The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-12

WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE Re-
publican members of the house gath
cred at the capitol tonight in the sec
ond caucus of this congress to detee-
mine the party policy on the immigra-
tion question, but because of the fail
ure TO secure a quorum no definite ac-
ton was taken.
The meeting was chiefly interesting
for a speech made by Mr.. Dingley of
Maine. the leader of the party on the
floor Of the house.
Speaker Reed was not present, but
Mr.. Dingley spoke, outlining the views
upon general legislation held by the
leaders of the house. So far as legis-
lation relating to immigration was
concerned Mr.. Dingley's speech
DID NOT INSPIRE IT'S FRIENDS
with much hope. The general tenor
of his address was that the Republi-
cans should use every endeavor to
bring about an early adjournment of
congress, to adjourn if possible within
a month. as soon as the appropriation
bills could be passed by both houses.
There was considerable general legis-
laltion before congress, Mr.. Dingley eX-
planned, but most of it would have to
be left undone, and perhaps the i'm
migration question would be among
those which could not be taken up.
While he expressed his personal inter-
est in the immigration bills, he depre-
Gated a caucus rule of the house, and
recommended that the order of bust
ness be left to the Judgment Of the
committee on rules. The
PROGRAMME OF THE COMMITTEE
as Mr.. Dingley outlined it is to take
the fortifica tiors bill up next week,
and follow that with the pensions and
bankrupt bills. For the failure of
general legiSla 1ion Mr.. Dingley blamed
the senate.
When Mr.. Grosvenor called the eau
Gus to order there were ninety-seven
members present, about twenty-five
less than a quorum. Nearly an hour
was consumed in the discussion OF the
advisability of any action by so small
a number, with the opinion predomi-
mating that no action which would
bind the house should be taken by the
meeting. .. -. !4fiEdldINH
There was also debate, led by Mr..
Payne of New York, upon the point
whether party policy did not dictate
that the immigration question be
passed by. 1t was argued by Mr..
Payne that the party platform did not
justify
so RADICAL A STEP
as the bills before congress proposed:
the platform committing the party to
the exclusion only of criminals and
contract laborers. Other members dis
couraged action, on the ground that
the senate could not be depended upon
to endorse any policy inaugurated by
the house.
Two bills were finally made the basis
of discussion-the Mccall bill for i'm
posing an educational test, and the
Stone bill for consular examination of
1mmigrants-both of which have been
reported from the immigration COM
mfttee. Chairman Barthold of that
committee spoke in support of the main
features OF the Mccall bill, but strong
ly opposed the Stone bill, presenting
many protests from German American
organizations and many newspaper
articles against it. The two bills were
explained by their sponsors Mr.. Nc
Call of Massachusetts and w. A Stone
Of Pennsylvania. Mr.. Stone suggested
amendments to his bill which would
meet objections urged by Mr.. Barthold
that under its operation many young
Germans of military age, the most de-
sirable class of immigrants, would be
excluded.
a DOZEN SPEECHES
were made for the Mccall bill and the