Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-04-10
THE SENATE ANDHOUSE.
NATIONAL LAWMAKERS AND WHAT
THEY ARE DOING.


Discussed and Acted on-Gist OF tho
Business.
IN the Senate, ON the 1st inst, the House bill
authorizing the Mississippi River Commission
10 purchase or hire such boats as may be imme-
diately necessary TO rescue Inhabitants of the
overfiowed districts and to use tho boats for
that purpose was laid before the Senate and was
passed immediately Among the bills reported
from the committees and placed on the caleR-
dar was the House bill to amend the census law
In relation to Chinese residents. Then at IL 80,
on motion OF Mr.. Edmunds, the Senate pro-
ceeded to the consideration OF executive busi-
ness. When the doors were reopened the Sem
a.e adjourned. In the House Mr. Oates, OF Ala
bama,i from the Committee on tho Judiciary,
reported resolution reciting that 1t In alleged
by the Attorney General that in many United
States District Courts the practice of suspend
ing sentence after conviction in criminal cases
prevails without warrant OF law, and that In
somo parts OF the country United States Dis
trict Attorneys, Marshals and deputies, and
United states. commissioners have been guilty
OF maladministration and corruption In Office
and directing the Committee on Judiciary to In
quire into the extent, cause and effect of such
illegal practice Adopted. The following
tions of Witnesses before United States
Courts may be taken In the modo
such courts may be held. Limiting to six years
the time within which suits may be brought
against accounting officers and their bonds
men. To continue tho publication Of the Re-
vised Statues. Exempting from the provisions
Of the law requiring steamers TO carry life
lines boats plying ON inland waters. Author
izing the construction of bridges across the
Iowa River at or near Wapello, Iowa. Trans
ferring from Galena, ILL.,, TO Dubuque, Iowa,
the offices OF Inspectors Of Hulls and Boilers.
Senate bill creating the Offices of Surveyors
General in North and South Dakota Admitting
free Of duty articles from Mexico to the st. Louis
Exposition Of 1890 The fortifcations appropri-
alton bill, with an amendment providing that
the board which inquiries into facilities for pro-
ducing steel forgings shall extend its inquiries
to the Indianapolis arsenal. The bill appro-
PIRATES "a, ,52l ,676 Approprating S92 600 for inn
proving the Geological Park in the District of
Columbia. the District to bear half the expense.
The naval appropriation bill was reported by
death Of Representative WILDER, Of New York.
was announced, and as n mark Of respect to his
memory the House adjourned
In the Senate ON the I'd inst. the Judiciary
Committee reported favorably the bill declaring
trusts unlawful. The bill declares every con-
tract or combination In the form Of a trust or
among the several States or with foreign ma
tions TO be illegal. Every person who shall
make any such contract or engage in any such
combination or conspiracy shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall
be punished by fine not exceeding So, 900 or
by imprisonment not exceeding one year or
by both. Circuit courts are invested with 1u-
risdiction over cases arising under the act.
The Senate spent the afternoon in the discus
sion Of the Montana election case. Senator Gray,
of Delaware, occupied most Of the time viii h his
argument in favor of McGiunis aud Clark, the
Democratic conte 3tants Senator Evarts intro
duced resolution expressing the Senate 8 deep
regret at the death of Congressman David VIII
ber, of New York. The Vice President appointed
n :ont commit es to act with the House commit
tee with reference to the funeral arrangements,
after which, on motion of Mr.. Evarts, as fur
ther mark OF respect the Senate adjourned.
In the House a bill was passed continuing
In force tho act authorizing the construction OF
a bridge across the Mississippi River at Forest
River, S. Oak. The Senate bill authorizing the
construction of n bridge across the Brazos River
near It's mouth was also passed The following
bridge bills were also passed Across the Mis-
souri, River Between Iowa and Nebraska; across
the Arkansas River at Pendleton, Ark. across
the White River by tho Mississippi and Idttlo
Rock Railroad Company Authorizing the con-
struction of a bridge across the Hudson River
from Jersey City TO New York The House then
proceeded to the consideration OF the Idaho ad-
mission bill and the debate had not closed when
the House adjourned
THE Senate spent most Of the session In de-
batting tho Chinese enumeration bill, which
finally went over. The Montana Senatorial
cantest was also discussed and laid over with
out action. Senate bills were passed appro-
Rri&tins $1,000 foT RSDc1 Zoo dl9S fSr
public building at Leadville, Col. to re-
organize and establish the customs district
of Puget Sound. In the House the Senate con-
current resolution was agreed to requesting the
President TO invite from time to time, as mt oc-
casion may arise, negotiations with any Gov
ornIn0nt NTH Wl1Cn the OnlIou CIhlcb ulhy
have diplomatic relations, TO the end that any
differences or disputes arising between the
Governments which can not be adjusted
by diplomatic agency may DO referred
to arbitration. bill was passed authorizing
the Secretary OF War to deliver TO the state OF
COLORADO flags carried by Colorado regiments.
Mr.. Lawler of Illinois, introduced q bill TO test
tho science of short spelling and to establish
100 schools for that purpose Referred Inc
House then resumed the consideration OF tne
Idaho admission bill. On the Anal vote Tor the
passage OF the bill the Democrats refused 70
vote, as no quorum of Representatives was
present. The Speaker counted asufncient num-
ber OF Democrats to form quorum and the
bill was declared passed. The bill as passed de-
c1ares Idaho to be a State Of the Union and on
an equal footing with the original States, ana
that the Constitution which the people of
Idaho have framed for themselves Is accepted,
ratified, and confirmed. The special feature OF
the constitution adopted by the people OF ldano,
which had attracted attention during the debate.
Is that which disfranchises all persons VINO are
bigamlsts or polygamists, or living IN wnaD -
known es patriarchal, plural or celestial mar
riage or who in any manner teach polygamy or
members or contributors TO any organizo-
tion which teaches, advises. counsels or encour-
ages polygamy. The House, after the passage
Of the bill. adjourned.
THE Senate was not in session on the 4th inst.
In the House. after the reading Of the journal
the House proceeded to the consideration Of var
ious private pension bills. In speaking on one
Of these bills Mr.. Stone, of Missouri, declared
that no people had been so .dospoiled and bur-
the guise of pension laws as had the peo.
pie OF the United States. He denounced
the demands OF the Grand Army OF
the Republic and assorted that the
Presidency was put up and sold to the highest
bidder. Ho believed that the Government bad
been generous enough TO the soldiers. he
favored liberal system OF pension laws, but
he entered his earnest protest against indie
fensible extravaganza in public expenditure.
He favored the granting OF liberal pensions 70
true and brave soldiers, but no was opposed to
granting pensions to undoserving soldiers or TO
bounty-i Jumpers. Mr.. Lane, OF Illinois, in
favoring the bills, said the Democrats Of
Illinois did not indOrse the words OF the
gentleman from Missouri, but believed as he
1,anel did, that the Government had not
done justice TO the men who had defended II IN
its hour of peril. Mr. Chapman, OF Michigan,
criticised and denounced the speech made by the
gentleman from Missouri. IL was not the time
to talk OF the cost of pensions. He well remem-
hered the day when cost was not counted; when
the government was prodigal OF money and Law
ish Of blood when the motives which brought
men under the flag were not scanned and an
alyzed when the man who enlisted was the
hero OF the hour. Then no man was mean
enough TO suggest that men went out TO risk
their lives for the paltry pay OF SIG q month.
The gentleman from Missouri Mr.. htone)
cried q halt, but the time for halt
had not come and would not come until reason
able provision was made for tho needs OF
every soldier OF the country. The country need
nd n service pension; ft needed an increased
pension for the deaf and dumb ~ needed q
pension for widows, and Il NEEDED law estap-
fishing a rule of testimony IN pension enses.
whereby the oath CT n private soldier would
receive as much credcnce as that CT an oHcer.
The pension system must continue unth the
last soldier who served the country In the war
was dead and gathered to his fathers.