The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-14
The Silver Debate Drags Slowly
in the House.
DULL AND UNlNTEREsTING
In the Senate the Tariff is Being
Discussed.
SO BOTH HOUSES ARE AT WORK
Secretary Smiths Administration OF
the Indian Affairs Is Proving
to be Exceedingly
Popular,

Washington, d. G., Feb. 13.-(Spe-
cial.)-There is a lalI in Congress.
In the Houses, the silver debate
drags on, for the purpose, apparently,
of letting each elouF Il constituents
know how its Compensation stands on
the question The arguments are the
reiteration of that of 1893, and it
seems a day of small men. But, by that
very sign doubtless the best average
&c tLa opinion Of the country is cN-
presse.l. ana in country Ire Amer.
lea, this is he spscit O. the govern
ment. IT Sc iaCn Urre biggs", theN
would possibly fail SO faithfully to re-
fleet the opinion of those whom
they represent. Thus fair express
sill of the Am rican people en- the
money question mas be found IN the
run of the speeches now occupying
tho time and attention Of the House.
In the Senate the tariff bill will be dis
cussed with its silver tail: it has been
decided By Morrill, and Quay that there
will be a further attempt to recon-
nit. But it is some satisfaction to
know that both Houses are Mt work
was yesterday talking to South
ern Congressman, who, referring TO
Barrett. the Massachusetts blow-hard,
took occasion. in connection with
Barrett's attempt TO have Talbert, of
South Carolina, censured in the mat
ter of the secession episode, to quote
some of the Constitution of the State
OF Massachusetts which is still i'll
force to-day. Article VII. of the Mas
saehusetts Constitution provides, said
the Congressman, that the people (of
the State) have the power and an in-
contestible, inaiienable and indefeas-
iblc right to change the government
when their prosperity on happiness re-
quire it" Moreover, continued the
Congressman, the same constitution
prescribes an oath as follows for State
officers: Il do solemnly swear that
will bear true faith and allegiance to
the Constitution of Massachusetts and
will support the Constitution thereof,
so help me God" The Congressman
noted this as an exception among
States. which included the United
States in the allegiance clause, and as
an answer that might have fifty been
given to Barrett by Talbert. lie said
the truth was that Massachusetts, was
the arch seeessionist of all the States,
and what is worse still stuck to it by
the terms of her Constitution. But it
is all rot one way or the other, and the
crazy debate would doubtless never
have come mp but for the fly-up-the-
creek-side-reference 10 secession that
seemed to slip into Lord Pearson's
mind when he said the Republicans
would not "secede" from their party
to join Butler. Then he went off on
the word Secession" and there was
the devil to pay, 1t is too bad that
the people Should have TO pay for
such stun. Mr.. Pearson got up ~ talk
on silver, and landed on secession. Ild
Aunt Susan B. Anthony could beat
this in the matter Of mental sequence.
.
Mr.. i. ID. Murphy, who came mere ~
s+tena his brothers wedding, an a.
count of which / wired yesterday, VIII
return home tomorrow.
Col. ". Al. Turks little child has
about recovered from the attack Of
measles which it had for some time.
was talking to-day with Mr.. r. 4.
Erwin. II. S. Indian Agent Of the
Yakima Reservation, washington
AZ Erwin halls from Cartersyille,
Georgia. and had many pleasant
4binogs ia saw Of Mr.. Josephus Daniels.
whom he knew as Chief Clerk of the
Interior Department. lie says, more
over. that no Secs tafy on the interior
has ever been so acceptable to the
=
~ Secretary Smiths zeal in building
nm the school system, SAYING that i
was three hundred per cent better than
II ever was before; moreover, Mr..
Erwin referred with great pleasure to
the protection given 10 land settlers
whom he said that Secretary smith
would not suffer to be dlspossessed ~
their rights by railroads or anybody
else. But the Chief strength in Sec
ratary Smith lay. he said, in the intel
ligent treatment OF each agency as
separate proposition" Thus, in his
reservation Of 1000 Indians, they were
not allowed TO cut timber except Tor
1,se because it was scarce, but across
the mountains. Mr.. Erwin said, the
timber was almost exhaustless, and,
therefore. the Secretary allowed full
10 the Indians He said this kind Of
discrimination was never known be-
fore. and had resulted in benefits not
dreamed Of by the East. II was the
separate and conscientious and
thorough consideration Of each con
dition. as represented by each reser-
vation. Mr.. Erwin told me something
of the ghost-dance, and said the In
dams INDUCED IN 1t mostly IN winter
when they had nothing else 20 do.
They would, he said, sometimes dance
for Is hours on q stretch, and danced
with the expectation that the Good
Spirit would give them what they
desired, war or what not. This
winter they had been dancing Tor
what they called chinook" meaning
s'warm-vinds" and had come about the
reservation saying that their dance had
produced the warm winter. Mr.. Erwin
is looking well, and is a clever gentle
man He will return to the reservation
i'm a day or two.