Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-18
A Contention on That Subject in the
House.
MUCH TALK, But LITTLE DONE.
The Naval Engineer Corps Bill
Passed in the Senate.
THE ELECTION BILL DEBATE
SENATE,

On motion Of Mr.. Stockbridge a resolution
was adopted calling on the commissioner Of
fish and fisheries for a report as to the desira-
bility of establishing fish hatchery in north
ern New York near the st. Lawrence river.
THE ENGINEER cOnrs OF THE NAVY.
In its regular order, bill came up to termi-
nate the reduction in numbers Of the engineer
corps of the navy.
Mr.. Morgan believed that the engineer corps
should be increased in numbers, and he hoped
law.
MIR. Chandler said that the subject of the in
crease OF the corps was now being considered
by the committee on naval affairs and that
pending that consideration it had been thought
proper to bring in a bill preventing further de-
crease In the corps.
The bill was passed.
AGAINST CONTRACTION OF THE CURRENCY.
Mr.Sherman, from the committee on finance,
reported bill providing against contraction
OF the currency. Printed and recommitted.
THE TARIFF ACT AND TREATIES.
Mr.. Sherman called up the bill providing
that the tariff act shall not be held to impede
or impair the force of treaties between the
United States and other countries
Mr.. German said that he would object TO the
consideration of the measure for the present
The tariff bill had been passed hastily and this
proposition to construe its provisions should
be fully discussed.
INFL1CTING AN INJUSTICE ON HAWAII.
Mr.. Morgan regretted that the gentleman
should make any objection. The United States
(by the hasty passage of the tariff bilD was in
flicting an injustice on Hawaii and doing itself
an injustice by formal breach of treaty. He
desired to encourage still more intimate ar
rangement with Hawaii and he thought that
n with
MIR. Harris was unwilling that the matter
should proceed in the absence Of Mr. Black
burn. who, as one of the conferees on the tariff
bill, had called special attention to the fact that
it would abrogate the Hawaiian treaty.
Mr.. Sherman said that while he felt sure that
Mr. Blackburn would favor the bill he would
not press it in his absence. The BILL therefore,
went to the calendar.
MIR. COKE OPPOSES THE ELECTIONS BrLr
The elections bill was then taken up and Mr.
Coke addressed tbs Senate in opposition to it.
1t proposed, he said, to thrust rudely aside the
state authorities, which had for century con-
trolled elections, and to substitute for them an
army OF partisan supervisors and deputy mar
shals, who are to direct and control the regis
tration and polling Of votes and partisan re-
turning boards to do the counting and certif-
cation of the result OF course the bill involved
the conclusion that the people of the severa.
states were, for some reason, unfit to be trusted
to hold in their own way elections for their
Representatives in Congress, as they had al
ways heretofore been doing. Against the bill
as a whole and in all its details and especially
against its libellous reflection on the capacity
of the people o: the States for self-government
and its audacious assumption that all the
honesty, virtue and intelli gence found in the
country were possessed by federal officials he
entered his most earnest protest. Democratic
Senators, Mr.. Coke said, proposed to have a
full and free discussion OF the bill to the end
that the American people shall be informed of
the startling and radical departure proposed to
be inaugurated in the character of the govern
ment If the dictates of a political faction that
happened to hold possession of all the depart
ments OF the government formulated in secret
caucus) were to be registered in the
statute book without debate, without
discussion without examination: if the rules
and usages and methods of procedure that had
for 100 years obtained in the Senate were to be
overthrown, and if neither house of Congress
was to be any longer deliberative body. it was
at least proper that the fact be proclaimed, so
purpose and might pass judgment on the po-
litical party responsible for it.
IN FEAR OF THE BILL.
Mr.. Cullom addressed the Senate. He con-
fessed some disappointment that the committee
on privileges andelections had deemed it neces-
sary to report Il bill o! such great length He
had hoped that the present supervisor
law might be amended without great
difficulty, and without adding very
many new sections to il
but as the committee had given the subject
long and patient study he accepted the bill as
the best that could be framed to meet the evils
complained OF, with the understanding that he
should favor such amendments as might be
offered and might meet his appreciation.
HOUSE.
On motion Of Mr.. Goodnight (Ky.) the SEN
ate bill was passed authorizing the bridging of
the Green and Barren rivers, Kentucky by the
Bowling Green and Northern Railroad Com
pany.
BILLS PASSED.
In the morning hour the pending measure
was Senate bill amending the interstate COM
sitions by notaries public. The bill was passed.
Mr.. Baker (NY.) called up and the House
passed Senate bill authorizing the town of
Albany, Oregon, to construct . bridge across
the Willamette river.
A bill was also passed for the construction of
a bridge across the Duck river by the county of
Humphreys, Tenn.
Mr.. Baker then called up the bill authorizing
the construction Of q tunnel under the waters OF
New York bay between Middletown and New
Utrecht.
THE SHIPPING BILL.
Pending action the morning hour expired.
Mr.. Farquhar Of New York, as chairman Of the
committee on merchant marine and fisheries,
moved that the House 60 into committee Of the
whole for the consideration Of the Senate bill to
place the American marine engaged in the
foreign trade on an equality with that of other
nations, with the House substitute therefore.
DID THE COMMITTEES AUTHORIZE IT?
A contention started by Messrs. Springer
m.) and Blount (Ga.) arose a. to whether Mr..
Farquhar had the authorization of his commit
| tee to make this motion.
Mr.. Springer and Mr.. Fithian (nl.) positively
denied that such authorization had been
gra .tcd, and the latter gentleman called for .
fsading OF tho minutes Of the committee.
RULED OUT OF oRDER.
Mr.. Farquhar was proceeding to read the
minutes, when he was interrupted by the
Speaker, who held that the reading Of the
minutes Of Q committee were not in order.
The Speaker would, however, recognize tho
gentleman from New York ~ the spokesman Of
his committee to state the 1ncts Of the matter.
Mr.. Farquhar thereupoa yecited the action
Of the committee, but the statement was not
satisfactory to the Speaker. who decided that
the gentleman had MOI rscefved sufficient en-
thority from his committee to make the motion.
on rHa STATE o. TEE uxIoH.
The was soms manifestation of applause from
A. kls~ l~~x-s~-