The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-13
Difference of Opinion as TO
What Constitutes True
Democracy.
Keen Thrusts and Parties in
Discussing the Real Party
Platform.
Witty In.erchanges During an AMI
mated Debate en- the Home.
stead Bill.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 12.-After
the transaction OF some routine morning
business the Senate at l2:15, on motion OF
Sherman (R.) OF Ohio. proceeded to the
consideration OF executive business. The
doors were reopened at 1880 and legIsla-
/ tive business was resumed.
Hill Cd OF New York introduced bill
/ fixing the appointments OF fourth-cIass
postmasters at four years. except in cases Of
the filling of vacancies By death, removal
OF resignation, in which cases the appoint
ments are to be for the unexpired portion
/ of the term.
After some discussion the bill was re-
/ ferred to the Postoffice Committee.
Platt (R) OF Connecticut offered reso-
| luton, which was agreed TO, instructing
/ the Committee on Rules to consider the
practicability OF abbreviating the daily re-
/ ports OF the proceedings OF Congress, as
/ published in the Record.
/ The resolution offered yesterday by 81.
| len (Pop.) OF Nebraska, calling on the Sec
/ rotary OF the Navy for information as 10
/ the enforcement OF the eight-hour law by
contractors under the Navy Department
and sgreed to.
! O0d00l6E III Oh NEW IAN psIlEcs WIZ
| had asserted yesterday that the law did
not apply to the contractors, confessed
/ that he had been wrong in that assertion.
The resolutions on which Proctor r
of New Hampshire spoke yesterday, fixing
/ the Presidential term at six years and pro-
hibiting reelection, were taken up 70 give
an opportunity TO Stewart (Pop.) OF
Nevada 10 express his views upon them.
/ He favored the prohibition OF reelection,
but he considered the extension OF the
term to six years as Objectionable. He
would much prefer TO have the term lin
| tied to two years. The strain OF four
year election was about all that the eoun-
| try could stand. If the President were
elected for two years he would come into
power in harmony with the Congress
elected at the same time.
The resolutions were referred TO the
Committee on Privileges and Elections.
The unfinished business being the House
bill for free homestsads on public lands
acquired from the various Indian tribes
was taken up. The bill vas advocated by
( Nelson (R-) of Minnesota as just extern
I sion OF the free homestead policy.
After Nelson took his seat Chandler fR.)
+ of New Hampshire presented a memorial
! from Henry a Dupoot. claiming 10 have
/ been elected TO a seat in the United States
Senate on May g. 1895, and urging the re-
opening OF the question. The memorial
was referred TO the Committee on Priyi-
leges and Elections
The debate on the homestead bill was
resumed and Allen (Pop.) of Nebraska
made an argument in favor of the bill.
In commenting on the declaration made
! By Platt (R.) of Connecticut, when the
| bill was last under discussion, that be
would not be bound by tie fTee-homestead
plank in the National Republican Conyen-
tion, Allen spoke in bitter terms of good
m en-" meeting in convention and putting
/ for ward principles for the purpose of get
! ting votes and being bound by the decIar-
/ ations.
| Hoar {R.) of Massachusetts, challenged
| the use of phrase good men" as applied
i 10 such people.
| "Perhapa," said Allen, II should have
/ qualified my statement by wing good
/ men in other respects.
"And scoundrels in that respect" Hoar
/ suggested.
Not necessarily So" Allen replied,
''polItieians in that respect"
/ II should say scoundrels, Hoar per-
sisted.
Possibly the Senator would" said
| Allen. He is palmer in his language
than l am"
| In closing his speech Allen spoke of the
existing reign of bankruptcy" being the
4 logical consequences of the financial
policy OF the Government. and he sug-
gested the adoption of policy that would
be fair and just to all.
Villas Cd of Wisconsin said that al
though the pending bill did not attract
much attention il was a bill that proposed,
according TO the report of the Secretary
OF the Interior, TO surrender $35. coo, 600 in
money which was. III part at least, due on
contracts already made between the Gov
eminent and settlers on the public lands
Il was about TO bestov on individuals
in small sums, varying from $3.50 to $3.50,
an aggregate very large in amount. Ii
would therefore seem to require strong
reasons granting the power of Congress)
to justly its passage.
He proceeded TO rehearse IN detail the
history of the homestead Law and to state
reasons why the pending bill should not
be passed.
Allen interrupted Villas with question
as to the homestead plank in the Chicago
platform.
'If that platform" Villas replied. SIS
the one understand it to be, I Will saw
there is almost nothing in it that is not
inimical to the interest OF the United
States"
81 suppose" said Pettigrew, "that the
Republican platform, which is meant, is
the one the Senator from Wisconsin
supported"
"By no means" said Villas. al sup
ported the platform adopted at Indianap-
oils, and If there is one sentence, line or
word IN that platform not found in DEM
ocracy | would ike 10 have it pointed
out"
Allen was about to read from the
Chicago platform when Villas interrupted
him and said the Democratic platform was
the one adopted at Indianapolis.
II am reading" said Allen, from the
regular Democratic platform and not from
the Indianapolis rump PLATFORM He
added. lis the Senator pleased with Wis
consin going Republican last year2''
Il most cordially approve" said Villas,
THE discrimination of the people of Wig
consin, who by majority of 1l0,O00 in
voting population of little over 4e0 600,
cast their votes against policy detr:men-
tai to The interests OF the United States
Then the Senator" Allen insisted,
approves the election of Mckinley and
the success OF the Republican party 7'
Il am not interested ia political quips,"
Villas piled. There was no step taken
last campaign that brings reproach to
| me-"
THAT is the same plea that Wat Tyler
made, Allen put in.
| Villas retorted. might have warranted
the same. | performed my political duties
| as saw them, and have no explanation