The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1890-02-28
ATKINSON IS SEATED.
ANOTHER EI.ECTION CASE DE.
CIDED IN THE HOUSE.
PentietOn Addresses the BODY
The senate Listens TO Argument q
on the Bill to Suppress Trusts.
with Mr.. George as Object0r.

On the Bill to Suppress Trusts
! with Mr.. George Rs ObJect0r.
WASHINGTON, February 27.-SENATE
After unimportant and routine business
the senate took up the calendar and the
following bills, among others, were
passed, making appropriations for pub
lie buildings as follows: Roanoke, Va.
$1OO,OOO: Norfolk, Va, $50, 900; New.
port News, Va, $1OO.OO0; Lynchburg
Va, extensions. $4,000; Petersburg
Va, enlargement and improvement
500, 900; appropriating $11 900 for ma,
cadamized road from Staunton, Va, to
the National cemetery, near that place
making the salary Of Supervising Surgeon
General Of the Marine Hospital $4,000
per annum.
The senate then proceeded to the con.
sidcration OF the bill to declare unlawful
trusts and combinations in restraint OF
trade and production.
Mr. Sherman, who reported the bill
from the committee on finance, said he
had been instructed by the committee to
move to strike out the third section,
which fixes penalties for the offence Of
entering into trusts or combinations.
Mr.. George opposed the bill, both oil
the ground Of its inctliciency, il the bill
was constitutional, and on the ground
that congress had not the constitutional
power to enact it. lie regarded the SUBJ
iect matter as the most important that
was likely to conc before congress, and,
therefore, he had prepared his remarks
with some care. lie went on to read his
speech from printed slips. His argument
was mainly OF legal and technical char
actcr, designed to prove that it would be
impossible ever to get conviction under
the bill and as to civil suits provided for
ever he instituted and not one would be
successful. lie characterized the bill as
an abortion that would aggravatc, rather
than diminish the evil.
Mr.. Reagan then gave notice Of an
amendment, which he intended to offer
to the bill, lcing the bill offered by him
OH the Eth of December last.
The bill went over without action.
After brief executive session the sen.
ate adjourned
SE.-lmmcdiatciv after the read.
ing and approval Of the Journal, Mr..
Rowcll, OF Illinois, called up the con-
tested election case of Atkinson, VS..
Pendlcton. and the floor was nc
corded to the contcstcc. He said that
he felt it his duty to speak on his own
behalf, although he knew that he was
addressing jury which was prcjudccd
against him. He believed that he had
carried the First district of West Virginia
by means as fair, as honorable. as up
right. as had ever been used in any
election in the history of the country.
He reviewed the evidence in detail, con,
troverting statements made by the sup
portcrs Of the majority report, and in
conclusion reiterated his declaration
that he had hecn fairly and honestly
elected.
Mr. Cooper. Of Ohio, closed the debate
with an argument in support of the claim
of the contestant. The vote was then
taken on the minority resolution, de.
claring Pcndlcton entitled to the seat.
1t was defeated by n vote of yeas, l+2;
nays, 150; n strict party vote.
The vote then rccurrcd on the majority
resolution seating Mr.. Atkinson. The
democrats rciraincd from voting, their
object being to have the contestant
question of the right of the speaker to
count quorum may be taken before the
courts. The vote resulted by vote OF
yeas, 1862; nays, nothing; the speaker
counting a quorum.
Mr.. O'Fcrrall raised the point Of no
quorum, but the speaker ignored him,
and the newly elected member appeared
at the bar Of the house and took the oath