Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-02-05
From Washington.

erything in sight during the remainder
of the present session of congress, it's
failure will be due very largely to the
shOrtness of the session. 1t will not he
because its Senatorial representatives.
and especially its vigorous and persist
ent Senator from North Idaho, have
not asked for what they wanted.
Within weeks time from the swear
ing in of the new Senators, Idaho was
the most thoroughly talked of western
State in the Union. It's vote on laying
aside the election bill, which created
whirlwind of partisan excitement, fol-
lowed by the gamey speech of Senator
Mcconnell in the republican caucus,
was succeeded by the introduction of
McConnell's bill to forfeit the Union
Pacific railroad to the government
through condemnation proceedings and
to lease its property for SO years to the
highest bidder. The Associated press
and all the special correspondents in
Washington made extensive comments
upon this new piece of legislation,
which they prophesied was the fore
runner of others which would aim to
bring the great corporations to terms
with its creditors. Senator Mcconnell
in introducing the bill gave notice that
he should call it up at an early day and
submit some remarks thereupon, and
he promises to expose in his usual Wig
orous manner the long history of wrong
of extortion and Of broken promises
which has accompanied the construc-
ton and operation of Pacific railways.
On Tuesday the Senator delivered Il
vigorous and eloquent speech upon the
silver question which had the attention
of one of the largest audiences which
have ever gathered in the Senate. This
was due to the expectancy of speech
by Ingalls,, and Senator Mcconnell
very shrewdly took advantage of the
crowded floor and galleries and gave
the followers of hide-bound tradition in
the Senate second shock in the line of
set speech by Senator who had only
been two weeks at the Capitol. AS the
invariable rule of the Senate has been
that no speeches shall be made by Sem
ators until they have been two years
members of the upper House, it can
readily he imagined what sensation
was created by McConnell's action.
Senators Hoar, Edmunds, Morgan,
Harris and dozed other whitehaired
leaders gazed at each other in astonish-
ment, but this did not prevent num-
Der of them from cordially congratula-
ting the new Senator both upon the
subject matter of his speech and the
manner in which it was delivered.
Among other paragraphs I quote the
following:
Mr.. President, ordinarily l should
keep silent and let my vote, when the
time arrives to vote, declare my senti-
ments upon the question before us. But
there are occasions whep it becomes the
duty of man in public place to speak
to tell why it is that he is impelled
to follow certain line of action, and in
my opinion this is one of such occa-
sions. Only a week ago took my seat
in this great representative body-great
not only because of the fact that it con-
tains some of the foremost leaders and
thinkers of the age, but great because
all here are the representatives ola SOW
ereign people.
My first act in this body was to vote
to take up this bill. That vote was cast
in opposition to the views of "a majority
here with whom I am politically affili-
ated. have no apologies to offer for
that action. As one of the represeta-
tives of the youngest of the sisterhood
of States, 1 an responsible to it alone
and to my conscience for that action.
l voted to consider this measure, and
1 shall vote to pass it because believe
it to be the hest, the surest, the most
effectual remedy for some Of the evils
under which the country now labors.
1t would be the sheerest folly to deny
that there is an existing condition
which demands remedy. 1t would
be worse than folly to deny that the
agricultural interests of the country are
in depressed and suffering condition.
When we consider, Mr.. President, that
AL per cent of all the persons, male
and female, engaged in gainful occupa-
tons, and 4s per cent of all the males
of all ages who do any kind of work,
are engaged in agricultural pursuits,
we can have some idea of the magni-
tude of the interests at stake.
Nearly one half of the people of this
country who produce anything are en-
gagged in agriculture, and II per cent of
the remainder are engaged in trans
porting the products of one section to
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