Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-18

states-Proctor, Chairman; Sherman. Dolph,
Washburn. Squire, Butler, Gibson (La.)' Bar
| bour and Kyle.
Indian Depredations-Shoup Chairman;
Paddock, Chandler, Alton, Power, Faulkner,
Coke, Carlisle and Kyle.
Quadro-Centennial--P --Pettisrew, Chairman; fni,
| Hlscock. Sherman, Cameron, Hawley, VIII
son, FELTON, Cullom, Colgnitt. Vest, kenna'
The President pro tenn laid before the
Senate the credentials of Senator-elect Hill,
of New York, and they were read and
placed on file.
| Turpie's Idea of Electing Senators.
| Mr.. Turpie then proceeded to address the
Senate in support of the joint resolution,
introduced by him December 10, proposing
an amendment to the Constitution providing
for the election of United States Senators by
a direct vote of the people of the several
| States
Mr.. Turpie said that in the course of 100
| years the country had thrice waged war;
once for the enfranchisement of commerce
upon the high seas, again for the security
and amendment of the national frontier
upon the South and West, and lastly for the
supreme issues Of Federal unity and the
national life. In the storm and stress at
| tending these several trials of the American
| form of polity, parties might have erred,
administrations might have failed and fal-
tered, but the people had stood firm and
fast-not the rich, not the privileged, not
the few favored by birth and fortune their
love and services would not have sufficed),
but the many.
1t was those who had no rank, and who
| belonged to no class, who had fought the
battles of the country, enlarged its borders,
and rescued liberty from its enemies.
In accord With the Nations Growth.
The passage of the proposed amendment
would be Che said) in accord with the law
| of national growth. 1t would bestow upon
| the people a gift entirely worthy of their
| acceptance and of the Senate's proffer. In
conclusion he said:
We are preparing fer the Exhibition of a
splendid international pageant commemora-
| tive of the discovery and settlement OF this
continent. In the imperial commercial
metropolis of the Great Lakes, that urban
miracle of the century we are to show, from
our own country, we are to behold from
others whatever is most excellent in nature,
art or industry. Many medal will be cast,
many souvenir will be designed in honor
of an event so notable. 1t would be most
felicitous should we signaiZe 1t by
the submission and adoption of this
amendment. Thus publishing to this grand
commercial council of the worlds commerce
and exchange that the great republic OF
the West had given to its people direct con-
| troll of. the legislative department of the
Government. Such an act would be mon
ument of the age worthy of its genius and
fortunes more enduring than the Eiffel
tower more impcrishable than the column
of Trojan or the arch of Vitus, which have
for centuries marked and adorned the site
of the Eternal City. Here in the right truly
divine of self-government sovereign rule
and dominion of the people would be pro.
claimed, vindicated, justified and glorifed
in the of all eartl'S inll bita QtS to the
latest posterity.
At the close of Mr.. Turpie's speech the
joint resolution was referred to the Commit
tee on Privileges and Elections.
arbitration With Foreign Nations.
Mr.. Mitchell offered the following reso-
luton, which was referred to the Committee
on Foreign Relations:
Resolved, That the Committee on Foreign
Relations be and is hereby instructed to in
quire into the advisability of appropriate
action looking to the invitation of the gov
ernments of the world to a conference to be
held in connection with the Worlds Colum-
bian Exposition at Chicago for the purpose
of discussing and recommending measures
by which the principles of arbitration may
be incorporated in treaties, conflicting and
international laws harmonized and an inter-
national court established having jurisdic-
tion in cases which governments shall fail
to settle by negotiation and to report by bill
or otherwise.
Mr. Mitchell also introduced bill pro-
viding for the construction of two frst-class
revenue cutters for service on the Pacific
coast, one of which shall be of at least 450
tons and the other of not less than GOO tons
displacement. Each of the cutters is to be
constructed and equipped so as to secure a
speed of Is knots per hour.
Senator Stewart on Free Coinage.
Mr.. Stewart then proceeded to address
the Senate on that part of the Presidents
message relating to free coinage. He said
that the President was laboring under a
misapprehension when he stated that the
advocates of free coinage believed the act of
1890 would raise silver to par and keep it
there That act, he observed, was opposed
by the Democrats. who had voted solidly
against it. The anti-silver Republicans,
with the votes of the free coinage Repub-
hcans, had passed the act as a compromise
measure. The act provided for the
redemption of Treasury notes in gold and
silver coin, and it was the duty of the
Secretary Of the Treasury to coin enough
silver to provide for such redemption.
There was no warrant of law, Mr.. Stewart
said, for the sale of bonds to buy gold for
the purpose of 1edeeming Treasury notes
issued under the act of 1890. The redemp-
tion act of 1875 had authorized the sale of
bonds for the redemption of fgreenbacks out
v, u,
for no other purpose, and there was no
reason to suppose that sufficient gold would
come into the Treasury for the redemption
of notes issued under the act of 1890 Com
sequently, they had to be redeemed in sill
ver. He contended that the act of 1890
amounted to pledge that the Government
would maintain free coinage. 1t was ex-
pressly declared in that act that it was the
established policy of the United States to
maintain the two metals on a parity with
each other upon the present legal ratio. Mr.
Stewart argued at length in favor of the
free coinage of silver.
Some More Bills introduced.
The following bills were introduced and
referred:
Bv Mr. Sawyer-Amending, in several
ways, the act of the last Congress authoriz-
ing the sale of timber ON lands reserved for
the use of the Menomonee Indians, Wis
consin. The principal amendment in
amount of timber which may be logged and
sold in any one year.
By Senator Teller-Appropriating s15,-
600 to introduce and maintain domestic
reindeer in Alaska
By Mr.. Plumb-To remove the limita-
tion on arrears prisons.
The Senate proceeded to executive busi-
ness and soon adjourned till Monday.
Clothing Sale for the Poor.
Friday is the day we remember the poor
people. We have therefore set this day
aside exclusively for the poor The sale
begins at 7:30 in the morning and closes at |