The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-03-14
DOINGS OF CONGRESS
What National LaWmaker
Have Been Doing the
Past Week.
SENATE.


| The Senate In secret session debated at
length q resolution offered by Mr.. Dolph in
behalf of the special committee appointed
to investigate executive session leakages.
| calling for the aarrest and imprisonment OF
A. J. Halford OF the Associated Press and
George G. Balm Of the Omitted States Press,
Tor contempt in refusing to divulge the
| sources Of the news concerning secret sessions
which they have sent out from time to time.
Consideration of the Featherstone-Cat
Arkansas contested election case was resum-
I'd soon after the House met and Mr..
Dalzell, of Pennsylvania, took the floor in
support of the claims Of the contestant.
Winchester rifles, and bowie knives, he said,
had played an important part in this con-
gressional election. He charged intimida-
ton and fraud. Pending the debate, the
House adjourned.
Mr.. Stockbridge presented petitions said to
have 3OS, 900 signatures of adult citizehaCt
the United States against the passage ofAhe
Sunday rest bill.
The Senate passed bill appropriating
500, 900 for public building at Lafayette,
Ind.
Blair's educational bill was then discussed.
The contested election case Of F'eatherstone
vs.. Cate from Arkansas, was taken up, and
the contestee, Mr.. Cate. took the floor in his
own behalf He said it was the duty of the
members not to elect a representative from
the First district of Arkansas, but laying
aside all prejudice and party feeling, deter
mine whom the people of that district had
chosen to represent. He asked only justice
for AZ, 900 freemen.
Mr. Houk, OF Tennessee. made strong pre-
sentation of the claims OF the contestant. He
argued that the ARKANSAS bnlldozing COM
munity' had entered into conspiracy to
prevent the return of Mr.. Foatherstone to
congress. He appealed for fair chance for
the colored people of the South, and said:
who was returned by the means OF Winchester
rife clubs and fraudulent ballot boxes"
| Mr. Springer moved to recommit the case,
with instructions to send a subcommittee to
Arkansas to investigate tho election in the
disputed district.
| Mr.. Boutelle, of Maine suggested the pro-
priety of O provision that the subcommittee
be permitted to return to Washington alive
Mr. Springer's motion was defeated 1873 to
to 146. Featherstone was then seated by q
vote of 145 to135 and the oath of Office was
administered to him.
SENATE.
Another day has passed without the senate
coming to decision as to what shall be
done with the newspaper correspondents who
refused to tell Mr.. Dolph's special committee
how they get news proceedings in ex ecutive
session. Only forty minutes were given to
the consideration OF business of the body and
then, on motion of Senator Dolph, the con-
sideration of the resolutions reported from
his committee, was resumed with closed
doors.
The senate committee on military affairs
has made q favorite report on the bill to
transfer the weather bureau to the agricul-
tural department.
Senator Washburn presented O petition
from citizens OF Pipestone asking that the
Pipestone Indian reservation be nomin ated
q park and made the site of an industrial
school for Indians.
Mr.. Lind from the committee on commerce,
reported favorably the Comstock bill for
bridge across the Red River of the North
for the Crookston, Grand Forks & Montana
railroad.
Petitions were presented by the Woman's
Industrial league for representation on the
worlds fair commission. and from railway
mail service employees asking for increase Of
salary.
The senate bill establishing customs col
lection district consisting of forth and South
Dakota was favorably reported.
SENATE.
| The Senate committee on privileges and
elections decided, by a strict party vote to
report in favor of seating Messrs. Saunders
and Powers, the republican contestants fol
the Montana seats in the United States sen.
ate.
The majority report will state that the
House which elected Saunders and Powers
was canvassed by the only official board of
| canvassers under the territorial law, and
that it was the House recognized by the Sen.
ate, OF whose legitimacy there was no ques.
ton. The committee cannot go behind these
| facts. The min GRITTY, it is said, will report in
favor of referring the whole matter back to
the people and holding a new election.
| The House today consumed the morning
hour discussing the bill providing fo1
the compulsory attendance of witness.
| es before resisters and receivers of land of.
| fees which was passed.
| The House, then, in committeeof the whole,
| Mr.. Payeon, of Illinois, in the chair, resumed
the consideration of public building meas
| ures.
In the senate a number of public building
bills were passed, and the educationa bill
was further discussed without action.
Directly after the morning business the cal.
endar was taken up and a bill incorporates
local street railway company was debated
at some length without action.
Senator Pierce introduced bill to author
ize North Dakota to transfer to the state
agricultural college section SO, township 146,
range 40. in Cass county, as site for the in.
stitution.
HOUSE.
The resolution declaring Mr.. Clark of Ala.
bama, entitled to his seat was adopted and
severa! measures on the private calendar
were disposed of.
When the report of the Threet-C Clark con-
tested case had been agreed to- the House
passed the Senate bill increasing from $780,
900 to $20O,O9O the limit OF cost of the
house public building at Ell Paso, Tex.