The Somerset reporter., 1900-02-01
At Washington.

which has occupied so much of the at
tention of the House since the assem-
bling of Congress, was decided, Thurs
day, by the adoption of resolution to
exclude him by vote of 26S to so. The
exact language of the resolution was as
follows:
THAT under the facts and circum-
stances of the case of Brigham II. Rob
erts, representative-elect from the State
of Utah, ought not to have or hold a
seat in the House of Repi esentatives and
that the seat to which he WAS elected is
hereby declared vacant
The amendment to expel MIR. Roberts
without seating him, offered by Mr..
Lacey, was ruled out on a p lint of order
and the House only voted on the resolu-
tions of the majority and minority of
the committee. The minority resolu-
tion to seat and then expel Mr.. Roberts
was defeated, 81 to 224.
An analysis of this vote shows that
ITO Republicans, u Democrats and two
Populists voted against and II Demo-
Gratis, seven Republicans, two Populsts
and two Silver Republicans for II. The,
majority resolutiOn-to exclude Mr..
R berts and declare the seat vacant
was adopted, 268 to so The affirmative
vote was divided as follows: RePhbli-
cans, 1874; Democrats, 80; Populists, 4;
and the negative vote: Democrats, At !;
Republicans, 2; Populists, l. Messrs.
Allen and Burleigh of Maine voted
against the minority report and in favor
of the majority report
There were over score of speakers
and the closing speeches on each side
were particularly able. Mr.. Lanham of
Texas, closed for the majority and Mr..
DeArmond of Missouri, for the minority.
Mr.. Roberts was present throughout
the day and only left the hall after the
result of the last vote had been announ-
ced. AS he did so he gave out a state
ment justifying his retention of his
plural wives on the ground that his
moral obligation was more binding upon
his conscience than technical obedience
to statutory law and saying that there
was no excuse for the extraordinary
efforts to crush a system already aban
doned and practically dead. He would
not, he said, attempt to run for Con
gress again, although he would go back
home with a light heart, confident of
the future.
The commander-in chief and national
pension committee of the Grand Army
of the Republic called on the President,
Thursday, and presented plan for the
establish ment of court of appeals in
pension Cases to sit in Washington and
hear cases of appeal from the decisions
of the pension bureau. These appeals
heretofore have been heard by board
composed of clerks in the interior de.
partment, detailed by the secretary of
the interior for this duty.
The urgency deficiency appropriation
bill passed the Senate, Thursday.
Senator Mason, Ill.,, Monday, sharply
attacked the British government and
the British vice consul at New Orleans
because of an interview in which the
vice consul has assailed Mr.. Mason for
the position he had taken In behalf of
the Transvaal republic in it's war with
Great Britain Mr.. Mason attacked not
only the consul but the policy of Great
Britain in levying war upon an inferior
nation.
Mr.. Hoar, Mass, thought the consul
purported remarks SO serious that the
matter ought to be investigated by the
government, but at the same time, he
deprecated any attack upon Great
Britain with the people of which the
American people ought not only to live
in peace, but as loving and devoted
friends.
The Senate in executive session de-
cided by vote of q to 80 not to recon
slider the vote by which the Samoan
treaty was ratified. The injunction of
secrecy was afterwards removed from
the vote.
The bill for the reorganization and
improvement of the weather bureau
which includes provision for pension
ing disabled and aged employees of the
service, received black eye in the
House, Monday. The bill was bitterly
fought by the opponents of civil pension
rolls on account of the life tenure pro-
vision it contained and it was side
tracked on test vote of 81 to 10.
The secretary of the treasury, Mon
day, transmitted to the Senate his reply
to the resolution of January %, calling
for further information as to his deal
ings with the officials of the National
City bank of New York. The secretary,
among other things, calls attention to
the necessity which arose late in Octo-
Der, 1897, of disposing in some way of
the large sum of money ($58, 488, 225),
which was received from the. settement
of the Pacific railway do without
drawing this money out of active chan
nels and thus precipitating a national
distul bance. The secretary says: 81
may add the sole purpose which has
animated the secretary in these connec
tions was SO to use as to secure, preserve
and keep the public moneys without
risk or hazard of loss, and in such form
within the limitations and requirements
of law as would best conduce to the
preservation and protection of the gen.
eral interests of the people"
President Mckinley was 81 years old
Monday, having been born at Niles,
Ohio, Jan 90 1843. He received many
congratulations from visitors and large
number of cabegrams and kilograms
facilitating him upon the occasion.
Many floral membranes were sent
him.
Maine members have been introducing
several bills in the House during the
past week. Representative Allen has
presented a bill to correct the military
record of Joshua l.. Sawyer and has
also offered papers to accompany that
bill; all of which went to the committee
on military affairs. He also presented
petition of the Women's Suffrage Asso-
citation of Maine, asking that perfect
equality of rights, civil and political,
shall he Aecured to the woman of