The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-12-07

briefer than that of the House, and |
from ii spectators point of view,
much less interesting. Senator Frye,
President pro tempOre, called the
Senate to order, and, after prayer by
the chaplain and the swearing in of
new Senators, the death of the late
Vice President was announced, and a
motion to adjourn was adopted. But
if the opening day of Congress was
comparatively tame, there are plenty
of indications that lively days in both
House and Senate will be numerous
during the session.
From the minute that Il conference
of Republican members of the House
decided that Mr.. Brigham II. Rob
berts was ineligible to membership
in that body, his fate was settled.
1t is not a party question, but with
the certainty that the solid Republl-
can vote would be cast in support of
the special committee which Speaker
Henderson has appointed to consider
the case, it became immaterial what
the minority would do. AS q matter
of fact, two-thirds of the Democl ats
possibly more--are likely to vote
with the Republicans against Roberts
when the test cOmes-they are afraid
to do anything else. 1t was the wo-
men of the country who brought
about this result. 1t did not require
any arguments on the part of the
prominent lawyers sent to Washing
ton by the Social League to convince
the Representatives they had been
convinced at home before they came
to Washington that to allow Roberts
to sit in the House would be an insult
to American wOmanhood.
Secretary Hitchcock, Assistant Sec
retary Davis, Pension Commissioner
Evans and Assistant Commissioner
Davenport, all of whom are specially
! qualified by their official duties to
speak authoritatively on the subject,
testified before Senators Gallinger
and Hansbrough, sitting as "a sub
committee of the Senate Committee
on Pensions, to the necessity of a re
vision of the United States pension
laws, and in favor of having the re-
vision made by a non-partisa" com
mission. The commanderinch OF
the G. A. r. has been invited to sub
nit his views in writing. The inves
tigation is being made under the au.
thority OF a resolution offered by
Senator Hansbrough and adopted by
the Senate at the last session. Secre
tary Hitchcock's annual report alsC
, strongly recommends revision anC
codification of the pension laws.
In making a public denial of the
revived story of an alliance betweer
this government and England anC
Germany, or both, Secretary Hay
l took occasion to express qualification
"a qualification that ought to b'
: : shared by every patriotic American
! over the fact of our relations being
more friendly than at any time in ou
r history with all the nations of the
world and to ask pertinently, "AnC
G why should it not be so? Everyon
Y likes to be on good terms with tn
peaceablc and prosperous, especially
if their prosperity is of that natur
that other people profit by it; ant
d this is precisely our condition"
), Representative Cannon, of Illinois
: who had been credited by Democrat
. with being opposed to the Republi
i can caucus committees financial bill
C did not let the story get far before h
II squelched it by saying in his charac
4 teristically blunt way: II heartily al
9 prove of the general policy of tn
Y bill. Now, if | was God, and wa
. making a bill perfect in every way
| would probably change some of tn
details of the bill which has bee
prepared, but | approve its genera
policy For the purpose of ALLOW
} ing plenty of time for discussion, tn
Il financial bill was not taken up b
the Republican caucus which nom
10 mated House officers, and decided
Il readopt the rules of the last Hous'
~ but special caucus will be hel
IL tomorrow night, at which the bi
10 will be taken up and, as matter (
'o course, approved, and arrangement
~ will be made to have it passed by tt
;, House before the holiday recess.
G. Solid Trains to Northern Michigan.
AI;l.un lrnn & 9