Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-02-12
WASHINGTON LETTER
MATTERS OF INTEREST IN our
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
A Ell to XIII roiygany.--Demo erats
and tle silver Questionable Reed
Defends EsIs Rules.
REED AND MS RULES.

REED AND HIS RULES.
During the prolonged discussion of the
House rules an amendment was offered by
Mr.. Burrows, OF Michigan. re establishing
the rule OF the last congress, empowering
the speaker 10 count quorum when u
quorum Is present and not voting. Ex-
Speaker Reed made long argument in
defense of the principal that If quorum
OF members was palpably present the
House had legislative capacity, even
though Il number did not answer 10 their
names on roll call. ''As that idea" said
Mr.. Reed, ''hss had the sanction of every
court to which IL has been referred. |
think it should have the sanction OF the
house" Bourke Cochran, Of New York,
while not fully indorsing the rule as pro-
posed. believed that the house had right
10 count a quorum in any way II saw pro-
per. The amendment was lost on demand
for the yeas and nays.
DEATH TO PoLYGAMY.
The question of Utah statehood is likely
10 become one of the political issues Of the
present congress. Already bill is pend
ing in the house committee on foreign af-
fairs for the admission OF Utah. and Rep
resentative Bushnell of Wisconsin, has
more recently introduced in the house
resolution stating that Utah has larger
population than the three &C! Joining states
OF Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada combined
and declaring that the sd congress pro-
pose to the legislatures of the several
states the following amendment TO the
constitution OF the United States TO be
known as article l6 Of the amendments
thereto, to-wit: Section !. Polygamy
shall never exist within the United States,
or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to
make all needed laws to enforce this arti-
Gle and punish its violation"
REcIPRoCITY's WORKINGS.
The reduced duty on American -four i'm
ported to Cuba under the reciprocity treaty
went into effect Jan. / last. Consul Gen
eral Williams telegraphs the state depart
ment that the receipts OF the port OF Ha-
vana for the month OF January last were
as follows: From the United States, Co.
81 sacks from Spain, none. The receipts
for the month OF January, 1891, were,
from the United States. .. 720 sacks; from
Spain 3S, 400 bags. Tie exports OF -four
10 Cuba from ports OF New York, New
Orleans, Mobile and Key West in January.
1892, amounted to 60, AIS barrels or sacks.
The exports from the same ports in Janu-
airy, 1871, NeFe ., -ot udIreLS.
DEMOCRATS AND SILVER.
The Democratic silver caucus which had
been called has been abandoned for the
present at least. The Democrats last
caucus passed resolution increasing to
35 the number of signatures neces-
sary to secure the issuance OF a caucus
call. Mr.. Hartman, OF Ohio, in his rea-
sons for Withdrawn the call says, substant'
tally that should free silver plank be
placed in the Democratic platform it would
split the party and cause them to lose
several necessary and as yet undecided
states, beside the majority OF the German
vote, and this fact is recognized by two
thirds OF patty leaders.
THE ANrI-LoTTERY LAW VALID.
The United States supreme court has
upheld the constitutionalty Of the recent
anti-lottery act of tue last congress, affirm
ing the decision in the case Of Deyne and
Rapier the publishers of tie New Orleans
States and Mobile Register who were in
dicted on charges of sending through the
mails newspapers containing lottery adj
vert. semoats. By common consent the
cases were made test suits as to the con-
stitutonality Of the law.
DIPLOMATIC RECEPTION.
The President and Mrs. Harrison gave
a dinner on the 2d in honor Of the diplo-
matte corps. The full Marine band was
in attendance and the parlors were pro-
fusely decorated with flowers, ferns and
tropical plants. The table decorations
were exclusively OF pink orchids of differ
emit varieties. nearly all of them being the
product OF the White House conservatory.
About the Capitol.
Many petitions from Branch and Cal
houn counties to have the worlds fair
closed on Sundays have been presented to
the House.
A demand for indemnity has been fled
at the state department by the brothers
and sisters OF Sailor Riggin, OF the Balti-
more's crew.
In the case Of the refusal OF John Nj.
Thayer. hold-over governor OF Nebraska,
refusing to vacate his seat to James h.
Boyd, who received majority vote, on the
ground of his not being a citizen, the
supreme court ordered the seating of Boyd.
The President has issued proclama-
tion in regard to reciprocal trade relations
with Germany, and making public the
notifications Of the tariff laws of the Ger
man empire as to certain products OF the
United States. The schedule OF articles
TO be admitted into Germany at modified
rates has already been published