The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-12-11
A POLL OF CONGRESS.

Tho Most Vital Questions Now Before the
Country-How the Two Houses Stand
on Them-General Results of a Poll
Taken by n Representative of the New
York journal and Advertiser on Direct
Propositions.
New YORK, Dec. "A special to the
Journal and Advertiser from Washing
ton says
"a reporter having made a poll of
congress upon the most vital ques-
tions t o come before hat body ut this
session. below is given the exact ques-
tions submitted to the members.
The following proposition was sub
mitted to the members of the house:
do you favor retirement Of the
greenbacks?"
The surprise in the vote upon this
proposition was in the fact that such
republicans as Belknap, Dolli yer,
O'Dell. Henderson. Mesick, Bruce and
Hopkins were found in opposition
Not a single populist, of course, law
ored the proposition, while Bremen.
of Ohio. and Kitchen, were the only
democrats in it's avor.
Inc IollO"AnS pIOPoSiIAOAS "SASSNS
united to the senate:
Can n radical legislation, iuvolv--
ing the retirement of the ~greenbacks,
the limitation of the legal tender quail
ity of silver, or the issuing of gold
bonds for the retirement of green
backs, pass the senator"
There was practically a unanimous
sentiment that nothing can be done.
On this poll there was not an atirma--
tive vote. The negatives were largely
in the majority. and the doubt ex-
pressed by certain senators virtually
meant a negative.
To the senate upon the matter of an
~nexation this proposition was submit
ted.
DO you favor the annexation of Ha--
waii?"
Not a single straight republican was
found in opposition, but Cannon and
P~ettigrew, the silver senators, voted in,
favor of it. All the leaders of the dem
ocratic party were opposed, with the
exceptions of Morgan, Pettus, Rawlins
and Turpie.
The exact form of the vote taken
upon the question of arbitration was,
this:
do You favor the adoption of a gen.
eral arbitration treaty with Great
Britain?"
Among the republicans found in the
negative here were Elkins, Frye and
Baker, going with Cockrell. Mills,
Morgan and Murphy among the lead
ers of the democrats. The great lights
in the republican party who leaned
toward an affirmative view were ALI
son, Foraker, Hale, Hanna, Hawley,.
Morrill, and Hoar. But many of the
senators who wished to be recorded in,
the affirmative qualified their declara--
tions as to exactly what such a treaty
should comprise and what it's exact
conditions should be.
Upon the Cuban question, these two.
propositions were submitted to MEM
bers of the house of representatives:
do you favor the joint resolution
passed by the senate at the extra ses-
sion declaring that a state of war ex-
lists in Cuba?!"
ID you favor a resolution acknowl-
edging the independence of Cuba?"
The first proposition seemed to meet
with the views of the greater portion.
of the known friends of the insurgents,
although the republicans were far be-
the democrats in numbers,
Among those on the republican roll
who voted for the proposition were
Belknap, Boutelle, Danforth, Daven-
port, Dorr, Grow, Henry, Of
Indiana; Robbins, Stevens and
Overstreet- All the democratic.
leaders favored it, such men as Bailey,
Benton, Bland, Ermentrout ard Tay--
lor, of Alabama, being found among
the positive friends of belligerency for
the gallant patriots of Spain's be-.
leagured colony.
Friends of Cuba appeared to be a bit
shy of the bold suggestion of Cuban
probably for the reason
that the first proposition, having passed
the senate, affords the means of more
action. and through the fear that
the congressional recognition of Cuba's
independence might lead to complica-
tons with Spain, which the other move
would avoid.
CITIZEN SOLDIERY.