Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1894-07-20

" Ia pSSn' mas pCSh gwen w ShC
six republicans who are members
of those committees.
Senator Hale's resolution call
ing attention to the irregular and
illegal status of the meetings now
being held may he heard from
again in a way that will be both
unexpected and unpleasant to the
democrats and the trusts. When
conference committees were by law
provided for in eases of disagree
ment between the House and Sen
ate on pending legislation it was
not with the intention that the
members of the majority party
should devote days and weeks to
bargaining and dickering with
each other in order to arrive at a
cut and dried agreement which
should then be sprung on the mi
nority and solidly supported by the
majority. On the contrary, it was
intended that the conference should
be all that the term implies-a full
and free discussion of the points
of difference between the House
and Senate, by all of the represen-
tativeS of the House and Senate,
and not by representatives of only
the political parties that happen to
be in control of these bodies, and
never until now has that intention
been deliberately violated, al
though there have been hundreds
of conferences held. Senator Voor-
heeS admitted that a mistake was
made by not inviting the republi-
cans to be present at the first
meeting held, but so far as known
he has taken no step to correct
that mistake. Strictly speaking
those eight democrats have no le
gal right to tinker with the tariff
bill in the forced absence of the six
republican members of the confer
ence committee, aud their attempt
ing to do so may make trouble for
them and their party. This tariff
business is a long way from being
settled.
Some of the democrats have sud
denly discovered that Utah will pro-
badly go republican and so great
ly are they exercised over it that
they are actually trying to get Mr..
Cleveland to veto the bill for the
admission of the territory to the
union. Mr.. Cleveland did not
want the Utah bill passed at this
session of Congress, but from the
best obtainable information it is
not probable that he will veto the
bill now that is has passed, as it
would be difficult to find good
reason for so doing.
The commission which Mr..
Cleveland has agreed to appoint
under the act of 1888, to investi-
gate the railway strike, is not
likely to secure any very valuable
information, inasmuch as it will
have no authority to get to the
bottom of the trouble by investi
eating the causes of the strike
against the Pullman company,
which was responsible for all the
rest. 1t can only deal with inter
state railways and their employees.
1t is difficult to understand how
the labor organizations got the idea
that this commission would have
authority to arbitrate. One sec
ton of the law under which Mr.
Cleveland will appoint the two ad
ditional commissioners to serve
with the U. S. Commissioners of
Labor in making this investigation
does authorize arbitration by such
a commission, but only after APP
plicatiOn has been made by both
parties to the controversy for ar
bitration.
Just to show the country that it
can do business rapidly when so
minded, the Senate has in one
week passed no less than nine of
the regular appropriation bills,
and the programme for the pres
ent week includes the passing of
the other five. With all the ap-
preparation bills out of the way
only the tariff bill will stand in
the way of adjournment.
There is a feeling of relief in
Congress and in administration