The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-25
Joint resolution was passed.
House Proceedings,

navy before the rebellion and who sub
sequently took part in the war on th'
side of the confederacy, which passed
the senate during the height of the ex
citement over the Venezuelan boundary
question, passed the house today after
two hours debate with but one dissent
ing vote, that of Mr.. Boutelle of Maine
The Democrats refrained entirely from
participating except Mr.. Cummings OF
New York, who spoke as he said, as
one of 100000 northern Democrats, who
fought for the union" and Mr.. Wilson
of South Carolina. who was drawn into
the debate by Mr.. Boutelles remarks.
Mr.. Hull, chairman of the military
committee, who had charge of the bill
admitted it would subServe no practi-
cal purpose and was largely sentimen-
tai Mr. Boutelle, who led the oppo-
sition single handed, thought it would
furnish bad object lesson for naval
and military candidates who were
about entering on careers in the ser
vice of their country and when he got
warmed up to his subject, called at
tention to the fact that many south
ern men in congress in the past had
obstructed legislation in the interest of
Union soldiers dwelling particularly on
the opposition to retirement of General
Grant. Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio, and
/ Mr. Grow of Pennsylvania, however,
supported the bill ardently as a grace
/ full and gracious act to the vanQulSh-
/ ed, and when the vote was taken Mr..
Boutelle alone voted against it. The
! bill considered yesterday to abolish the
! death penalty in certain cases was
passed.
Bills were also passed to make the
sale of spirituous liquors under false
brand punishable by fine and impris-
onment, to turn over the property of
the Mormon church now in the hands
of a receiver to the trustees, and sew
eral others of minor Importance.
q. THE PROCEEDINGS.
Over hundred members have taken
advantage of the fact that the house
has no important matters pending to
go home, and the attendance is conse-
quently very slim.
The bill debated yesterday to abolish
the death penalty in certain cases in
which it is prescribed in the federal
statutes. and allowing the jury to re-
turn a verdict qualified by without
capital punishment in cases of rape
and murder, was passed. 10 to CO.
Mr.. Hit, chairman of the foreign af-
| fairs committee, called up the message
of the senate announcing the senate's
disagreement to the conference report
on the Cuban resolutions. On his mo-
ton the house insisted on its substi-
! tute for the senate resolutions and
agreed to the further conference asked
for by the senate.
Mr. Boutelle, chairman of the naval
committee. reported the naval appro-
priation bill
The speaker appointed the following
conference on the Cuban resolution:
Hit, Adams (Republicans); Nc
r-aa vxy II Ia 1rlar-e
/ There being no other business before
/ the house the committees were called.
Mr.. Evans. Rep). of Kentucky, called
up from the committee ON ways and
means a bill to amend section 3449 Of
the internal revenue laws, so as to
| make, the sale of spirituous liquors ex-
cept under the brand by which they
were known to the trade designating
/ the kind and quality punishable by a
! fine of $500 and Imprisonment for six
months and the forfeiture of the
liquors.
WE'LL, RATHER
Mr. Evans explained that the bill
was urged by the internal revenue
commissioner. The public, he said, was
being swindled by spurious liquors and
wines.
Mr. Cummings Dem.), of New York,
made a humorous speech in which he
urged the passage of the bill not only
as a protection to the revenue, but as
| conducive to the safety of human life.
He instanced a case where he had pur-
chased for a sick friend" a peculiarly
good quality Of brandy which the
physicians said would kill at forty
rods. 1t consisted. he said, of COM
pound of wood alcohol, whisky and
strychnine. Cheating the revenue was
! hut
destroying life for the benefit Of whisky
distillers was lotto be tolerated.
Mr. Connolly (RepD, of Illinois, was
in sympathy with the purpose of the
bill. but objected to the word know
ingly'' as qualifying the sellers of these
spurious liquors. That word would
furnish the loophole by which offenders
could escape conviction.
Mr. Evans proposed to withdraw the
word. but Mr.. Crisp Dem.), of Georgia,
objected, declaring that he would never
vote for a law which made a man la
BILE to penalties for a crime which he
did not knowingly" commit.
Mr. Evans replied that no internal
revenue law contained the word know
ingly." No dealer in spurious liquor
could do so without knowing exactly
what he was doing.
The word knowingly was stricken
from the bill, 25 to SIS and the bill was
passed.
THE CHURCH PROPERTY.
The senate joint resolution for the
disposition of certain property now in
the hands of the receiver of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
was adopted.
A bill passed amending the act Gre
ating a circuit court of appeals, so as
to give an appeal on court orders ap-
pointing receivers.
Other bills called by the judiciary
committee were passed; To make rail-
road corporations, for the purpose of
jurisdiction, citizens of the states
through which they pass, and to make
it unlawful to shoot or throw any mis-
siles at a locomotive or car engaged
in interstate commerce.
When the committee on military af
fairs was called there was a feeble
echo of war talk raised by the presi-
dents Venezuelan message. 1t will be
remembered that the senate at that
time passed Senator Hills bill remov-
ing the restrictions to appointment in
the army or navy of persons who held
commissions in the army or navy be-
fore the rebellion. and who subsequent
~ engaged in insurrection against the
United States. Mr. Hull, chairman of
the committee, said this bill would re-
move the last restriction on the stat
ute books against ex-confederate sol
diers.