The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1896-01-31
OUR LAWMAKERS AT WORK.

spirited financial debate that mas occurred
since the present Congress convened. Mr..
Sherman spoke at length and with great earn
estness, deprecatlng thrustlng or an old worn
out issue" the silver question, INTO the senate
at IA time when practical legislation was i'm
peratiVe. Mr. Teller ana Mr.. German answered
Mr.. Sherman from their respective standpoin.s
while Mr.. Aidrich Mr.. Lindsay, Mr.. Gray ana
others took part i'll the exciting DEBATE. Two
important reports were made by inc commit
tee on foreign affairs, one strongly presenting
the serious condition OF affairs IN Turkey anu
urging prompt action by the civilized powers;
and an adverse report on Mr.. Call s resolution
calling for the official dispatches of the United
States consuls in Cuba Mr. Wolcott delivered
n speech in which he strongly declared that
the Monroe doctrine has been misapplleu III
the Venezuela boundary controversy. Mr..
Pugh succeeded in having his resolution taken
up ana Mr.. Hill offered an amendment proVld-
ing that II for any reason silver shall not be at
parity with gold coin, the United States
bonds, now payable in com, shall be paid in
standard gold coin whenever demanded.
HoUsE-In the absence OF any regular business
before the House today. the session was de-
voted to the consideration of minor matters
and legislation by unanimous consent. Mr..
Aitken introduced Il bill of rather novel char
acter, which practically provides that Uncle
sam shall maintain Il militia organization dis
tinct from that maintained by the several states.
Mr.. Ray. of New York, inspired by the refusal
OF Comptroller Bowler to pay sugar bounties
because he thought the law was unconstitu-
tionnl. introduced bill which makes it unlaw-
full for any executive olfcer of the government
to refuse or neglect TO enforce or carry into
effect any law OF the United States on the
grounds of alleged unconstitutonality or to
refuse to pay out or apply any appropriation
of money made by the Congress by act or reso-
luton which has prima facie become law.
Mr.. Aitken, OF Michigan. entered objection to
the consideration OF a bill providing that - per
cent of moneys received for the the sale OF
mineral lands shall be devoted To the support
OF mining schools in the states in which the
lands may be located, the total amounts de-
voted not to exceed $1,000 for each state The
reason given for the objection was that the
mineral lands OF Michigan have nearly all been
sold. and this would leave her line mining
school without government aid. Mr.. Attken
will insist upon an amendment to set aside %
per centage OF the total sales of mineral lands
in the country to be divided among existing
state schools OF mines on the basis of the num-
Der OF students.
SEEATE-Thirty-sixth day-Mr Mills Dem.
Tex, introduced bill to repeal the funding
act of 1870 and the specie payment resumption
act OF 1879. Mr.. Call introduced q rcsolu-
ton which provides for u committee Of
seven Senators TO investigate the imprison-
ment OF H.. V. Debs for alleged contempt OF
court, and TO then recommend to the Senate
such legislation as may be necessary TO protect
citizens from arbitrary and oppressive exer-
else OF judicial power. 1t was disclosed at this
point that the Pugh resolution for silver pay
ment OF bonds had lost its parliamentary
status and was at the foot OF the calendar. Mr..
Warren, Rep, Wyo. addressed the Senate on
his resolution calling attention to the shrink
age IN number and value OF farm animals, and
requesting the finance committee to report APP
II
the shrinkagc to the Wilson bill saying il had
caused in Two years. 1854, 0OO,OOO loss to the
American peop,c III live stock. The talk that
wool growers were more prosperous under free
wool was prcpostcrOuS, he said mes
sage from the President transmitting
correspondence relating, to Turkey ana
Armenia was received At o'clock
the bond silver bill was taken up and
Mr.. DUBOIS, Rep. Idaho. addressed the
Senate. The speech. In addition TO advocating
passage OF the Grec coinage substitute for the
bond bill, outlined the position of Republican
senators In the silver states. Mr.. Dam
iel spoke on the Monroe doctrine
HoUsE.-The House resumed the consideration
of the rules and disposed of the last amend
ment offered by the committee. 1t Is substl-
tuted for the quorum counting rule OF the
Flfty-trst congress, the method of compelling
the attendance of u quorum proposed in the
Forty-sixth congress by j. Randolph Tucker
with some notifications. II was not until the
rules of the Fifty-hrst congress were adopted
with the few notifications from the committee
that something like excitement was engen-
dered in hot debate between Mr. DOlliver,
Rep, Ia. and eX-Speaker Crisp Rep. Avery
OF Michigan, introduced bill providing that
all ex-soldiers, who served 60 days in the army,
who were honorably discharged and who are
now in dependent circumstances, shall receive
pension OF g per month.
SENATE-Thirty- eighth day.-After stirring
debate the resolution was agreed to urging de-
cisivc action by the European powers against
Turkey and pedging TO the President the sup
he may take for the protection OF Americans in
Turkey and the redress for injuries to Amerl-
can persons and property. Mr.. Cullom. Of
Illinois, who reported the resolution, urging its
adoption IN speech which set forth the start
ling extent OF the masSacrcS as the greatest IN
the history OF the world. Mr. Blanchard,
OF Louisiana. spoke in about the same line
The climax of the debate was reached when
Mr.. Frye OF Maine, supported the resolution
in II speech which aroused great enthusiasm
from the galleries for Its expressions of sym
pathy with the ArmenianS and for its better
arraignment of Great Britain course toward
America Mr.. Baker, of Kansas, spoke for an
hour on limiting the pending silver coinage
substitute TO the silver of American mines
HOUSE-No session.
SENArE-Thirty-n ninth dav-When the Sem
ate was called to order Rev. DR.. Milburn, the
blind chaplain, prayed eloquently for bleeding
Armenia Senators Frank j. Cannon and Ar
thur Brown. of the new state of Utah. took the
oath OF office, the for ner drawing the term
ending March 3. 1899. and the latter the term
ending March ., 1897. With the exception OF
the contested Delaware case this establishes
the political division of the upper branch OF
Congress until March 4. 1897, as follows: Re-
publicans. ~: Democrats. 30; PopuistS. o: to-
tal 80. Necessary for majority, ID. Should
Mr. Dupont be seated from Delaware the Re-
publican vote would be increased to 10. but at
the same time the number necessary for ma
iorty would be increased to ~. Aside from
this event the session was given TO further
speeches on the silver bond bill. Mr.. Lodge
offered an amendment providing for u bond
coast defenses. Mr. Baker. OF Kansas. pre-
sented petition from Mrs. Waller. wife of the
cx- United States consul in Madagascar, re-
citing husbands arrest, his trial by Il drum
head court and his transportation in chains TO
a French prison. She petitioned for the
United States to take some action
toward securing his release. The HOUSE,
after an interesting four-hour debate,
adopted the resolution passed by the
Senate calling on the powers signatory TO the
treaty OF Berlin to enforce the reforms in Tur-
KEY guaranteed to the Christian Armenians
and pledging The support OF Congress to the
President in the most vigorous action ne might
take for the protection and security OF Ameri-
can citizens in Tursey. There was a DISPOSE
ton on the part of some OF the members to 20
further than the resolutions did. and Mr.. Hep
burn. of Iowa. proposed to give the Turkish
minister his passports and sever all diplomatic
relations with Turkey. But the counsel OF Mr.
Hit not to take rash action, in the course oil
which he pointed out the dire consequences
that might result from severance of dipio-
matte relations. prevailed. Mr.. Avery intro
duced a bill that the secretary of the treasury
be authorized to establish "a life saving station
at or near CharlevoiX. Mich.