The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-15
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-
Mr.. Butler Argues in Favor Of Abolish
ing the Senate'S Executive Session.
Hon. Frank Hurd Appears in the House and
Delivers Speech in His Own Behalf, but
Is Beaten BY Very Large Majority.


THE SENATE.
Senator Butler on Executive sessions-The
Interstate Commerce Bin.
WASHINGTON, April lathe Chair laid before
he Senate letter from Senator jackson saying
that he had accepted the United States judgeship
Of the Sixth circuit-that his seat in the United
States Senate had therefore. become vacant, and
requesting the President pro tempore of the SEN
ate to so inform the executive of Tennessee.
The Chair said Information would be accord
ingly sent to the Governor of Tennessee.
The Chair also laid before the Senate q
at S. Louis, complaining Of the proposition to
place wool on the free list Referred.
Mr.. Morgan said he had been instructed by
the committee on foreign relations to give no.
tes that o-morrow at o'clock, or as soon there
sitter as practicable. he would ask the Senate to
20 into executive session for the consideration of
an important matter.
Mr. Dolph gave notice that on Friday he would
ask consent TO address the Senate on Indian
6epredations.
Mr.. Butler then addressed the Senate on the
arnined with care, he said the subject under
consideration, and had come to the conclusion
that the rules providing for secret sessions
ought to be abrogated. There never was time
when the necessity for the abrogation of these
rules was made plain as at the present He
charged the Republican majority in the Senate
with interfering with the constitutional pre-
roeative of the President for party purposes
and said ne 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 grounds on which action was
refused on nominations His Mr.. Butler's]
experience in the Senate convinced him that
there was no use and no necessity for secret ses-
sions, except, perhaps, IN considering treaties
with foreign nations The surest, safest and
nearest road to civil-service reform, Mr.. Butler
said was through wide open doors of the Senate
for executive we'll as legislative sessions, and
then to permit by law the members of the Presi
dents Cabinet to come on the floor OF Congress
from time to time and participate in debate, but
without vote, as provided ny the bill intro
duced by Mr.. Pendleton. NCother course could
go well tend to the proper understanding of pub
tic questions or to the better mutual relations of
the executive and legislative departments of the
government
Mr. Riddleberger submitted as substitute for
ths pending resolution relating to executive ses-
eions, n resolution providing that all matters
other than those relating to treaties should be
considered by the Senate in open session" It
was ordered printed
On motion of Mr.. Blair, the Senate took up
the bill reported by him from the committee on
pensions for the relief of soldiers of the late
honorably discharged after six months service,
who are disabled and dependent on their own la
Dor for support and of dependent parents of SOL
diers who died in the service or from disabili,
ties contracted therein Mr. Blair said the bill
was substantially the Same bill that had been
passed by the Senate at the last session, but had
&~41- IT,. NC D.
At 2 o'clock the matter went over for to-day,
and the interstate commerce bill was before the
Senate, and Mr.. Cullom detailed the provisions
Of the measure at great length.
Mr.. Palmer said he would vote for the bill, not
because he thought it all that he would approve,
but because it looked in the right direction.
Among the servants of civilization, he said none
approached the railroad in efficiency. No small
task that it had accomplished was in rendering
the Nation homogeneous Mr.. Palmer entered at
considerable length into the question of railroad
Growth in fhe United States as we'll as in Eu-
fope, to show the rapid and extraordinary devel
opment of railroads and their increasing ten
dency to concentration To-day, said Mr..
Palmer, half dozen gentlemen in Wall street
could meet together, and, by financial juggfary,
cause loss of labor to thousands of men. All
bat one of the manufacturing establishments at
Niagara Falls had been destroyed in order that
she one might prosper. All the capital and labor
invested in oil wells must be lost in order
thst one great company might grow. 1t was
undisputed that business went in certain direc-
tions, not because these were the natural direc-
tons, but because the railroad rates were made
to serve special ends The most surprising thing
to Mr. Palmer was how the business community
sustained itself under such conditions The
principles of law that ought to govern the COM
mon carrier were habitually violated. Especial
", contracts governing long periods of time were
every day made with shippers. giving them prac.
tically the control of the market Mr.. Palmer
gave a number of instances of what he termed
unjust discrimination by railroad companies in
GLIDING some by and with the Standard Oil Com
pany. Continuing, he said he did not suppose
the appointment of this commission would
bring on the millennium. For forty years THESE
railroad combinations had been tightening their
grasp on the people We were to-day confronted
by very great evils in connection with them.
We could not remedy all the evils
at once, but we would have done our
duty when we should have done our best. When
the new act should be tried, new remedies would
be discovered. Referring to watered stock, Mr..
Palmer said three seventies of railroad CAPT
the masters of Wall street had realized vast for
dynasties, the railroads, though born of law and
the creatures of law had become more powerful
than their creators and the old maxim of roy
alty--'.The King is dead; long live the King'-was
never more true of the haughtiest divine-right
gpler than of the modern railroad power. Mr..
Palmer believed the peoples motto should be,
Special privileges for none; equal rights for
ail.n
After an executive session, adjourned.
THE u0usr