The herald., 1896-01-28
Utah's Senators Take the Oath
OF Office
ARMENIA AND GARDEN SEED
Discussed by Chaplain Milburn and
Senator Hansbr0ugh
The House Passes a Bill to Cvilize the
Chippewa Indians, and the Sc nate
Armenian Resolution

j. Cannon and Arthur Brow l, from the
new state of Utah, took the oa tn of Office
in the senate today, the for mer drawing
the term ending March 3, ] 500, and the
latter the term ending March 8, 1897.
With the exception of the contested Della
ware case, this establishes the political di-
vision of the upper branch of congress
until March A. 1897, as follows; Republic
can. Al; Democrats, 50; Populists, d;
2 total, SO; necessary for majority, DO.
Should Mr.. Dupont be seated from Della
ware, the Republican vote would be 45,
but at the same time the number necessary
for q majority would be AS.
Aside from this event the session was
given to further speeches ON the silver bond
bill, two of the new members of the body,
Mr.. Nelson, Republican, Minnesota, and
Mr.. Bacon, Democrat, Georgia.. making
speeches, the former against the free coin
age of silver. and Mr.. Bacon urging the
evils of a gold standard.
Mr.. Hansbrough of North Dakota
severely criticized the secretary of agri-
culture for the alleged failure to distribute
George of Mississippi defended Secretary
Morton's action. The debate will proceed
tomorrow.
Mr.. Lodge offered an amendment to the
bond silver bill providing for bond issue
of 100000, the proceeds to be used
for coast defenses.
The two senators from Utah were the
center of an animated group, in the rear of
the chamber, where the senator's gathered
to extend them warm welcome.
Rev. DR.. Milburn, the blind chaplain
prayed eloquently for the bleeding Ar
menians.
'sHear the cry of our agony" he prayed,
ION behalf of the people of Armenia,
despoiled, tortured, their homes in ashes,
their men and women and children slain at
tie edge of the sword, their women dis
hoS1ored. Arouse and unite, powers of
Christendomi Queen, czar, kaiser, kings
and princes and their minister's and people,
that the sultan shall be forced to sheathe
his bloody sword, and stay the frenzied
raqe of his fanaticai soldiery and subjects"
The induction of the Utah senators oc-
Cured Immediately after the chaplains
invocation.
Dubois, Republican of Idaho, presented
the credentials of Cannon, and Burrows,
Republic IN of Michigan, those of Brown.
The credenti were read and the two
new senators proceeded to the desk of
the yce-pl esident, where. with uplifted
hand, the oath of Office was taken. Brown
was assigned a desk in the rear and ex-
treme left of the chamber, Cannon imme-
diately before him.
Senator Ha1asbrough of North Dakota
addressed the senate, in substance as fol-
lows:
1t is an unpleasant duty to be obliged to
criticise the acts of cabinet minister. but
in this case it seems there is a great prin-
cipIe involved. The essence of the cont ro-
versy lies in the proposition whether an
executive officer of tho government has the
right to wilfully. deliberately. designedly,
and as in this case premeditately, ign ore a
solemn Gatute of congress. l believe it
toc chnuy, that tho hnnnrahlQ co r-afa
of agriculture has disobeyed the No andate
of the Legislative branch of the govern
ment. 1t is part of his departmental
functions to carry into effect any law per-
tanning to the affairs OF his department
which congress sees fit to enact. The last
congress made an appropriation of $780,
600 to be used in the purchase and dstri-
button of seeds, bulbs, etc., as required by
law.
Mr.. Hansbrough proceeded to show that
the secretary advertised for seeds in tech
nical way, and receiving no bids, refused to
readvertise.
The senator continued:
sit was the plain duty of the secretary,
If he desired to execute the laws, to have
re-advertised and to have earnestly en-
deavored to get bidders. Instead of this
he rejected all the bids upon technical
grounds, forthwith abolished the seed di-
vision of his department and announced
that there would be no seeds purchased and
distributed under the appropriation for the
fiscal year ending June 80. In his state
ment made before the committee on agri-
culture few days ago. the secretary said
he was not opposed on principle to the
purchase and distribution of seeds. Later
in the proceedings he admitted that from
his view of the case, such distribution would
be In conflict with his party creed. leave
the secretary to justify the statements.
ssAltogether the position of the secretary
IN this M n is nxapo6inrlv
he deliberately set out to disobey the man.
date of congress, there can be no doubt.
That he is personally opposed to the plr-
chase and distribution of seeds of any
character, whether they be rare or uncom-
mon or otherwise, there is no question, and
SO we have here a case in which a high ex-
ecutive official deliberately sets aside the
law of congress, and say that it is not so
much the value of seeds or the good results
from their distribution as the question
as to whether a department official shall
disobey the legislative authority. He wa a
opposed to this appropriation at the outset.
1t was his clear duty to do everything in
his power to carry out that law, yet he has
laid obstacles in its way and finally re-
fused to execute it. The proper tune to
discuss the propriety of the government
distribution of seeds is when the act of the
appropriation of money comes before the
proper committee of congress. The great
question above all others is the contuma-
Cious conduct of the secretary. Can an
officer of the executive branch of the gov
ernment, who is in effect high salaried
clerk, defiantly and stubbornly refuse to
carry into effect the acts of the congress of
the United States?"
Mr.. Allen. Populist, of Nebraska, smoke
OF the high personal qualities of the secre-
tary OF agriculture, but added that the Sec
retary did not always confine himself to
his proper sphere. He was apt to discuss
finance, usurping to some extent the func-
tons of the secretary of the treasury.
Mr.. George, Democrat, of Mississippi,
said the senate could not act as a court
and Issue its Inandamus of the secretary of
agriculture. Mr.. Hansbrough, he said, was
acting as a prosecuting attorney and was
arraigning the secretary of agriculture as
though impeachment proceedings were
contemplated.
At 2 o'clock the Hansbrough resolution
went over until tomorrow and the silver
bond bill was taken up.
Mr.. Nelson, Republican, of Minnesota,
addressed the senate for the first time, He
read from a manuscript and spoke in a
clear, strong voice. Mr.. Nelson said the
free and unlimited coinage of silver at the
ratio of 16 to by the United States alone,
At this time and under existing conditions,
would destroy the last vestige and the last
hope of genuine bimetallism and would
reduce US to state of silver monometal-
Iism, with China and Japan as our chief
metallic money associates.
Mr.. Lodge offered an amendment to the
pending bond-silver bill, providing for an
lanf1a of I "a coo oO0 for ,oo.t .lre.-,--