Morning journal and courier., 1889-01-16
Fiftieth Congress-second Session
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.

SENATE-The Senate resumed considera- l tion of the tariff bill, the pending question being on Mr. Vests motion to substitute 'fsalt" for ottar of roses the free list. MT. Vest quoted a speech made by MT. Hale in the House in 1871 in favor of 8 bill intro- duced by himself to put salt on the free list in which MT. Hale declared that there should be no tax on salt, and that the Onondaga monopoly was as great monopoly as had ever been granted by the Tuders in Eng land. The bill, MT. Vest said, was passed by the House under a suspension of the rules, 147 to 47.
 MT. Hiscock replied to MT. Vest, referring to the speeches and votes of Repu blicans in the past in favor of free salt, he said that gress which had been made than the fact that twelve or fourteen years had changed the minds and judgment of those gentlemen on the question. When they spoke and vot- ed the industry was limited to two Congress sonal districts in the United States. Now it extended even as far west California. The result of keeping salt on the dutiable list had been to reduce the price even to 8 point never before known in the history of the business, and, in view of that fact, Re- publicans were now unanimously in favor of maintaining the protection afforded by the present law.
 MT. Palmer opposed the amendment. He had supposed, when it was offered, that 1t was done in jocular way. He did not sup pose there was any serious opposition to the tariff on salt, for if there was anything in tariff legislation which showed clearly the benefits of protection it was the salt industry as developed in this country
 The subject was discussed further and at considerable length by Senators Teller, But Ter, Began and Hiscock and it drifted into the question of the alleged depreciation in farming land in New England and New York. Senators Vest and Butler claimed that this depreciation refuted the claim that manufacturers were 8 benefit to agriculture and Senators Hiscock, Dawes and Hoar, de- nied the fact of any such depreciation. In the course of the discussion the results of the election in the State of New York came up and MT. Butler reminded Mr. Hiseock that although the result was against Cleveland, it was in favor of Hill.
 Yes, said MT. Hiscock, wherever rum was on the banner Democracy was successful.
 Had "Romanism" nothing to do with it7 MT. Butler asked, s'or rebelliont"
 MT. Hiscock said: 'Hill under the ban ner of rum, carried the State; and Harrison. under the banner of protection, carried it."
 ''Did not Governor Hill endorse the Mills bill?' MT. Butler asked.
 'sMr Hill,'' Mir. Hiscock replied, ''is to have no voice on the Mills bill. He is to conine himself to the question of license high license, low license, or no license"
 MT. Butler-Did not the Chicago conven- tion endorse free whisky.
 MT. Hiscock-It did not. I ask the sen- ator from South Carolina if he is not quite ready to repeal the internal revenue tax on whisky-whether protection goes or not.
 MT. Butler-I would retain the tax on whisky.
 MT. Hiscock-Then you do not endorse the Mills bills
 Mr. Butler-The Mills bill does not pro- pose free whisky.
 Mr. Hiscock-The Mills bill contains a provision which practically allows the free distillation of whisky.
 MT. Blair came into the discussion with remark that the labor in the South was cheap because it was ignorant, and that wages there would be increased 50 per cent. if the laborer was able to read and write. He presented statistics claiming to show the relation be- tween education and the value of labor.
 MT. Hoar-In reply to MT. Buffers figures to show that the average value of farming lands in Massachusetts was S43 an acre as against $5 an acre in South Carolina. As to mortgages on farms in Massachusetts, he said that the existence of such mortgages was sign of life and health.
 After five and half hours of discussion, the bill was laid aside without vote on the pending amendment, the Senate proceeded to executive session and at 5:55 adjourned.
 HoUsE-On motion of Mr. Spinoia of New York bill was passed for the establishment of lightship with fog signal at Sandy Hook at cost of 60,000.
 Mir. Springer of Illinois called up as the special order the Senate bill for the admission of soath Dakota and the organization of the territory of north Dakota. The bill having been read in fall Mr. Springer took the floor in explanation of the measure and in advoca- cy of the substitute (the omnibus bilD which he proposed to offer at Q proper time. He ha fafa naT1tt hat he would endeavor to secure 8 vote to-day. He sketched briefly the action of the consti- tutional convention held in Dakota in Sept, 1885, which had formulated constitution for the State of South Dakota. The constitution had been submitted to the people and rati- fed by vote of 35, 900 to 5000. The total vote had been only 31 ,000, while at that time there had been 65, 600 voters in the territory. h view of the smallness of the vote he in- sisted justice to the people Of Dakota re- Quired that new convention should be held. He called attention to various provisions of the constitution of 1885, which he consider ed bore the marks of having been formulated hastily, and argued that they present anoth CT reason why 8 new convention should be held. He criticised the clause of the consti- tuition declaring that all the existing arch- ives, records and books belonging to the ter- ritory of Dakota shall belong to the State of South Dakota. Under that clause the Secre- tary of State of the new State was author: ized to go to Bismarck and denude the capi- tol there of every scrap of paper and books belonging to the territory.
 Mir. Cox of New York was in favor Of the omnibus bill with certain amendments, but he was willing to help along any little con- ference between the two houses of Congress which would result in elevating the territo- ries into the rank of statehood. Every ter ritory except Utah should bs admitted into the Union when it had a population sufi- cient under the law to elect 8 member of Congress.
 Mr. Cox thought the gentleman who was talking about annexing Canada had better wait until the nebulous territories had donned their state of manhood.
 Mr. Clifford of Dakota defended the work of the constitutional convention. The peo- pie, he said, wanted DO further vote upon division.
 Mr. Toole of Montana advocated the ad- mission of his territory. He said the Gar field and Cleveland administrations had failed to redeem their promises to relieve the terri- tories of carpet bag rule. Montana was en- titled to Statehood four years ago. The vio- lation of the platform concerning confederate appointments in the territories had done much to bring about the political revolution last fall. The people of the territories had been patient and long suffering, but they now found their modesty departing and indepen- dence asserting itself. To be on an equal footing with the States of the Union was a worthy ambition.
 Pending further action the House at 4:50 adjourned
 TELEGRAPHHo JoT rENGs. The King of Holland is better. He was up for short time yesterday and able to trans- act business.