Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-04-05
CONGRESS.
Senate.


| II feet. He said his statement had been
challenged by several penny-a-liners and by
one member Of the civil service commission.
! The senator read the hopping" provision,
and several other questions as to the weight
| and height of the typeSetterS which he
characterized as absurd. Referring to the
| size and weight requirement, Mr.. Gallinger
| said sPhil Sheridan could not have served
the government if the civil service commits
/ ferred to the civil service committee. A
| resolution was adopted asking the Presi-
| dent for information as to the death of two
| American sailors at Santiago de Cuba, also
| resolutions asking the attOrney-g eneral for
| information of any proposition to sell the
| Union Pacific railroad: Owing to the public
/ demand for copies of a recent decision of
| the Supreme court sustaining the antitrust
| law as applicable to railroads, it was de-
! termined to print the majority and minority
| opinions as a Senate document.
Before turning to the arbitration treaty,
| the Senate on the Goth gave hour to
| routine business in open session. Resolu.
! South Dakota, asking the secretary of the
| interior for information relative to Presi-
| dent Cleveland's sweeping order establish
| ing forest reserves and by Mr. Gallinger of
| New Hampshire. calling on the civil service
commission for the reason why certain class
es of workmen were subjected to competi-
tive examination contrary to the law eX-
empting laborers from the classified service.
The first phase of the tariff In the Senate
made it's appearance in a Senate resolution
by Mr. Allen of Nebraska declaring that
tariff taxes on articles of daily consumption
should net be laid so as to enrich one class
at the expense of the masses. 1t went over.
Senator Allen, a Populist of Nebraska,
made long speech in the Senate on the
30th on the unconsttutionality of tariff
taxes beyond those requisite for revenue.
Although it was the first tariff speech the
Senate has heard this season, it did not at
tract marked attention. Mr. Allen severely
criticised the, trusts and combinations,
vantage Of tariff taxes. The senator's re-
marks were in the nature of q legal argu-
ment showing the constitutional limitations
on the taxing power of congress. At the
conclusion of Mr.. Aliens remarks the reso-
luton was referred to the finance commit
tee. The House amendments to the Senate
joint resolution appropriating $25O,OOO for
the saving of life and property along the
Mississippi river were agreed to and the
resolution now goes to the President.
The noon session of the Senate on the
31st lasted less than half an hour. 1t was
productive of another Cuban resolution by
Mr.. Mills of Texas, calling on the commit
tee on foreign relations for report on the
obligations assumed by the United States
in insisting that Cuba should not be an
nexed to any European power and should
remain a subject of SPAIN Mr.. Hale's OBJ
lection sent the resolution over. The Nor
gan resolution calling on the President for
Gen. Gomezs letters also went over. The
rest of the day was spent in executive seS-
sion on the arbitration treaty At 1928 p
m. the Senate went into executive session
and at O'Clock adjourned
The tariff bill passed by the House was
sion opened on the 1st There were no
formalities as to it's reference and with
out motion or comment the presiding Of
fcer, Mr. Hobart, referred the bill to the
committee finance. Mr.. Hoar secured
immediate consideration for a joint resolu-
ton directing the secretary of the navy to
use a government vessel or charter private
vessel for the transportation of contrlbu-
tons of grain etc., to the famine stricken
people Of India, The Cuban question was
revived in the Senate after a long period
of comparative calm. -Four distinct Cuban
resolutions were brought forward in rapid
succession. The last and most important
1t declares that state of war exists in
Cuba and announces the policy OF the Unit
ed States is to accord to both parties to the
conflict recognition as belligerents. Mr..
Morgan gave notice that he would call up
the resolution at the next meeting OF the
Senate with the expectation Of securing
final action.
The tariff bill was thrown open for amend
ment under the fve-minute rule in the
House on the 26th but seven weary hours
the 1872 pages of the BILL All the amend
ments offered by the Democrats We're re-
jected. Three slight committee amend
ments were adopted, and also one to in
crease the duty on white lead from 21a to 3
cents pound, the rate OF the act Of 1890.
The present duty is ~ cents. It was
adopted by strict party vote. The discus
sion covered wide range Of political topics
and at times was both interesting and ex-
citing. BY far the most important feature
of the day was the attempt of Mr. Dockery
of Missouri, Mr. Cooper of Texas and 9TH
ers, backed by the entire opposition t to Sc
multitude OF forms, which provided that in
case any article, made dutiable by the bill,
was controlled by a trust or combination,
the duty upon such article should be sus-
pended. Mr.. Dingley made the point of or
der until the free list. was reached. For al
fought over. The Democrats contended
that if the amendment was ruled out, it
would never be voted upon, as the free list
in all probability would not be reached be-
fore the final vote was ia ken. The chair
sustained the point of order. An appeal
was taken, but the chair was sustained by
a strict party vote, 1913 to 1O4.
The progress of the House on the tariff
bill was even slower on the 9th than the
day before. Only five more of the 1852 pages
of the bill were disposed Of making four
teen pages in all in two of the five days al
lowed for consideration under the five-min-
ute rule At this rate only thirty-one pages
comes to final vote. Only Ave amend
ments were adopted on the 9th, all of mi
nor Importance and each being an amend
ment of the ways and means committee.
All the questions involved in the tariff. with
occasional incursions into the realm of
financial theories, furnished fruitful topics
for the members Fully two hours were
spent in the discussion as to whether the
foreigner or the consumer paid the tax.
The 10Th was by far the most busy day
the House has Witnessed since the tarf de
were OF, a lively order and, several times
bordered on the sensational. The Demo
Gratis blocked proceedings in the first in
stance by demanding the presence na3 ;, Of ia
work. Mr.. Richardson offered dilatory mo-
lions, but finally withdrew them saying:
"Let the other side work out this puzzle
''There is no puzzle remarked the speak
er, except the Incidence of members. !"
1--WE have as many present on this side as
the majority has observed Mr. Richard I'd
approval of the Journal, and after an hour
and Twelve minutes delay, it was so ordered
by 222 to l. There was sensational scene
in the afternoon when Mr. Johnson of In
diana protested against taking the time Of
the House in irrelevant discussion. He
was ordered to take his seat and refused
but finally did SO, the chairman of the
committee Of the whole, Mr. Sherman, was
about to summon the speaker. A second
time he arose and the speaker was actually
called in to subdue Mr.. Johnson.
Party feeling ran high during the last day
Of the tariff debate in the House on the 30th
Political speeches were wedged in at every
opportunity and there was constant maneuv-
ering for political advantages The oppo-