Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-08

McKinley's Message the Longest Ever Sent
To Congress Other Interesting
Matters KefOre Congress.


WASHINGTON, Dec. >, IS99.-Hon. j.
ID. Richardson, of Tennessee, who re-
ceived the democratic nomination for
speaker, after one of the longest eau
cuses ever held, got the vote of every
democratic member of of the house yes
terday. He was not, of course, elected +;
the republicans having the most votes,
elected Representative Henderson
speaker and adopted the old Reed rules,
but Mr.. Richardson will be the demo-
cratic floor leader of the House during
the life of the fifty sixth congress.
There may be more snowy and brilliant
men on the democratic side of the
house, but that he will make a shrewd
and safe leader is conceded by all. His
shrewdness would have been shown by
the manner in which he conducted his
campaign for the nomination of speak
er, had it not been we'll established long
ago, He received no warmer congratu-
latiOns on his success than those extend
ed by his three rivals for the honor.
Leaving Roberts and his polygsmy
entirely out of the question, the position
taken by the democrats on the first
scrap of the session, which occurred
when objection was raised to the swear
ing in of Roberts, that the house bad
no right to go behind the official re-
turns and deny a man seat, when he
presents proper credentials, was right
but right can't win when majority is
determined to do the other thing. If
Roberts cannot clear himself of the
charge of having violated the law, there
will be few if any, objections on the
democratic side, to his being denied q
seat; but it is wrong to declare him
guilty before his case is fairly investi.
gated.
Mr.. McKinley's long message-one of
the longest ever sent to congress was
not sent in yesterday owing to the early
adjournment of both senate and house
President Hobart. 1t will come in TO-
day, and then the real business of the
session of congress will begin. The
democrats were never in more ag
gressive mood, and shot times" are
ahead for the republican majority in
both senate and house.
The attention of senators is being
called to the fact that Gov. Stone had
no constitutional right to appoint Mr.
Quay to the senate, after the legislature
adjourned. without electing his SUCCESS.
or. The state constitution of Pennsyl
vsnia provides that vacancies in the
United States senate shall only be filled
| by the Legislature. A number of influ.
ential Pennsylvanians are in Washing.
ton, working against the seating OF
Quay on personal grounds, against both
precedent and law. One of these is ex.
Representative Sowden, who said on
the subject: The question should not
be made partisan one, but each sena.
tor, regardless of his politics or his per
sonal friendship for Mr.. Quay, should
vote as conscientious. impartial and
upright Judge and decide it according
to its merits and the dictates of his own
conscience, under his official oath. Ii
this is done there can be no question OF
the result. Gov. Stones unlawful ap
pOintment has not single merit tC
support it"
That our pension laws are in need OF
revision, everybody knows, but when
they will get it, or whether the revision
will make them better or worse. is q
horse of another color The secretary
and assistant secretary of the interior
and the commissioner and assistant
commissioner of pensions, have testi
fled before subcommittee of the sen.
ate committee on pensions that revis.
ion of the laws should be made, and
recommended that it be done by a non
partisan commission. A national com