The morning call., 1890-05-02
CONGRESSIONAL NOTES.

Matters That Have Engrossed the Atten-
tion OF Our Representatives.
Editor WOmdn'S Column, Morning Call:
A cursory glance over the doings of the
first session of the Fifty-first Congress, for
the first two weeks Of its session, suggests
thai women have direct interest in nearly
every bill discussed by legislators. The
Presidents message was received soon
after the opening of Congress, before bills
were introduced, and it says: " l earnestly
invoke the attention of Congress to the con-
sideration of such measures within its con-
stitutiOnal powers as will secure to all our
people free exercise OF the right of suf-
frage and every other civil right under the
Constitution and laws of the United
States" Either that sentence is a glitter
ing generality" or else ''all our people" in
eludes the feminine half. On December
4th Senator Blair introduced the following
bills, all of which deeply concern women:
An educational bill; one providing for the
appointment of a commission on the liquor
traffic, and q joint resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution prohibiting
the Observation-Disclosures of women on &C
count of sex. All these bills were referred
to appropriate committees. Senator Blair
also introduced a joint resolution for pro-
hIbition amendment to
THE CONSTITUTION,
And Senator Dolph another resolution CIV
ing Congress power to legislate upon the
subjects of marriage and divorce, and SEN
ator Stanford bill to encourage co-opera-
tion and to provide for the formation of CO.
operative associations in the District of
Columbia. This was large batch of bills
for one day. and in every one women are
just as much interested as men. No one
has personal interest in every bill, but
quite as many women as men will be af-
fected by the passage or failure of each;
for education, temperance, justice, labor,
marriage and divorce are questions of CON-
mon interest as are all important issues,
and all human beings are equally concerned,
not only IN their decision, but III the Seec-
tion of those who shall decide them. De-
cember 9TH Senator Wilson introduced a
bill forbiddiDg the carrying by mail of lot
terry advertisements or papers containing
them, and Senator Blair introduced one to
organize bureaus Of information relating to
the needs of the industrial classes. These
bills are OF great Importance and concern
the moral and industrial atmosphere of us
all The announcement that Slcott,
cashier, for the Representatives, had alb
seconded with some S100,00 of their funds
created some sensation, and doubtless
MANY A WIFE AND DAUGHTER
Will find her pin money limited in c0nse-
Quence, and thus become interested in the
officers of the House. December 10th Sen
atOr Henderson introduced two bills, one
10 enable women to vote for Representa-
tives in Congress; the second, to add the
word sex Immediately preceding race
color, or previous condition of servitude' in
the act of 1870; the same Senator the next
day introduced joint resolution to print
$1,000 copies OF the report of the Commits
sion on Labor, concerning statistics relat-
ing to marriage ana divorce. Representa-
tive Corey introduced bill for the admis-
sion OF Wyoming, part of which bill
reads thus: III 1t be sine qua non that
theState government to be framed shall be re-
'rpubilcan in form, then it may be confident
ly asserted that the Constitution for the State
OF Wyoming herewith submitted for ap-
proval of Congress is pre-eminently repub-
lean, both in form and spirit, providing
not only the usual frame of republican
government but also declaring absolute
equality Of rights, natural, civil and re-
llglous, and likewise guaranteeing full equal
ity of political rights aud privileges to all
its citizens equal TO the exercise of the po-
litical function, regardless Of any condition
or circumstance whatever, other than in
diyidual
INCoMPETENCY OR UNwoRTHNEss
Duly ascertained according to law" When
the admission of this true republic had been
referred to its committee Senator Morgan
advocated warmly his resolution TO recog-
tions were presented, one for the relief of
Mrs. Della Stewart Parnell, mother of the
famous Irish hOme-rule Member Of Parlia-
ment, petition signed by the Governor
OF New Jersey and many eminent people.
Mrs. Parnel's father, Commodore Stewart
Of the United States Navy, has never been
fully paid for his services by our Govern
ment, and his daughter inherits his claim
TO prize money for the capture of the
English man-of-war Levant. The petition
also claims that Mrs. Parnell, as an Ameri-
can woman, influenced Lords Carlisle and
Palmerston in preventing coalition be-
tween Great Britain and France, at the
time that Louis Napoleon sent Macmillan
to Mexico. Mrs. Parnell is an energetic.
able woman, and her friends accord to her
this important influence over friends.
Whether Congress discusses appropriations
or principles we are all alike concerned
Our labor helps produce the revenue appro-
pTiated, our lives are overshadowed or
frightened by political principles. With
the philosopher we can say, OF all that
concerns humanity, am part" SIS.
Gilroy, Nay 1890