Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-08
AT WASHINGTON.
An Energetic Plea For
Woman Suffrage,
COCKRELL ON CLAIMS AGENTS
The Civil Service Commission Dis
cussed-SOme Changes In the
Homestead Law.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD

WASHINGTON, February I'm the
Senate to-day, the Committee on Military
Affairs reported substitute for the
House bill to remove the charge of deser-
ton from soldiers OF the late war and
Mexican war, where such soldiers after
wards served faithfully till the expira-
ton OF their enlistment. Agreed to.
The Senate bill to suspend the opera
ton of the section of the Revised
Statutes in relation to the Guano Islands
for five years from 18th April, 1899,
passed.
A Joint resolution proposing an amend
ment to the Constitution. declaring that
the right to vote shall not be abridged by
the United States, or any State, on ac-
account of sex, was favorably reported
to-day by Senator Blair from the Select
Committee on Woman Suffrage.
The report recommending the adoption
of the resolution, after reviewing the
history of the woman suffrage move
ment and making some comments upon
the denial OF the right of suffrage to
women as an injustice equal to that OF
Negro slavery, concludes as follows: !:
"Unless this government shall be made
and preserved truly republican in form
by the enfranchisement Of women, the
great reforms which her ballot would ac-
complish may never he effected, and the
Generalization and disintegration now
proceeding in the body polite are not
likely soon to be arrested. The corrup-
ton of male suffrage is already we'll nigh
fatal disease. The republican form Of
government cannot survive as half slave
and half free. The ballo. is withheld
from women because men are not will
ling to part with one-half the sovereign
DO Her. There is no other cause for IL g
continued perpetr alton of this unnatural
tyranny. Enfranc hise women, or this
Republic will steadily advance to the
same destruction the same ignoble and
tragic catastrophe, which has engulfed
all the male republics of history. Let US
establish Republic in which men and
women shall be free indeed. Then shall
our Republic be perpetual"
A minority report, adverse to the adop-
ton OF the resolution, was reported, and
will hereafter be presented.
Cockrell expressed regret that the
Fourth Auditor and Treasurer OF the
United States had permitted their
names to be used by firm OF Washing
ton claim agents, as shown in the c!rcu-
lar read yesterday. He sent to the
Clerks desk and had read another
Washington Claims Agency circular
offering to obtain special acts for the
benefit of persons having claims for pen
sons. This circular, he said, was
simply an attempt to get the fee of $40
without the possibility OF rendering any
equivalent. Cockrell proceeded to give
some other instances of dishonest at
tempts on the part of Washington claims
agents, and declared that there never
had been such an imposition practiced
on any class as had been practiced on
the soldiers OF the late war and their
widows and orphans. He attributed
much of the success of claims agents to
the fact that the Government officials
did not adjust their accounts, hunt up
and pay the claimants, but, on the con.
trary, suppressed and concealed the facts.
At the close of Cockrell's remarks the
resolution went over till tomorrow with
action.
The House amendment to the enate
bill as to cutting timber on Indian lands
was concurred in.
The Senate then resumed considera-
ton of the Legislative Appropriation bill,
the pending question being on Hawley's
amendment to give an additional clerk
OF class 8 to the Civil Service Commits.
sion. Chandler hoped one of the first
to get rid of disreputable and incom-
al al u~Dasr,tn1
March, 1885. Allison expressed his be-
lief that the civil service law, as long it
remained on the statute book, would
be fairly carried out. He con-
tended, however, that it's extension to
postal mail clerks last December was
not an extension by the commission
itself, for the commission was practically
not a commission since October last, when
one of its members was confirmed as
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, while
another of it's members paid no atten-
ton to it since then. He thought the new
administration should be allowed to
make rules lor the extension Of the law
to postal mail clerks.
Teller defended the last admininistra-
ton in regard to the fidelity with which
it had executed the civil service law.
German replied to Allison and argued
that if there was no Civil Service Com
mission now, the fault was not with the
President nor with the Democratic party,
but with the Republican majority in the
Senate, which would not allow the Off
ces to be filled, but acted on the prin-
ciple, that when there was to be change
OF administration, the wheels of the
Government must be stopped and the
offices not be permitted to be filled.
Hoare approved of the extension of
the civil service law by Mr.. Cleveland to
postal mail clerks, whether that extern
sion came late or early.
After further discussion, the amend
ment was agreed to.
Another long discussion took place as
to whether the Board of Pension Appeals
(fixed in the bill at three members)
should be increased to six. The change
was made. The bill then went over
until tomorrow. Adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, February THE regu-
lar Committee on Public Lands reported
back the Senate bill providing that agri-
cultural public lands subject to private
entry, shall be disposed of according to
the provisions of the Homestead
laws, the only amendment adopt
ed repeating the Communication
clause of the Homestead laws. Wea-
YER, of Iowa, showed a disposition to OBJ.
ject to it's immediate consideration, be.
cause it did not in express terms repeal
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