The Springfield herald., 1900-02-02

signed by Senators Caifcry, Pet,us,
Turley, Harris and Burrows, the last
named the only Republican signing it,
The minority report bears the sigma
lures of Senators lIoar, Chandler
Pritchard and McCOmas, all Repub
licans and advocates of giving the sea
to Mr.. Quay.
All western senators are in receipt o.
petitions from various parts of tht
country urging them to use their in
fiuence to prevent the cession of pub
lie lands Nv the states. One resolu.
ton adoptlf h" sevcral subordinate or
ganizations of the brotherhood of Car
penters and Joiners has been forward
ed to senators. reading us follows: "B
1t resolved, that all the remaining pul
lie lands of the United States shoulu
be held for the benefit of the whOi
people and that no grants of the titii
to any of these lands should be mad
to any but active settlers and HON
builders on the land. We consider thi
a matter of great Importance to labu.
and home-seekers.'
Enormous crowds We're present to-
day to witness the opening of the de
bate in the Roberts case. Fully three
fourths of the spectators We're women.
Principal interest centercd in the
and after Chairman Taylor of the com
mittee had read the majority report ia
vOring the barring of the man from
Utah and the report of the minority
favoring his being seated and then eX-
expelled. Mr.. Littleiield, representing
the minority. challenged Mr.. Taylor's
authorities, the principal interest, how
ever, conferred on the speech of the man
from Utah, who followed Mr.. Little
field in a speech of an hour and half
a report prepared by Frank ii.
Hitchcock of the Agricultural Depart
ment shows there has been a great
development of our trade with China
and Japan during the past decade In
the fiscal year 1899, the value of the
merchandise exchanged with these two
countries, including the port of Hong
Kong. reached SST T,305, ,6SS. against
only S46.294. 167 in 1899. Figures given
show that in the decade there was Il
gain of S2S.393,158, or 256 per cent.
in exports, while the increase in i'm
ports amounted to only S12,61S,3G5. OF
thirty-six per cent. During the lnst
few years, in fact. the imports dis
closed an actual falling off, the value
for 1899 being 81, ,164. 131 less than that
for 1896, which was recorded at $4S.-
979, 1855. Our exports, on the other
hand, more than doubled during the
three years succeeding 1896.
Mr.. Tracewell, the comptroller of the
treasury, has rendered decision to the
effect that common carriers which do
an Interstate business and give party
rates" to theatrical and other organiza-
tions, must give the same rates to the
general public under similar condi-
tions, and also to the government in
the transportation Of troops. He says:
"a second question involved Is whether
these party rates are subject to reduc-
tion when the service is rendered to
the government by the free or the fif-
ty per cent. land grant railroads. The
ground upon which hold that the gov
ernment Is entitled to the benefit of
party rates is that said rates are avail
able for the general public and there
fore for the government. As party
rates are charges, the general public
In cases like those now under consider
alton no more than fifty per cent of
said rates can be charged"
The fiat has gone forth from both
Senate and White House that the re-
ciprocity treaties, against which vigor-
GUS protests have recently been filed by
western senators and representatives,
are to be abandoned. The State De
partment has discovered that there is
little chance for the ratification of the
treaties, owing to the fact that unless
this action is taken within the next six
ty days, the treaties will expire by lin
itation. When the treaties were nego-
tiated period was fixed in each with
in which ratification must take place or
the treaty will fall The Argentine
treaty was concluded on July 10th last,
and required to be ratified within seven
from Fnhrllarv
10th; that with France requires ratiti-
cation before March 24th; those with
the British West Indies before March
22nd. With the unlimited debate rule
in the Senate. and the well organized
opposition to the treaties 1t is recog
niZed that ratification before the dates
of expiration by limitation is out of the
question, and senators are advising
their constituents, whose interests Were
threatened by the reduction of tariff
duties proposed by the treaties, that
danger from this cause is ended.
The case of Brigham Fl. Roberts. the
Mormon repreSentative-elect from
Utah, which has occupied so much of
the attention of the House since the as
sembling of Congress. was decided
Thursday by the adoption of resolu
ton to exclude him, by n vote of 26S
to so. The exact language of the reso-
luton was rs follows: That under
the facts and circumstances of the
case, Brigham III. Roberts, representa-
tive-elect from the state of Utah.
ought not to have or hold n seat in the
House of Representatives and that hhe
seat to which he is elected is hereby
declared vacant The amendment to
expel Mr.. Roberts without seating him.
offered by Mr.. Lacey. was ruled out on
a point of order and the House only
voted on the resolutions of the ma
jority and minority of the committee.