The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-01-26
otswa, ~. January 90. 1870.
Current Events.

Current Events.
The republican tariff bill passed the
senate on Tuesday evening last, AS was eA
pected. by strict party vote, ~ 10 oo'
Riddleberger announced that had ne not
he.n pniredlhe should have ielt II MS uu'y
10 vote against the bill. Had he done so,
the vote would have been tie, and tue
bill. therefore, would have failed. The
measure is wholly republican. All the
finance committees amendments were
adop,ed all those offered 10y the democrats
rejected One of the most important
amendments 10 the bill WAS Sena or
Plumb's, adopted on Tuesday, which Gre
ates permanent revenue commission u
collect end report facts and statistics, such
as comparative cost and prices OF gOous
here and In European countries, the elect
of tariff charges on prices IN thls county,
&c. The commission Is 10 take evidence,
10 hear all who appear before 1t aud 10 re-
port 10 every session of congress TX Is u
have six memb ers, three from each party
The bill now goes 10 the house, where II
would naturally be referred 10 the ways
and Means committee. IL Is believed thai
the democratic majority of the committee
will report IL back 10 the house Withoht ue-
Law, recommending that 1t do not pass
Mr.. Mills is now busy upon report 20 nc,
company this action of the Ways ana
Means committee. Or, the house may
vote 10 "nOn.cODcur," when the blll may
90 TO conference committee. That IL
will pass the present house and reach the
President Is doubtful. IL might, per
haps, be Just as well seeing the next
house will pass this bill, ora worse one, II
that can be, for the democrats 10 allow 1t
10 pass, under protest, In order that the
work of the bill may begin as C0n rs pos
sible, on Gen. Grants theory that to get
bad law repealed the quickest and best
way Is TO enforce II,
At a time when, as now, the country
seems TO be entering upon period OF bus
mess stagnatiOn; when the iron ana steel
works can In six months pr duce al the
iron the country can consume In n year {;
when the coal mines, by stoppaga OF pro-
ductiOn, have thrown thousands OF men out
of work, the present visible supply OF coal
being sufficient, II Is said, for nine months
demanl for consumption when the wool
en- industry, after having suffered for years,
Ia In more miserable condition than II
has been for years when the price OF grain
Is at the lowest ebb; when the railroad
business Is so bad that all the great roads
have reduced the rates Of dividends and
some have passed them eDtirely,-at TINS
time the republican senate has the " face"
10 pass a tariff bill which In all probability
will, on July lst, become n law, increasing
taxation instead of reducing II. As the
the working men and farmers all over the
country feel the pinch OF lessened demand
for their labor and produce republican
congress Increases their burdens by In
creasing their taxes Is 1t prudent Is II
decentY Is II honesty The trust
managers are juhilant-most of them are
given an opportunity TO Increase the extent
of their squeezing Of the people; but how
will the people like an increase OF tax
on woolens, on lumber. on iron and steel,
and on all the manufactured necessaries #
life,
The "trus's" In Illinois will have business
at Springfield Al this session of the Leglsla
ture and If they escape with their hides,
1t Will only be because the republican party
In control of the Illinois Legislature may
follow the preceden, fixed by the L. >.
Senate of subordinatiug all other interests
~ those of the high-taX benehciarles
On Wednesday Tom Merritt, of Marion
county, introduced nm anti-tru bill prohib-
iting all entering into combinations by IN
divduals or corporations, directly or indi-
rectly "by which the manufacture or
production Of any article of commerce or
shall be agreed to be prevent
ed, retarded or diminished" or its price
fixed at any standard by which the price to
the public shall be In my manner con
troIled, regulated or established. The favor
tie plans In vogue for preventing competl-
tition In price are prohibited, and vlolators
of the law are punishable by fine of from
$500 to S. 000 and Imprisonment ia the
county jail not 10 exceed six months. On
Thursday the Merritt bin was reinforced
by one from Allen, of scott county, prohibit
ing pooling under penalty of fine varying
from 81 600 to $4,000 and Imprisonment in
county iail not To exceed one year.
The New Yord law providing for execu-
tions by means of electricity has been in
troduced, and the press says 1t will proba
bly, be adopted.
A fish law has been introduced prohibit
Ing the use of seines in Illinois waters, and
their destruction when found,
and providing for the construction Of fish
ways In dams and the appointment of fish
wardens.
Bills have been offered to assess ana
tax dogs IA personal proportY 10 tax unin
numbered shares of building associations;
to regulate stock yard charges; 10 punish
as perjury false swearing In order to obtain
licenses; to appoint jury com
missioners; 10 regulate the manufacture
and sale of gas and establish maximum
rates therefor; TO amend the divorce laws,
Co making divorces more difficult to OBJ
tain; to tax coal separate from the land
over II TO provide that in chattle mortgage
on clothing or mechanics tools shall be
forclosed except In court of record, and
that no household goods, wearing apparel
or mechanics tools covered by a chattle
mortgage shall be seized or taken out Of
the possession of the mortgagor before
foreclosure except by sheriff, and then
on!y after the mortgage or his agent shall
present an affidavit 10 judge Of court of
jurisdiction setting forth that
the mortgage IS due or that he Is in danger
of losing his security, giving the facts up
on which he relies, and shall obtain an or
der from such judge directing said sheriff
20 sieze such household goods, wearing
4. H.. L L. Al.