Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1891-01-08
THE FIFTY SECOND C0hFERSS,
The Kews From the National Capital as /
Effects the interests of the Vest
ern Farmer.
The FalweN Finance Scheme and the
Elections Bill viii Probably Get a
Black Eye.
A QUIET WEEK. IN CONGRESS.

X L. O-CUCCtkVS
respondence:: The Capital City has been
unusually quiet the past week or two.
Congressional work has been practically
at standstill, nearly all the members
having left the city, spending the holi-
days and very little has been done in the
legislating line beyond adjourning from
day to day for want Of a quorum. The
attempt to keep business going during
the holiday season, and thus breaking the
usual custom OF adjourhing for holiday
recess, has not been success Both
financially and otherwise, it is believed it
would have been better had the customary
course been carried out.
THE ELECTION BILL
is still uppermost in the minds OF states
men and politicians, and the effort to
dispose Of it in some way at an early day,
is undated. Among the senator's who
spoke upon the bill this week were sena-
tors Hoar, Of Massachusetts and Hiscock,
of New York, both OF whom relieved
themselves upon it lasG Tuesday after
noon. In the course Of his remarks MI.
Hoar said the struggle for the pending
bill was the struggle for the last step
toward establishing the doctrine to which
the American people were pledged by
this history, their constitution, their
opinions and interests. They could not
know in their citizenship, slaves, vassals,
or inferior races. He replied with all the
indignation which the calumny deserved,
to the aspersion that the bill was parti-
$ an measure, or that any man who sup
ported it was actuated by partisan pur-
poses. The committee that reported it
had simply acted upon the advice Of s. S.
Cox and other leading democrats to ex-
tend the benefcient election system Of
New York to other parts Of the conntry.
The senators would put forth the whole
military power Of the government to de-
fend settlers against Indians. though the
latter had been provoked by a 100 years
Of wrongs. Would they not also protest
against unprovoked outrages aat the
polls? The republican senator's charged
that through the election practices in
operation in some of the states, the seats
of at least 80 representatives had been
illegally usurped; that the constitution Of
the United States had been SO violated
and overthrown, that for IA years the
minority had controlled the national
house Of representatives, and for four
years the presidency of the United States
itself had been in the hands Of the
usurper. He said that the opposition to
the bill was confined almost entirely to
the democratic members. whose argu-
ments in opposition had been nothing but
railing and reviling the men who have
charge of this bill.
THE CONTRACT LABOR LAWS.
The committee on immigration of the
house has prepared a number of amend
ments to the present contract labor laws
which are expected to meet the approval
of labor people when they are reported to
the house. For the present they hang
fire in the committee owing to the alb
sence of Mr.. Lehlback, who is on the
Pacific coast investigating the manner by
which Chinese are smuggled into the
United States, and he has left orders to
do nothing on this subject during his
absence. It is believed that he will op-
pose the propositions when he returns.
He is pronounced against any congress
sional action that will place a barrier to
complete freedom of immigration into the
United States.
THE IDAHO SENATOR'S.
The senate on Tuesday received two
new recruits, being the newly elected
senators from the state of Idaho, Gev
Shoup and Mcconnell. There is little
trouble over the matter of admitting
Mcconnell because it is thought that the
junior state has acted the porker in the
senatorial business and elected three in
stead of two senators. The reason for
this is that the legislature of that state
will not again meet in regular session be-
fore another senator must be elected, and
in order to save the expense of an extra
session when the time comes, it elected
him now and the trouble arises out Of
the QUESTION of the legality of the action
of the legislature in electing three sena-
tors. 1t is a matter of some doubt as to
how the thing will finally terminate, and
the matter has. been referred to the cleo
ton committee of the senate. Pending
their report and the future action of the
senate, Idaho will be half represented in
the United States senate.
THE FINANCIAL BILL.
The republican caucus financial bill J,
which was introduced by Senator Far
well, of Illinois, a week OF two ago, came