News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-01-21
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the News and Citizen.l
WASHINGTON, D. c.,
Jan. IL, 1886.

Utah have been prominent features in
its discussions. Mormonism, so far
as the Senate is concerned, is doomed,
the Edmunds anti-polygamy bill hay
ing passed that body by majority of
thirty-one. The measure is crush
ing blow to the Salt Lake Hierarchy.
1t 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.. Caine, sat
on a sofa in the Senate chamber while
his Territory was under Senatorial
fire, listening eagerly to all that was
said. When the final vote commenced
he Strengthened up and grew straight
er and straighter as it became more
evident that the bill would carry. He
looked very unhappy over the result,
and when asked what the Mormon
people would think, he said with a
sigh, sob, they are used to it now"
During the week Senator Edmunds
has displayed some of his old-time
formidableness in the Senate. He
was aroused by opposition to his
anti-Polygamy bill. Secretary Teller,
of Colorado, is conservative in regard
to the Mormons. He thinks the evil
in Utah should be treated with vel
vety hand, and that the government
is prosecuting the Mormons. Sena-
tor Van Wyck, of Nebraska, pictured
the extravaganza of the present Utah
Commission in ludicrous way, that
greatly amused the galleries. About
this time Senator Gray, of Delaware,
the successor of Secretary Bay ard,
was to make bis maiden speech, and
Senator Edmunds was asked to retire
polygamy, for the day in favor of the
silver question. The Senator from
Vermont wanted his Utah bill "set
out" and brought to vote. Besides
he had said these Financial disserta-
tions" which the Democratic Senators
were pressing to the front for publica-
ton, to the exclusion of business,
were untimely, inasmuch as there was
no financial measure before the SEN
ate at present. He yielded to the
debutant, however, saying it was so
for new Senators to make
their first speeches that they should
not be thwarted by anything but the
falling of the walls. After this I'M
gracious introduction, Mr.. Gray read
a speech in favor of suspension of
coinage, in which he used the current
He was followed by Sen
ator MCPHERSON, of New Jersey, who
is on the same side of silver. The
latter had been supplied with informa-
ton from the Treasury Department,
and his speech was more interesting
from the fresh facts it contained.
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 depriving the women of
Ueah of that privilege, numbered only
eleven, while thirty-seven hard, cruel
Senators said Eyes, take it from them"
Senator Edmunds declared he would
vote to grant the right of suffrage to
women whenever he thought major
ity of the women of the United States
wanted it. At present he thinks they
do not want it, and he believes that
their wishes should govern the matter.
Tie House has received and heard
the titles read of hundreds of new
bills, and members have learned
where they are to work on the stand
ing committees. There were many
disappointments and surprises, of
course. In the distribution of hon.
ors the South received twenty-one
Chairmanships, the West fifteen and
the East seven. AS was expected,
the committee that are to deal with
the tariff and coinage reflect western
views. and the House may be said to
be organized on southern and west
ern basis.
If nothing is done in the House
again this session, dilatory statesmen
will not have the sold rules" to blame
for it. Some of them will regret this,
for, bad as the old ways were, they
served one useful purpose in being
convenient scape-goat for the Congress
sional laziness.
At the close of the last five Con-
crosses there has never been less than
two hundred Senate bills living on the
Speakers table. 1t was probably due
to this fact that Senator Hoar, of
Massachusetts, has just introduced a
bill for longer sessions of Congress.
He mentioned, in presenting the meas
ure, that the business of the country
was increasing so fast as to necessi-
tate more work from Congress. For
years the Senate has been the bust
ness end of the Capitol. 1t has piled
up work for the House, while the lat
ter has wrangled over "points of
order and precedence of business.
The ToBoGGAN QUESTION. Some
say there is danger in it. Perhaps so.
There is danger in going to church or
eating ones dinner, or-yes, decided
IV-in GETTING married Nothino that