Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-19
IN CONGRESS-.
Empty Seats and Short Speeches in
Both Houses.


Thespeed with which general business has
been put through both houses, . speed
quite unexampled in the senate, has only
had the effect to heighten the general i'm
patience over the conference committees
delay ON the tariff bill. Some Of the critics
are ill natured enough to say that business
has progressed so well in the house because
all the long winded fellows have gone
home, and truly there is q great array Of
empty seats and scarcity of long speeches
Quite a number of the absentees declared
on leaving that they would not return this
session, and most Of them were frank
enough to admit serious doubts about be-
ing members Of the Fifty fourth congress
Down to date the percentage Of renomina
tons Is unusually large, and in the south
especially not more than three or four men
of any note will be denied another chance.
1t is estimated, therefore, that at least
four ffths Of the Democrats In the next
house will be old members. But If one
half the Republicans claim proves true
majority of their majority will be new
men, or at least men who have been out
since the Fifty-frst congress. Tho talking
members confess by going home at this
stage of the session that they consider
their chances dubious.
Old War Claims.
Tho smoothness and rapidity of action
in the house was suddenly checked when
the old and much disputed question of
claims came up, and there was the usual
heated discussion between Chairman En-
Toe and others, his principal opponent this
time being General Grosvenor. 1t would
be an everlasting job to give full account
of those old war claims or even to count
the number, but the important fact Is that
they do not decrease, and that they have
become a standing nuisance to tho mem
bcrs. All SORTS of plans have been suggest
ed. Mr.. Enloe after being badgered on
the subject almost beyond endurance,
finally declared in favor Of court of
claims, with plenary powers, to have orig
inal jurisdiction In all cases without action
by congress, appeals to be taken there
from to the supreme court on points of
law and the decision of this court to be
final 1t is also proposed that the district
courts of tho United States shall have jul
risdiction Of all such cases within their
districts. Joe Cannon says that both these
measures would not relieve the members
from opportunities; that congress would
still have to attend to such business.
Call it what you will, says he, ''call
10 paternaism or socialism, federalism or
rheumatism, but congress Is here to attend
to business for tho people and must do it.
This body must make up its mind to sit
through the year, with only vacation
like any other body of business men, and
it must attend to the interests of constitu-
cnts." SO tho prospects arc that these
claims will still be troublesome In the
twentieth century
Question Of Adjournment.
Tho feeling that congress could adjourn
Mt any time, If the tariff bill were out of
the way, forced action, and Senator Halo's
resolution calling on the conferecs for
something decisive was only an expression
of what both sides felt 1t was charged
by the Democrats that the majority party
had acted separately from the minority In
former conferences, but the testimony Of
old members showed that the practice nj
ways has been for the full committee to
meet and thon divide for q few days, each
party caucusing alone. Thus tho confer
oes on the Mckinley bill met soon after
they were appointed and then tho Repub
licans held private meetings for few
days, after which the full committee met
for actual business, and tho differences
were soon settled. Members of tho house
are really feverish In their impaticnce
over tho delay and speak Of this as near
the end of 10 months session. 1--WE
could and would have adjourned today
with everything in good shape, il those
fellows had only acted, Is u common ex-
preston in the house
And yet there is vast amount of bust
ness of general interest still untouched
,n.lx- Il, having n
charge gave up the struggle and conceded
that 1t must go over tn the short session.
There is the Nicaragua canal bill, for
which the committee ON rules has rcso
lutely refused to set day, and Messrs.
Mallory and Geary do not hope 10 get it up
before next January. The bill for fund
ing the Pacific railway Indebtedness has
also gone to the tomb of the Capulots, rs
Senator Cullen has told us from the start
that IL would
Ho still insists, though the house com
mittce will not admit it, that the bin Is
as far along as 1t ever will be in this CON
grcss All the Tucker bills on the consti-
tuition also go over till next January or
later, and IL one may judge by tho current
talk of the members they will all fail. The
people may be in favor of clecting the
president and United States senators by
popular vote. as Mr. Tucker alleges, but
IL SO they have not impressed their wish
upon their representatives to any great OK
tent.
Labor Matters.
The strikes and riots have been over
long enough for several members to take
the sober second thought and begin to
hedge on what they said during the ex-
citement. 1t is particularly noted that
one set of gentlemen are anxious to have
II understood that they did not despair of
the republic, did not say anything in IA
vor of big standing army and did not
wish to be understood as indorsing every
thing Mr. Cleveland did, while another
set are equally anxious to make it plain
that they are still firm advocates of states
rights. Even the president has got a lit
tie ratified ON the subject, IL we can credit
many reports to the same effect, and has
complained bitterly that he was badly
misunderstood by Senator Kyle and the
labor leaders who conferred with him. He
promised to name commission of inquiry
under the law of Oct. /, 1883, and the labor
men seem to have understood that he