Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-16
THE 55'TH CONGRESS.
SENATE TAKES UP THE NATIONAL
QUARANTINE BILL.
POLITICS In THE HOUSE.
Cotton Manufacturing North ana
south-Advanfages of Latter Sec
,,o,-The sheriff Martin Verdict
Proposed Annexation of Hawaii.

WASHINGTON, March t5.-After the
passage to-day Of numerous bills from the
general calendar, the Senate began Gun
slderation of the measure providing LOT
a national system of quarantine. Little
beyond the reading Of the Dill was ac-
| complished. Some desultory dlscussioh
| occurred on amendments offered by tue
! committee, but no progress was mace on
the general bill
Among the bills passed were the follow
ing:
TO authorize the Pensacola, Alabama
and Tennessee railroad to erect bridge
across the Alabama river in Wilcox
county, Ala.
TO establish lighthouse at the pitch
| of Cape Fear river, near Wilmington,
! N. c.. at a cost not to exceed $4,000
TO extend the use of the mail service
the plan being to adopt the return postal
card of the United States Economic
! Company.
| The national quarantine bill-the I'M
| finished buslness-was laid before the
| Senate and read at length. Mr.. vest,
| of Missouri. in charge of the bill, offered
the following new passage as a committee
amendment:
Nothing in this act shall be construed
TO interfere with the right OF any state
10 protect its citizens from infectious OF
contagious diseases by such rules ana
regulations as the authorities OF sald
State may deem necessary, and which 90
NOT conflict with the rules and regulations
made by the Secretary Of the Treasury
as hereinbefore provided, 10 prevent the
introduction of infectious or contagious
diseases into the United States from
foreign countries, or the spread or such
diseases from one State or Territory OF
the District of Columbia. into another
State or Territory, or the District OF
Columbia.
Mr.. Sewell of New Jersey, opposed the
bill. on the ground that it put too much
mower into the hands Of the surgeon OF
the Marine Hospital service. He also re-
earded it as an interference with the
rights of the various States
Mr.. Gallery, of Louisiana, opposed the
position taken by Mr.. Sewell. He held
that a uniform system OF hghtlng an
epidemic OF plague was absolutely neces-
sary, and could be had only through the
National Government
CHARGE AGAINST THE SOUTH.
In response to the intimation of Mr. |
Sewen that the Southern States were |
actuated by mercenary motives in sup |
porting the pending bill, Mr.. Vest sharply /
pointed out that the greatest opposition |
to the bill had come from the Southern |
States.
MIR. Fry, of Maine, said that the alb
surdity of the present quarantine system
was well illustrated at Philadelphia,
where vessels. after Having been inspect
ed without charge by the officials at the
national quarantine station. had to be
subject to further examination by State
officials, for which fees were charged.
well, what would you do about the
matter?" inquired Mr.. Sewell.
IF / could have my way" replied Mr.
Frye, 81 would place the entire subject
of quarantine under the control of the
National Government, just as pilotage is
placed"
Mr. Vest, replying to Mr.. Sewell, asked
whether the United States Government
should stand helpless and see its people
and it's commerce crippled or
destroyed, lest the reserved rights of the
States should be invaded. He maintained
that the United States has sovereign
power to act in the matter of quarantine.
AS further argument in favor of ma
tional quarantine, Mr.. Vest said it had
been openly charged that during the yell
low-fever epidemic of last year the en-
barge of a quarantine had been placed by
some cities against others, purely for
reasons. Under a national
system of quarantine no such unfair adj
could be taken.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Vests re-
marks, the quarantine bill was laid aside
and a measure providing that United
States marshals and district attorneys !
should continue TO ill their respective Of
fees until the appointment and qualifica-
ton of their successors was passed.
On motion Of Mr.. Fairbanks, Of In
LLAMA, the Senate then, at $40 p. NJ, went
INTO executive session. At 5:25 p. NJ. the
Senate adjourned
MAINE RELIEF BILL
The House agreed to-day to consider
he bill for the relief Of the legal heirs
Of the victims and survivors of the Maine
disaster as soon as the post-ofice appro-
oriation bill. which was taken up in the
House to-day is out of the way.
During the general debate on the post ,
,fIice bill members eagerly took adj ,
vantage of the latitude allowed in Com
nittee of the Whole on the State of the ,
Union to discuss various political ques- :
ions, and the debate, accordingly cover ,
ID a wide range. ,
Mr.. Griggs DemocraD, of Georgia. con- ,
ributed some remarks upon the mooted | !
question of the relative advantages held ;
" the cotton manufacturers of the /,
North and South, to prove that the adj =
enjoyed by the latter were not
ue 10 the longer hours enjoyed by the
after. He warned New England that
he must abandon the industry.
Mr.. Griggs criticised some utterances -
f Speaker Reed and Mr.. Dingley. and =
reated much enthusiasm on the Demo-
ratio side.
At the conclusion of his speech, an ar a
angement was made to close general "
ebate at o'clock tomorrow. .
Mr.. Walker Republican,, of Massachu- l
etts. said 1t was a happy day for the d
epublic when a southern member arose II
n the floor and spoke of the great manu- b
industries of the South in com,
etition with those of the North. 1t was p
day we had been waiting for since a
he Pilgrims landed No section woulC
ejoice more that the South had entered o.
ne lists than New England. h
MOCK MAGNANIAuTY. a
1--WE shall suffer from southern COM a.
etition temporarily" said he. 1--WE may -
ave to reduce wages temporarily; we y,
lay have to lose some departments of \,
UT industry permanently, But We :,
lorY in this southern competition be- -
ause it shows the cementing OF the :,
Dmmon country we love SO we'll" ZAP :.
ause) -
Mr.. Mahany Republican,, OF New York. "
enounced an editorial in a New York
aper on the Sheriff Martin verdict. The
lblic opinion of the United States. he