The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-02-10
Congress-.

TuEsDAY.--A claim for indemnity from
the CHILEAN government, for the murder Of
Riggin, one of the Baltimores sailors, was
presented 10 the department of state
- The Springer free-wool bill was un-
der consideration by the democratic major
ity Of the ways and means committee, but
no conclusion was reached. Chairman
Springer is encountering great difficulty
with his bill. He finds that a large element
among the democrats is earnestly opposed
to it, as it would strike serious blow at the
farmers, unless he shall be willing to make
much larger reductions in the duties of
wooden goods than he has proposed. 1t is
not certain that the bill can be passed, Mr..
Springer has discovered. He fears that his
whole tariff plan may be shpwrecked, II
his wool bill gets into the house.
WEDNEsDAY.-Mr. Dolph of Oregon, from
the committee on foreign relations, reported
back adversely to the senate various anti
Chinese bills introduced and referred at the
present session, and reported in lieu Of them
a bill continuing in force for ten years all
laws now in force prohibiting and regulat-
ing the coming into this country of Chinese
persons and persons of Chinese descent.
The proposed amendment to the constitu-
ton of the United States relating TO mar
riage and divorce suggests that congress
shall have exclusive power to regu ate
marriage and divorce in the several states
and territories and the District Of Column
bia. 80 Sir Julian Pauncefote, the
British minister, and Postmaster-general
Wanamaker signed parcels post conven-
ton between the United States and British
Guiana, to go into effect April l..
THURsDAy.-Aftera twomonths' struggle
the house finally agreed on a code of rules.
Now legislate. Interviewed on this subject
Mr. Reed of Maine thought that the exam.
Pile Of the past two years had not been lost.
What used to be called "tyranny," and is
now on the road to be called good sense -
has been established in the great and unex-
ampled power conferred on the committee
on rules The folly OF wasting the time of
the house in the reference of bills has been
forever done away with. This, with the
sound expressions as to the folly of the doc.
trnes of the rights of minorties which fell
from the lips of eminent democrats during
the debate, shows conclusively how sure
reason and sense is to assert itself in some
measure even after the fiercest conflict.
am disposed to thank the democrats for
progress, and to hope that during the SEES
sion further wisdom may come to them. In
the new regulations the old member who
knows the ropes has preserved much of his
obstructive power and the veto power has
been conferred on each member who knows
how, except where the committee on rules
shall intervene. But this will do less harm
than formerly. Thanks to the example gel
by the last congress, the country knows that
the house can do all it wants to. What il
uOeSn U 40 now, IL is TeSpOuSlDle lOr' lie
| ostrich has left off concealing himself by
putting his head in the sand. Mr.. Reed
said: 1.-THE withdrawal by the Louisiana
lottery of its demand for new charter is
one of the triumphs of the fifty-first con.
gress."
FRIDAY.-The house fought over the CEN
sus deficiency bill, and passed an amend
ment appropriating S1l5,5l4 for the subsist'
ence of the Sioux Indians. - The house
committee on elections decided the first
case which it has considered in favor of the
contestant, Craig, democrat, oice Stewart,
a republican, from the twenty-fourth con-
gressional district of Pennsylvania -
Mr. Powers of Vermont favorably reported
bill to make the secretary of agriculture
next in line after the secretary OF the inte-
rior to succession to the presidency in the
event of a vacancy.
MISUNDERSTANDING Powers of Yer
mont reversed the fashion of the session by
proposing bill increasing instead of re-
ducng duties. IL fixes duty of four cents
pound on maple sugar and twenty cents a
gallon on maple syrup.