The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-01
He Reviews Reeds Billion
Dollar Congress.
The Most Reckless and Profit
gate in Our History.
Some OF It's Shameless Parti-
san Legislation.
How 1t Did Business" and Some of
the Results.

Washington yesterday in fine health and
high spirits. He is accompanied by his
family, his children having partially re-
covered from their recent serious attacks
OF illness. To a SENTINEL reporter Mr.
Bynum talked freely about the record
made by Tom Reeds billion-dollsr con-
gress. at was" he said, "the most reck-
less and proaigate congress in the history
of the country and L was not surprised at
the general rejoicing everywhere when it
finally adjourned. The expenditure of
over $1,000, 100000, more money than is
in actual circulation amongst the people,
is startling. Speaker Reed, like every
othor condemned culprit, in taking his
leave appealed to the future for a vinGica-
ton OF himself and colleagues. The pub
lie can have but little knowledge of the ef-
forts motives and conduct of the republican
leaders in the last congress. 1t was APP
parent, at the beginning, that they had
but two objects in view; one was to per-
petuate themselves in power if possible,
and the other to empty the treasury. The
latter they accomplished without having
discharged one quarter OF their obligation.
They were very loud in their protestations
against the interference of the minority
with their right to rule, and yet their
sole purpose was to enact such measures
as would enable n meager minority to re-
tain control OF federal affairs for all time
to come While Reed was counting
quorum in the house to manufacture
sufficient majority to carry out Their p ans
to that end. in the senate republican
majority was being fortified by the adj
mission OF two fraudulent claimants from
the state of Montana.
CAS- soon as the republicans had, by their
arbitrary and unconstitutional methods,
increased their majorities in both houses
they went TO work. Their first acts were
to admit as states Idaho and Wyoming,
the two smallest territories. No fair
minded person will contend that these
territories, or either of them, were emit
tied to admission. They were not half as
populous as New Mexico and Utah.
a glance at the provisions of the acts
under which these territories were adj
mitted will show how careful the repub-
licans were aud are OF Just represe ntation.
Idaho was admitted with a provision pro-
hibiting mormons, whether 20 ygamists
or not, from voting. The mormOns OF
Idaho were democrats, and they were dis
frGnchiSed 10 make the territory and state
republican. In Wyoming the mOrmOns
were all republicans, and that territory
was admitted with provision allowing
not only the mormon men but the NOR
mon women to vote.
I'm these rotten borough states the ap-
pOrtiOnments for the first legislatures eciip-
Sc al previous records. Idaho in 1888 cast
ISL republican aud 6,404 democratic
votes, yet by the apportiOnment the re-
pubhcans, on this vote, were given fifteen
senators and thirty-One representatives,
while the democrats were given three
senators and five representatives, giving
the republicans forty-six on Joint ballot
Will. the democrats would have eight.
1t took $50 democrats TO elect one rep
resentative and 2,16S one senator. while
543 republicans were sufficient 10 elect
one senator and 263 one representative.
In Wyoming the republicans cast l0.457
votes and the democrats 1901, and yet
the appOrtionment was 50 made as TO
give the republicans fourteen members
of the senate and twenty-nne members of
the house while the democrats were given
two senators and four representatives.
New Mexico has a population OF at least
100000, while Idaho had but little over
100000. and Wyoming not more than
5000 popui alton. In 1874 the repub-
licans in congress passed an enabling act
for the admission of New Mexico. At that
time it was represented by a republican
delegate, but now after sixteen years OF
progress and de, elopment with a demo-
cratic representative it is refused admis-
sion, while Wyoming and Idaho, with less
population, are given two members OF con-
gress and four senators. The theft of the
senators from Montana, and the admis-
sion OF the rotten boroughs of Idaho and
| Wyoming, give the republicans their ma
| jority in the senate at the present time.
Idaho and Wyoming have less wealth aud
population than this congressional dis
| trict, and yet they have four senators and
two epresentatives-six electoral votes
as against one representative and two
| thirteenths OF senator from the Seventh
congressional district.
after the admission of these territories
the next effort was the election bill by
which it was sought to take from the peo-
| pie all control and power in the selection
of their representatives and confer the
| same upon the federal courts. But not
withstanding the desperate efforts of the
revolutionists in this they were defeated.
| Look at the record of the republican party
| IN and out OF congress; they stole sena-
tor from New Hampshire and two from
| Montana, and are in rebellion against a
majority OF the people in Connecticut, yet
| they brazenly talk about the right OF a
majority to rule.
'The republican party from itsorganiza-
ton to the present time never represented
| a majority of the people. Reed said that
this the last congress had demonstrated
that it could do business-most assuredly
but look at the manner it did business.
The federal judiciary, which should, above
every department OF government, be free
| from faint, was reconstructed by a forgery
upon the journals OF the house. The
| United Stares have several able repre-
| sentatives in Canada who fully demon
strated that business cou lid be done in this
manner long before the Fifty-frst congress
assembled. If we may judge by the ev-
licences we have acquired as to the
| manner in which Reeds congress
did business we may anticipate some rich
| discoveries when all its Shortcomings be-
come known. Early in the session they
passed an act establishing a land Office in
a town in Montana which did not exist.
In establishing n territorial government
for Oklahoma, they embraced within its
jurisdiction all that portion of the
state OF Texas west OF it To the border
of New Mexico. They sent to the presi-
dent tariff bill which had never been
passed by congress, and the same Is now
upon the statute books and being en-