National Republican., 1888-03-13
gard to naturalization and the ownership of

ing the sale Of compounds as pure lard.
BY Mr. Dingley, Of Maine: Providing
that the payment OF duties on imported
distilled and itrmented liquors shall not be
held to authorize their sale contrary TO
state law.
BY Mr.. Long Of Massachusetts,: Fixing
the compensation Of the commissioner OF
labor at $4,000.
BY Mr.. Buchanan, OF New Jersey To
prohibit the importation Of convict made
goods.
By MIR. Merriman, Of New York To pro-
vide a more efficient mail service with
Central and South America and the West
Indies.
By Mr.. Kelley, OF Pennsylvania To en-
courage the holding OF national industrial
exposition of the arts, mechanics, and pro-
ducts Of the colored race to be held in the
years 1888 and 1889.
BY Mr.. owen, Of Indiana: Joint resolu-
tion declaring the organization OF trusts by
protected Industries to be breach OF good
faith with the government, providing for
the appointment Of commission by the
Secretary Of the Treasury to investigate
such trusts, and providing for the repeal OF
the protective tariff on all industries belong.
ing to trust combinations.
On motion OF Mr.. Pavson, OF Illinois,
Senate joint resolution was passed direct
ing the Secretary OF the Interior to investi-
gate the practicablity of constructing rese-
voirs for the storage Of waters In the arid
regions Of the United States.
Mr.. Bayne, OF Pennsylvania, rising TO
question OF privilege, stated that he had
on the 7th instant presented petition,
of his constituents relative to the proposed
change OF tariff laws, which had been re-
ferred to the committee on ways and means.
Mr.. Breckenridge, Of Kentucky, raised
the point Of order that no question Of prlvi-
lege was presented.
MIR Bayne thought that he was as com.
petent to Judge Of that matter as the gen.
tlemen from Kentucky.
Mr.. Breckinridge replied that he had
right to make the point of order, and
neither the vociferation nor the modesty OF
the gentleman would prevent him from
doing so. The gentleman, under the pre-
tense Of rising to q question OF privilege,
was making statements which were not
privileged.
Mr.. Bayne said that he had seen IL stated
in the newspapers that the majority of the
committee on ways and means had not only
denied oral hearing to persons concerned
MED the right to have the petitions pre-
sented TO them read before the committee.
He had seen It stated that motion was
made by member OF that committee that
the petitions referred to should be read and
that majority had voted no ana had said
that they should not be read. He insisted
that that was q denial Of the right Of petit
tion-a point blank and empthatic denial.
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, arose to
point Of order and stated that the ques.
tion was not a privileged one and that the
gentleman was proceeding under false
pretense.
Mr.. Davis, OF Massachusetts, insisted that
the gentleman from Kentucky was out of
order in ascribiDg false pretenses to any
member.
Mr.. Bayne said that he took no excep.
tions to anything that the gentleman from
Kentucky could utter. He then offered q
preamble and resolution reciting that it was
currently stated that the committee OF
ways and means, by majority, has not
only refused oral hearings to producers,
manufacturers, and workingmen of the
country, but has denied to them also the
right to have their petitions read; that the
right Of petition is sacred constitutional
right Of the people, and directing the COM
mittee on rules to make thorough inquiry
respecting these allegations, and report the
facts with such amendments Of the rules as
may be necessary to assure to the people
the full enjoyment OF their constit utional
right to be heard by petition.
Mr.. Bayne contended that the resolution
raised question OF the highest privilege,
affecting as 1t did the right Of petition,
while Mr.. Breckiuridge took the ground
that the resolution was simply one Of in.
quiry, and was In no sense privileged.
Mr.. Bayne said that his object was sim
they sent their petitions to Congress they
should be heard.
Mr.. Bland, of Missouri, suggested that
the farmers have been sending petitions
here tor years and that they had not been
heard Yet.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, said that II It were
true that a committee OF the House In pre-.
pairing a bill, every line seriously affecting
the industries OF the country, had SO be-
haved as to show the House that the In.
vestigation which the House desired It tc
| make had not been made, 1t was question
| Of privilege on the part OF the House to In.
| quire into the matter. II 1t was true that
bill had been prepared secretly, and tina,
all hearing had been refused to the people
who were interested In 1t, and If all hear
ipgs had been denied not only to the manu-
| facturers, but the workingmen-
Mr.. Scott of Pennsylvania, interupting,
inquired whether any member had right
70 rise in his seat and make charges agains
the committee which were totally un
founded and untrue, and whether the gen
tleman from Maine had the right as {
member of the committee on ways ant
means to get up and publish to the House
anything that had occurred in that com
| mittee.
Mr.. Reed said that the gentleman from
Pennsylvania might carry to his seat tht
| alphabetically made, II false, would only
recoil on the man who made the charge; bu
this charge would not recoil. He Mr.. Reed
had put the casehypothetically. He had re
vealed none of the secrets Of the commit
tee, because very few OF them had beel
confided to the charge Of the minority
| Laughter IL the committee had deliber
ately resolved that while 1t would graciousl,
| permit the mails OF the country to brin!
letters to 1t, those letters, representing TIN
business interests and the workingmen's In
terests, should not be read, but should TAX,
the usual chances of the waste basket, anG
II the House decided that was not tn
method OF investigation which 1t desirec
the committee to make, 1t was question o
| privilege for the House In SO vital matte
to control the proceedings OF Its own crea
lures.
Mr.. Mile, of Texas, said that the charg
made by the gentleman from Peunsylvani
on newspaper statements floating aroun'
the country, and the charge made by tn
gentleman from Maine, In Hypothetical
way, were both intended to convey falls
impression to the House. He was not per
mitted to state what occurred in the com
mittee, and he would not attempt to mis-
lead the House by presenting hypothetica
statements. II the charges had been mad
In q mtnly and frank manner he woul,
have responded to it, as 1t should have beer
responded to,as o statement utterly false ant
without foundation. He was not aston
ished at the performance. 1t had been as
sumed that no person was entitled to re
ceive consideration by committees OF tn
House except trusts and combinations AM
pools. 1t was not contended on the othe
side that the great body OF the people VIII
bore the burdens Of taxation had the righ
to be heard before committees. Only tn
business interests were to be considered
1t was only the interests that were con
bined that were demanding that the con
mittee should delay action on the questio