Omaha daily bee., 1888-09-13
FIFTIETH


WASHINGTON, Sept. l2,-In the senate to-
day Mr.. George offered an amendment to the
trust bill reported yesterday from TIE COM
mittee on finance, The amendment consists
of four additional sections, the most impor.
tant of them being one making it the duty of
the president, when satisfied that the price of
any article Of merchandise is raised in conse-
quence Of Agreements or combinations, to Is
size his proclamation suspending temporarily
the collection of import duties on such artl-
Giles. He supported mis- amendment IN q
speech at some length.
After some discussion, the principal feature
Of which was Mr.. Payne's denial of any con-
nection with the Standard Oil company, Mr..
Georges amendment was ordered printed.
Mr.. Spooner offered a resolution reciting
the fact that Joseph Hoffman, of Brennan,
Washington county, Texas, q prominent re-
publican and a witness before the senate
committee on privileges and elections, had
been recently shot down in cold blood in that
city, and that his assassination was believed
to be directly attributable to his political
views and activity and to the fact that he
had given strong testimony before the con-
mittee investigating alleged election out
RACES, and that 1T is OF the utmost
Importance that witnesses before the con-
gressional investigating committees may,
without danger to their lives, freely and fully
| testify, and instructing the committee on
privileges and elections to investigate the
circumstances of the killing of Hoffman,
with special reference to ascertaining
whether it was due in any sense TO his testi-
tying before the committee. The resolution
gave rise to an extended and heated political
discussion, the speakers being Messrs.
Spooner, Pugh, Coke, Teller, Evarts and
Reagan.
Mir. Salisbury said that he regarded it as
a disgrace to be constituting the senate a pc.
| litical machine to advance the interests of
the republican candidate for president. Such
Investigations were got up merely for politl-
cal effect, but they were a disgrace to the
senate and reprehensible in every point OF
view, as tending to keep up the spirit OF race
animosity in the south.
Mr.. Hoar treated the remarks of Mr.
Salisbury as an unconscious admission that
putting a stop to political murders in the
south, and establishing a free ballot and far
count there, was to the advantage of the re-
publican party.
EMr. Coke declared that the senator from
Massachusetts had been talking of what he
was utterly ignorant of.
Mr.. Hoar asked HIM whether he had seen
by this mornings papers that the republican
party of Texas had resolved on account OF
violence not to put a state ticket in the field
Mr.. Coke replied that it was a gross and
palpable falsehood. There was not a repub
lican in Texas who was not as fearless OF
consequences in his political and other &C
lions asthe senator from Massachusetts wheI
he was at home. The pretense of lawless
ness in Texas was a fraud and a sham, go
up for political purposes TO gain a few vote:
and to make a few people at home think tha'
their senators were very smart. This thing
had been kept on icen for a couple of years
to be brought out now to do active service.
AT the close of Mr.. Coke's speech the res
olution went over without action.
The house amendment to the senate bill
relating to postal crimes was concurred in.
Adjourned.