The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-01-02
rights be accorded to the Cuban gov
ernment.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18th. SENATE.
Among the bills introduced were
the following:
Six pension bills.
In view Of the ''great prospect ei
war" on the Venezuelan matte,
many interesting things have sprung
up. Among them is . bill intro
duced by Mr.. Hill, Of New York,
that section l2ls Of the Revised
Statutes of the United States a.
amended by chapter 4l6 of the law.
Of 1884 is hereby repealed.
Section 1918 as it now stands reads
as follows:
"No person who held q commission
in the Army or Navy of the United
States at the beginning of the late
rebellion and afterwards served in
any capacity in the military, naval,
or civil service of the so-called Con-
federate States, or Of either of the
States in insurrection during the
late rebellion, shall be appointed to
any position in the Army or Navy Of
the United States"
Mr.. PETER introduced a resolution
directing the Interstate Commerce
Commission to enquire into the great
railroad poor' recently formed.
Whether the principal railroad
companies acting as common CARR.
ers of interstate traffic between the
Western States and the Atlantic Sea
board have recently entered into an
agreement to frame a joint traffic as
sociation; and
What companies have joined said
agreement and
Whether said agreement binds
each company to make and enforce
such rates of fares and freights as
may be prescribed by a board of off
GERS representing all the companies
joining the compact, and
Whether the agreement provides
for collecting from every company q
money penalty of S., 900 in each case
of violation of such stipulation to
make and enforce rates.
Mr.. Call called up his resolution
introduced December 18th, which
reads as follows:
''Resolved, That q special com
mittee of FIVE Senators be appointed
by the President of the Senate, who
shall be charged with the duty of in
vestigating the subject of organized
efforts of corporations, or of the
president and directors thereof, to
control the election of members OF
Congress or to influence the legisla-
ton of Congress-; also to investigate
and report to the Senate whether
corrupt ms ans, bribery, or free trans
portation have been or are being
used to influence such elections; also
to inquire and report to the Senate
whether the use of such influences O,
means is consistent with the preser
vation of the Republic of the United
States and the rights and liberties oi
the people, and to report bill fo,
the punishment or suppression o1
such practices"
Mr.. Call said: This resolution has
no party consideration or bias. i
is demanded by the condition of the
country and by the vast power
which, under our present economic
system, is vested in few individ
uals.
find, by reference to some sta
tistics upon the subject, that there
were in the United States in 1880
according to the census reports, 81
persons with an average income o1
81 500, 900, and over 10000, 900 peo
pie with an average income of from
two hundred to three hundred dol
lars-nearly 100000 people will
an average income of $500, and 81
persons with an average income O.
81, 100000. 1t is not proposed to fint
fault otherwise than to say that {
better distribution of wealth woult
be more consistent with our Repub
lican institutions; but it is nantes
that there can net be such vas
disparity between the masses of tn
people and so persons without thei
having great influence and contro
over the elections of the country
Neither will it be possible to main
tain the interests of property if 81
persons, exercising this vast power
shall by corrupt means interfer
with and control the elections of tn
country. This would be a destruc
ton of Republican government. l
would be the creation of an aristo
cracy, or q plutocracy, rather, veste
with absolute political power owe
the destinies of the American pee
pie.
Now it is proposed that commit
mittee be appointed to inquire int
the facts whether or not corrupt in
fluences are being used by the fe'
men who manage these great col
porations for the control of elet
tions. 1t was stated in the newsps
pers quite a short time ago ths
eight persons-no doubt citizens 9
great respectability, of distinguish
executive ability, men entitled to n
spect-had met IN the city of Ne
York and entered into an agreemer
to control the taxation for freigE
and transportation through railroa
franchises upon nearly two-thirds {
the entire territory of the Unite
States. With list of employees {
. a million voters, with revenues al
. gregating nearly three times-ce,
, tainly two and half times-as muc
as the entire amount collected b
the Federal Government, it can NJ
! but be, unless there is effective lei
. islation to restrain the exercises {
political power, that so men ma
, control the election of the countr,
, of whom these eight were par
, This great accumulation of wealt
of so citizens, with ST. 800, 600 ave
, age income, is not the legitimate r
suit of commerce, Of trade, of ente
prise, whatever merit it may hav
and am not here to attack it; but
{ is the result of the Legislative fra
chises, and it is attended with tt
| dangerous incidents l have me-
toned.
i Mr.. Hale moved to amend the re
olution by putting the work require
: by the resolution on the committ'
n1ooks4~c i~ckaS