men
and OF many communities by their
fiat Rochester was stopped that
Minneapolis might thrive. All bat one
OF the manufacturing establishments at
Niagara Falls had been destroyed in
order that the one might prosper. All
the capital and 'abor invested in oil
wells must be lost in order that one
great company might grow 1t was
undisputed that business sent in Ger.
tain directions, not because there were
the natural directions, but because the
railroad rates we're missing. The most
surprising thing TO Senator Palmer was
how the business community sustained
itself under such conditions. The prin
ciples OF law that ought to govern the
common carrier were habltually VIC
lated. Especial contracts governing
long periods of time were made every
day with heavy shippers, giving then
practically the control of the market
There was neither equity, law nor JUS
tice in the present system OF RAILROAD
: charges. Senator Palmer gave mum
! Der of instances of what he terme,
/, unjust Discrimination by railroad com
.. panies, including some by and will
the Standard Oil Company Conun
uing he said he did not suppose tn
appointment OF this commission woul
bring on the millennium. For fort
l years these railroad corporations ha
I been tightening their grasp on tn
5 people. We were to-day confront
7 ed by very great evils in cor
s nection with them. We could nc
e remedy all the evils at once, but "
s would have done our duty when W
s should have done our best When tn
S new acts should be tried new remedi'