News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-08-26
Mr.. Edmunds on the OIeomarga'
rIn9 Matter.

tice that he would bring that matter
up the next day on a question OF
privilege-the effect of which would
have been to shove the oleomargarine
bill aside and endanger its passage.
This move was prevented by Mr.. Ed
munds. Here are the proceedings.
Mr.. Miller had remarked that the
matter of which the Senators had
given notice was one of high priv
ilege, and he supposed they might
be inclined to waive it, but if those
Senators would agree that there
should be a vote on the oleo. bill to-
morrow, he would consent to an adj
journment nova motion to adjourn
having been made. Mr.. Miller said :
Owing to the condition of the public
business, the appropriation bills and the
lateness of the season, it is very import
ant that all these measures should be con-
sidered and brought to final determin-
alton one way or the other; and as hear
no objection from the Senators who gave
notice of calling up another matter to-
morrow, if can have an understanding
that we shall 60 on with the bill in the
morning and complete it, and then that
the other matter may come up, shall be
entirely willing now to adjourn. 1t is
suggested that an agreement might be
made to fix the hour or voting at four
O'Clock.
Mr.. Pugh-I int, led to make the call
for the reports on the Payne case at 2
O'Clock tomorrow. Iii that will suit the
Senator from New York 1 will delay it
until that hour.
Mr.. Miller-That will suit me il
Mr.. Edmunds-That will not do. We
cannot agree to take that matter up at
that hour, because this bill must be fin
ished first.
Alabama had better consent that tue mat
whether at l o'clock, 2, 4, 5, or O'Clock,
whatever the hour may be.
Mr.. Pugh-I am willing to give until
O'Clock, but 1 shall insist on asking the
Senate to consider the Payne case at 8
o'clock. 1t is a matter of privilege.
Mr.. Edmunds-I do not intend to con-
sent to take up any other business until
this bill is disposed of. The matter of
privilege. as it is called, is no more mat
ter of privilege in the judgment of the
Senate by its votes than any other mat
ter. 1t is privileged question in the
sense that it is one that belongs to the
privileges of the Senate, but not in the
sense that everybody has a right to insist
upon its being considered at one time
rather than another. 1t is just like the
veto messages Of the President of the
United States, where the constitution
says we shall proceed to consider them.
That means in our own time and in our
own way. So I object to any understand
ing by which any limitation is put upon
the consideration of this bill until it is
ended. L do not object to fixing an hour
if | can have five minutes to reply to my
friend from Kansas and to the distiu-
guished Senator from South Carolina on
two topics which they have presented;
but l am going to object to everything
that does not give me five minutes TO say
my say.
Mr.. Miller-The Senator will permit
me to say tina, have been told to-day by
older Senators and those more accus-
toned to parliamentary law and to the
rules of the Senate, that the question of
privilege to be presented by the Senator
from Alabama is OF such a high order
that it would take everything else out of
the way.
Mr.. Edmunds-Not in the least.
Mr.. Whitewater the explanation of
the Senator from Vermont / do not ask
for any agreement, because 1 shall move
to take up the bill the first thing in the
morning, and shall not yield to any,
thing else until it is finished.
Mr. Caueron-I renew my motion to
adjourn.
So the bill, thanks TO Mr.. Edmunds,
did not get pushed out of the way, in
the last hours of the session, when
every hour was important to its sue
cess.
Next day, July 20, Mr.. Ingalls,
moved to amend the bill by putting
the tax at two cents a pound. This
was voted on without debate, for the
reason that it was understood by all
that no amount of t. k would change
a vote. All the ear friends of the |
bill, being 26 Re blicaa Senators,
Mr.. Ed OF DIS, and 2 Dem
ocrats, voted aga st the amendment /; |
and all of the oppo ents of the bill |
in any shape, together with a few
whose appetites for honest butter was
not very sharp, being 25 Democrats
and z Republicans, voted for the
and carried it. Then Mr..
ingalls, moved to insert the word |
knowingly" in section 6. AS Mr..
Edmund's attitude on this point has
been studiously represented, we quote
again from the Congressional Record.
Mr.. Miller moved to lay Mr.. Ingalls,
notion on the table. This was lost,
~ to 80, Mr.. Edmunds voting to lay
t on the table.
The Presiding Offcer-The question
ecurs on agreeing to the amendment of
he Senator from Kansas to insert the
word knowingly" in line Is of section 6.
Mr.. Hoar-I hope the Senator in charge
# the bill will allow this amendment to
,e made, and also allow another amend
nent to be made by striking out the min
MIN punishment at the end of the Sec
ion, which, 1t seems to me, except in
asses of crimes of great aggravation,
ike murder or burglary, with violence
o the person, ought never to be in GRIM
nal legislation. The Senate for the last
ew years has, believe, invariably, when
is attention has been called to the mat
er, stricken out the na;a.7am legislation;
hat is, the compulsory Imprisonment in
Ii cases without regard to accident or
x5enuating circumstances, and so on. 1t
GEMS to me that the pending amendment
nd the amendment which | have indi-
ated would help the bill rather than hurt
Mr.. Miller-The Senator from Vermont
Mr.. Edmunds) with the law before him.
Informs me that the present internal rev.
nue. law is precisely like this, only that ,
ne mt.stmune punishment is greater than
his. So that certainly is not in accord
nee with the statement of the Senator
rom Massachusetts.
Mr.. Hoar-No; / said that for the last
lree or four years, whenever the atten-
on of the Senate had been called to this !
natter of m;lfz1ana punishment, it had
lvariably adopted the policy of striking ,
out. !
Mr.. Miller-So far as the amendment /
lserting the word knowingly" is con-
erned, it may as well be accepted now {
S to have another vote upon it, because \
ne vote just taken indicates that it will 7
AIRY, but | shall reserve the right, of | t
curse, when the bill is reported to the 7
enate, to have separate vote upon it,
L then think it wise to do so. There
IRE, suggest that the word "knowing-
De inserted by unanimous consent at
resent, in order to avoid another vote. z
The Presiding Officer-Without objec- i
on it will be so ordered. III
Mr.. lngalls.-In section 6, line 81, after S
lie word mot" L move to strike out the a
ords "less than one hundred dollars ]
Dr." and in line %, after the word ssnot." G
strike out the words s!less than siv |