Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-03-19
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ASSOCIATED PRESS DISPATCHES.
Proceedings of Congress.
WASHINGTON, D. g., Mar. 10.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Vice President Morton, having returned
to the city after two weeks absence, occu-
pied the chair at the opening Of to.day's
session.
An unusually large number of petitions
were presented and referred, comprising
some for and soma against the Sunday rest
law, some for the free coinage of silver and
several from labor unions against the en-
ploymsnt on government works of any but
United States citizsns.
A bill to increase the peuslon of soldier
of the war of 1872 Isaac N. Daily, 50 years
old) from IS to $50 month was reported
from the Committee on Pensions and passed.
The resolution offered by Mr.. VOORHEES,
last Monday as to agricultural depression
was taken up, and Mr.. VOORHEES, addressed
the Senate. He spoke of the strong current
of anxiety, discomfort and alarm prevailing
in the farming communities. 1t was now
nearly 80 years since the close OF terrible
war had given to unhallowed avarice an OPP
oortunity to prey upon the self sacrificing
patriots of the country, such ss had never bs
fore bsen presented to the basest passions
and the most sordid and odious vice. The
measures then resorted to for the taxation
of one class of eitizens and for the enrich
ment OF another clssa, had been the legisla
ton By which the burden of the public debt
had been doubled, silver demoralized and q
high protective tariff established. he char
actelizsd the protective tariff as curse and
not blessing. The farmers of the United
States did not receive, on an average, more
than ten cents a bushel for their corn, if
ty cents for their wheat and from two
TO three cents pound for their hogs.
The time would come, at no distant day
when the farmer would look on the propo.
sition to tax him and bis wife and children for
thu protection and benefit of other people
besides himself as he would look on law
of Congress to establish the army worm and
weevil on his wheat, to nfest his cattle with
murrain and his hogs with cholera. Every
pretence of home market for the farmer
was fraud. And every pretence of taxing
wheat, and oats, and potatoes, for his bene-
fit, was cheat and sham. 1t was noto
rious and self.evident truth that the tariff
increased the farmers expense account from
50 to 100 per cent. on every implement Of
industry with which he toied and, last
year, binding Irvine had been enhanced is
cents pound by the tariff and twine trust.
He did not believe that the hands of the
farmer would hold a republican ticket
at the next Pfe5idsnt election. He de.
clared that not only had there been no
increase in the value of land for the last
quarter of century, bat there had been an
absolute loss OF SO per cent. If the improved
farm ards of the United States were put to
sale to-day under the most favorable circum-
Stances they would not The sad) on gen
eral average, realizs more than two thirds
of what their vatns had been 25 years ago.
The farms OF the State of Ohio were now
under mortgage to the amount OF SOC. 600, 900
dollars. 10 the State of Illinois things we're
90 better, themortgages in thatState amount
ing to S402 100000 Twenty-three per cent.
of the whole face Of the Safe OF Illinois was
under mortgage.