The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-01-08
THE SENATE AND HOUSE.
WORK OF OUR NATIONAL LAW.
MAKERS.

Proceedings of the Senate and House OF
Representatives - Important Measures
Discussed and Acted Upon-Gist of the
Business.
IN the Senate on the 30th the election bill
was taken up, and Senator Wolcott of Col
orado (Rep.), made an animated speech
against it, attracting the closest attention
from its first sentence to its last. 1t was,
he said, source of great regret to him to
be called upon to differ from any consider
able number of his party, and to decline to
take the path which the older leaders
pointed out 1t was proper that the reas-
ons which impellGd that difference be fairly
stated. The present was not an oppor-
tune time for the bill Nearly one
third of the session was through
and daylight was not yet visible. There
were before Il g Senate measures of vast
Importance that would fail, for another
year at least, unless they were now acted
upon. Among the measures awaiting
action Mr.. Wolcott mentioned the silver
bill, the apportionment BILL the pure-food
bill. the copyright bill, and the private
land court bill. We stand, he said,
in the shadow of great financial
disaster. The people turn to Congress for
relief. They want the assurance either
that there will be no legislation on the
financial subject $50 that they can set.
their houses in order) or that they will re-
ceive an adequate medium of circulation
it was not only, he said, because those
measures were clamoring for recognition
that he felt compelled to oppose the passage
of the election bill. If the session were to.
last indefinitely, and if none of these vital
measures were pending, he would still vote
against it. 1t was traYeSty on duty that
the Senate should sit, day after day dis
cussing changes in the election law that had
stood without amendment for twenty years.
THE day after New Years the Speaker
laid before the House the resignation of H.
III. Markham as a member of the Board of
Managers of the National Home for Dis
abled Volunteer Soldiers. Referred to the
Committee on Military Affairs. On motion
of Mr.. Mckinley, of Ohio, the House then
adjourned until Monday, Jan. 5. Although
it was understood when the Senate adj
journed Dec. 81 that the session on Jan.
I'd was to be merely formal there were forty
Senators present when the journal was read.
including Mr.. Allison who had been absent
from the city for ten days past. The Sem
ator-elect from Idaho, Mr.. Mcconnell, who
has not yet been sworn in, was also present
and was introduced to good many of the
Senators, as was also Mr.. Dubois, of Idaho,
who has been elected for the term to begin
March next. No business whatever was
transacted and the Senate, on motion of Mr.
Spooner, adjourned till Jan. at noon.
Thus far FIVE Republicans have agreed to
vote against the election bill on direct vote
and there are two others who say they would
vote for motion to lay it aside and take
up finance. This is not enough. A Repub-
lican Senator who is earnestly opposed to
the election bill said to a reporter that in
time it would pass the Senate, but it could
by no possibility be passed by the House in
its amended form. BY the time it got to
the House, he said, it would be too late for
the attendance of a quorum TO be secured
in that body. The bill, he said could never
become law.