The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-12
TO SUPPRESS THE DISCUSSION.
Plumb's Resolution Opposed by
CockrelI, Reagan and Morgan,
Who Charge That the Purpose of Want
ing to Change the Hours of Asscmb-
ling is to Suppress the Full Discussion
OF the Force Bill Wilson of Iowa
I;ill.


luton (Which was agreed TOT instruct
ing the postoflicc committee to inquire
into the feasibility and advisabiity of 4
law for postal savings banks in conncc-
ton with all Or certain class of post
Offices throughout The country.
The resolution offered yesterday by
Mr.. Plumb for daily meetings OF the
Senate at 10 a. i'll. and for reccsscs from
$40 to S p. NJ. was taken up.
Mr.. Cockrell suggested that If II a. m.
were fixed for the hour OF meeting there
would be opportunity 20 attend to some
committee work. whereas if the Senate
met ut 10 no committee work could be
done. He also questioned tho advisable
ity Of night sessions and.thc probability
of the attendance of Il quorum. He re-
minded the Senate that during the last
session, When the tariff bill was under
consideration and when the hour for
meeting was 10 Il. M. there was no night
sessions, and yet business was done in
!, most pleasant and satisfactory man
ner. Mr.. Plumb recognized the force of
the suggestion, but favored trying an
experiment.
Mr.. Reagan thought that the Senators
might just as we'll be frank with one an
other. They all understood. on both
sides. that tho object OF the proposition
was TO choke OF the debate on the cleo
ton bill and toprcvcnt its full. free and
deliberate considcra ton. If that were
the purpose of the majority. il had
power to carry it out. This resolution
was the first step i'll that direction, and
m I'm har .,,l, 81,
of tho bill in rcvolutionizing the GOV
crnmcnt and in taking away from the
States the exercise of the powers and
performance Of duties which Ind be-
to them since tho foundation or the Gov
crnmont.
The bill proposed to change the form
OF thcsGovcrnmcnt from one OF sclf-gov-
crnment to one OF force and coercion.
Such Il change ought not To be made
without the most careful deliberations
Discussion and exposition Of the bill
ought not To he Stranglcd by Il PROPOSE
ton intended to wear out the Senators
and prevent II fair consideration of the
bill.
He protested against the adoption Of
tho resolution as unjust to the Senate
and unjust to the American people
Mr.. Morgan also argued against the
resolution. He doubted whether there
were five Senators on the Republican
side who could tell the provisions of the
Senate substitute; and he believed that
there were many Senators on that side
who had never read either the House
bill or the substitute.
IL was very evident that the member
of tho committee on privileges and cleo
tions had not themselves read it, for
there has been wcighty and serious. and
solemn differences OF opinion (Which
was not yet curcdl among them as to
what the substitute actually contained.
lie warned the Senators that thcy had
better give time for its discussion
They had better try to convince the
country that they were right, and that
the Democratic Senators were wrong or
else there would he some day an appli-
cation of the principles of the bill to the
Senate itself.
For himself, no matter how much his
physical powers might be taxed by the
long hours proposed. he would try to
keep along with the procession But
he should insist on having the company
of his friends on the other side. They
would not expect to go to their commit
tee room or their houses. and smoke
their cigars in peace and comfort while
tilt i)culOcTdtlc .Ntll.ILOfS were NJ tnclr
post of duty-'on the picket line
They would have TO have company.
and il the Republican Senators adopted
the resolution they would have to cx-
poet To carry it out. And so he gave
notice now that. whenever he believed
that Il quorum was absent from the
Senate chamber. he should make that
a point and have the absent Senators
called back from their places OF delight
full retirement, 50 that they should be
at pains listening 10 arguments which
it cost the Dcmocra tic Senators so much
pains TO make. That was lair and right:
and he had merely risen for the pur-
pose OF serving that notice.
The discussion on Mr.. plumh's reso-
ton was kept up. amid considerable OK
citcmcnt on the floor and in tie CALLER
les, until . o'clock. when it went over
without action.
The election bill was then taken up
and Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa, addressed the
Senate i'll its advocacy When people
had given their Endorsement to the
fourteenth amendment of the ConStitu-
ton, he said, which declared that all
men were created equal, they had pro-
vidcd for the observance and enforce
mont of the amendment by giving Con-
gross power to enforce its provisions.
Was tho question nov presented race
question? No.
What was IL which forced itself upon
the attention of Congress? The answer
would come with direct ness and force in
one word. duty. Why duty? Because
the constitution had eliminated from
the case all elements of race, color or
previous condition OF scrvitude. Ii the
rights Ola United States citizen, guaran-
tced to him by the Constitution, were
ahllmnl by n fnrnirn nation tho nnmor