The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-12-12
DOINGS OF CONGRESS
IMPORTANT MEASURES CONSIDERED
AND ACTED UPON.

At the Nations Capitol what Is Being
Done by the Senate and House = Old
u Matters Disposed of and New Ones Con-
sIdered.
convened ON Monday, Dec s.. FtAbout thirty
Senators and 236 Representatives were present.
The usual committees were appointed by each
house TO inform the other branch that IL WAS
ready 10 proceed to business and 10 inform
tho President that Congress was feany
TO receive any communications ne de-
sired 20 make, after which both houses
took a recess At the conclusion OF the recess
the President g message was received and read
in each house, its delivery occupying an hour
and twenty minutes. In the Senate tne por-
lions OF il which discuss the questions o. tarin
revisit n treasury surplus, fishery troubles and
the West incident were listened to with vesx
close attention and apparent interest, IN tnt
House that portion oI the message IN wnicn
the President treats OF the tarin question
was listened 10 attentively by members
on both sides of the House. now ana then a
smile, more OF triumph Than OF derision would
appear upon the face OF some enthusiastic tie
publican, but the sieizce WAS not broken until
the clerk read, in clear voice The cause Tor
when tho battle 10 waged is comprised within
lines clearly and distinctly defined. IL should
never he COMPROMISED IL ID the people 8 cause
Then the Democrats could no longer RESTRAIN
their feelings aud broke into u round of APP
pIause which was answered by the kepu Dlicans
With laughter. The rsaing OF the message In
either house being finished was, on motion,
floral decorations OF both halls of Congress were
unusually elaborate, and especially were hand
some and fragrant bouquets 20 be seen upon the
desks OF members who had been worsted in the
late election. The blind chaplain, in his prayer,
thanked God that since the last session not q
member Of the House had been called home by
death" whereat sad smile was seen 70 pass
oyog the faces OF some of the statesmen who
hayo been called lone 10y thsir constituents.
The galleries were well filled by prominent
ladies, Mrs. Cleveland occupying q conspicuous
seat, as did wives OF members or the cabinet.
Il BILL for the establishment in the Interior
Departm ent OF Bureau OF Health, TO be under
the direction of n 4 ommissioner, who shall re-
cefvo an annusi salary OF 5000 was introduced
IN tho senate the attn inst. by senator Gibson.
Senators-Messrs. Plumb, Berry and Dolph-and
Representative McRae introduced bills similar
in their provisions, TO allow persons who have
been forced by drought. etc, TO abandon or re-
linquish their homesl ead entries TO make
another entry. A similar bill was passed by
both houses last year just before the close OF the
session and failed % become a law only for tho
reason that it did not roach the President in
time for his signature before Congress adjourn
ed. In the House Macdonald Mimi presented
n petition of citizens of North Dakota for the
immediate admission into the Union OF South
Dakota and Montana and for Consultations!
Conventions in North Dakota, Washington, and
New Mexico. Referred 10 the Committee on
Territories. Representative Stope tky.f intro
duced Il Joint resolution In the House pro-
posing amendment 10 the Constitution
providing that the .lresident and Vice Pres
ident shall be chosen every fourth year by
the direct votes OF the people. Tho resolution
provides that the board authorized by the laws
OF each State TO count the votes for State OFF,
GERS shall also count the vote OF the state for
President and Vice President, certify the result
under oath, and tran smit the same 10 the proper
officers OF the Government before the second
Monday in December next succeeding the cleo
tion. A paragraph of the Joint resolution for
bids the holding OF any local or State election,
except for members of Congress, on the day set
apart FOR the election of President and Vice
President.
WHEN the tariff bill was taken up in the SEN
ate on the 5th inst, Mr.. Harris moved to lay the
Senate substitute for the Mills bill on the table.
The motion was defeated by strict party vote
yeas, 10; nays, rs. An amendment TO the to-
bacco section, offered by Mr. Vance, re-
to 70. was rejected, asL were several
others; one amendment, however - which
was agreed to without division pro-
under the internal revenue laws is endangered
by close confinement the judge may issue an
order providing for such prisoners reasonable
comfort and well-being. A vote was taken on
a motion made by Mr.. Mcpherson to strike out
all the sections as to alcohol used in manufac-
lures and IL was rejected-yeas, IL nays, "a.
After disposing of thirty pages OF the bill and
reaching tie end OF schedule A the Senate pro-
ceedeu TO executive business and soon after
adjourned The House passed the bill TO quiet
the title of settlers on the Des Moines River
lands in Iowa As passed, the bilrprovides that
any person who, in good faith, may have settled
or may mere n[tef. settle on ana Improve my
tract OF public lands, the title Of which is be-
lieyed TO be in the United States at.
the time of said settlement, for the
purpose OF perfecting his title under
any OF the lana laws, shall be permitted to
plead in support of his title 10 said land against
any party or parties-other than the United
d States Claiming the same, the title OF the
United states as fully and completely as the
same might be done by the United States itself.
Delegate Giford's bilt TO amend tho law pro-
viding for the division of the Sioux r, servation
in Dakota was presented To the House. The
House ordered the printing OF 1900 copies OF
the Presldents message.
The tariff bill was further considered by the
Senate on the 9th inst No vote was taken on
any OF the amendments offered. and after eight
pages had been gone over the bill was laid aside.
Resolutions were adopted continuing the select
Committees on Meat Products and on .Rela-
tions with Canada. A resolution passed calling
on the Secretary of the Treasury for infor-
nation as 70 the expenditures in the public
building at Wichita, Kan. The Senate received
from the Secretary of state copies Of the GER
tihcates of Presidential electors in Kansas,
Maryland, North Carolina, and Georgia, and
they referred to the Committee on Priv
ileges and Elections. MIR. Butler introduced a
joint resolution proposing constitutional
amendment enlarging The Presidential term OF
Office 10 ak years, which was laid on the table.
The principal part Of the day was taken up in
the House in the discussion OF the direct-tax
bill. The usual resolution Tor the distribution
OF the Presidents message was reported from
the Committee OF Ways and Means by Mr..
McMillin and adopted by the House.
RESOLUTION calling ON the Secretary OF the,
Treasury for information as TO what relief can
be furnished by the revenue-cutter service and
the life-saving service to American whaling
aud fishing vessels wrecked in Behring Sea
or the Arctic Ocean. adopted by the
House on the 9TH inst. Mr.. Foran OF Ohio,
from the Committee on Appropriations, reported
the invalid pensions appropriation bill, which.
was referred TO thecominittee Of ti1e whole Mr..
Crisp, OF Georgia, from the Committee on Elec-
tons, submitted the report on the South Caro-
lima contested election OF Smalls against
Elliott, and it was placed upon the calendar IL
finds N favor OF the contestee, Elliott. The
minority report presented by Mr.. Rowell, OF Illi-
sois, aiso placed upon the calendar, provides for
the seating of Smalls. The House then went
into committee Of the whole, Mr. McMillin, of
Tennessee, In the chair, on the private calendar,
the pending business being the Senate bill TO
incorporate the Nicaragua Canal Company.
The House then adjourned. The Senate was not
in session.