Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-14

House Passes Resolution for
Constitutional Amendment
FOR ELECTING SENATORS
By a Direct Vote Of the Peo>
pie, by Vote Of 240 to IS

Washington, April I'LL mouse our
ing the afternoon voted upon the joint
resolution for constitutional amend
ment to provide for the election of Unit
ed States senator's by direct vote of the
people. The majority resolution left 1t
optional with the states whether their
senators should be elected directly or by
the legislatures. The minority resolution
made it incumbent that each state elect
by direct vote.
The minority resolution, which was Of
fered as substitute, was voted upon
first and was carried by an overwhelming
vote-yeas, 1876; nays, 30. Mr.. Corliss
tried unavailingly to get yea and nay
vote, but only nine members seconded the
demand. The vote was then taken upon
the adoption of the amendment by yeas
and nays, the whole house rising in sup
port of the demand. The resolution was
adopted-240 to Is.
The negative votes We're cast by
Messrs. Allen (Me.), Burleigh (Me.). Cal
derhead Kan.), Fordney (Mich.), Gard
ner On. j., Hedge ua), Henry (Conn.)'
Lane (Ia.), Lester (Ga.), Iittlefeld (Me).
Mcpherson Qa.). Mann ulls.), Russell
Comm, Sperry Comm and Thomas ua.)
The Corliss joint resolution did not
meet the appreciation of the house be-
cause it stipulated that Senators shall be
chosen by the legislatures of the several
states unless the people of any state, Ell
Their through their legislature or by the
constitution Of the state, shall provide for
their election by direct vote Of the peo-
pie"
The substitute for the Co.lss amend
ment passed by this vote takes the OPP
ton from the state and makes it manda-
tory that senators shall be elected by di-
rect vote of the people without regard to
the Legislature.
The Nicaragua bill.
Mr. Hepburn Cla.l asked unanimous
consent to set aside May for the con-
sidcration of the Nicaragua canal bill.
Il object" shouted Mr.. Burton OOD
emphatically.
The house then proceeded with the con-
sideration of private pension bills.
During the consideration of one of the
bills Mr.. Talbert Is. c., whose course in
insisting upon quorum forced day pen
sion sessions sent TO the clerk 5 desk and
had read some letters from old soldiers
III various parts of the country protest
ing against the special acts ground ont
by the congressional bureau One of
them said the old soldiers were very
''sore." Mr. Talbert said The letters
read were simply examples of hundreds
he had received
House committee on militia decided TO
fix at 81 ,000. 600 the amount allowed an
nually to the militia of the several states
in place of the 100000 now allowed.
The bill as heretofore agreed upon al
lowed S2,OOO,OOO annually in accordance
with the request OF the National Associa-
ton of Militia Organizations. But owing
to the desire for retrenchment and the
strong" effort being made to keep down
the total appropriations of this session
the decision of today was reluctantly
reached to fix the amount Mt $1,OOO,O0O.
Chairman Marsh says this is two and a
half times the present allowance, and,
while not all he desired. it is all he thinks
eXpedient to grant at this time.
Lieutenant John c. Fremont of the
navy, who is on duty as supervisor Of
New York harbor, was before the house
committee on commerce relative to the
bill of Congressman Muller, representing
the Staten Island district. which gives
the harbor supervisor authority to abate
the clouds of smoke and gas arising from
factories and said to he menace to nav.
igation in the harbor. Lieutenant Fire.
mont spoke for the bill, and Mr.. Thomp.
son, representing one Of the large fac
tories, spoke against it. Mr.. Muller made
strong defense of the measure. The
bill has heretofore been favorably re-
ported and is ON the calendar, and the
committee took no action beyond hearing
the respective interests.