POLITICAL MISCELLANY–1891. (Also late political changes.) UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGES -William W. Morrow, of California, was appointed in December U. S. District Judge for the Northern_District of Callfornia, and James H. Beatty, of Idaho, for the District of Idaho. ARKANSAS.-The Legislature passed a bill to pension disabled Confederate soldiers and their indigent widows, and build a $10.000 soldiers' home at Little Rock. An Australian ballot law was pledged. CONNECTICUT.-The two Hcuses of the Legislature failed to count the votes and declare a result as to the State officers voted for last fall. Hence the Republicans who vere in office at the time of the election have held over. The. Supreme Court has been asked by Morris, Democratic candidate, "to issue process against Morgan G. Bulkeley to compel him to show to the court by what warrant he claims to have, use and enjoy the office and franchise of Governor." Gov. B.'s counsel filed a demurrer, setting forth that the General Assembly had failed to declare any one elected at the fall election, or to elect any one by joint ballot. Wherefore he lawfully remains in office until his successor shall be duly and legally chosen and qualified. DELAWARE.-The most important po. litical bill enacted was the act to abolish the New-Castle County Levy Court and substitute five Commissioners, in addition to a county treasurer and tax receiver and a county controller. The last two officials do away with tax collectors. The Levy Court Commissioners remain in office until 1892, when the five Commissioners will be chosen at the general election. GEORGIA.-A recent act prohibits the sale of liquor within three miles of any church or school, except in incorporated cities. The House of Representatives refused, by a vote of 94 to 62, to accept for the State the Confederate Veterans' Home, erected by popular subscription amounting to $50,000. On Sept. 23 a resolution indorsing the "Ocala Platform" in its entirety was rejected in the House-yeas 63, nays 81. IDAHO.-An Australian ballot act was Governor of Kansas filled the vacancy by appointment of ex-Congressman Bishop W. Perkins, on Jan. 1, 1892, until the next meeting of the Legislature elected in 1892, which will choose a successor for the fraction of the term from 1893 to 1895. KENTUCKY.-A new Constitution was adopted by a convention which sat 199 days, at a cost to the State of about $200,000. It was ratified by the people at the next election. The bill of rights provides that no grant of exclusive privileges shall be made except for public services; that no property shall be exempt from taxation, except as provided in the Constitution; that every franchise shall be subject to amendment and revocation; specifically allows the passage of a compulsory educa tion law; revokes all lottery charters, and prohibits such privileges. Legislative sessions are limited to sixty days, and all special laws are prohibited where general laws can govern.. Counties, cities and towns are to be divided into classes and governed by general laws. An official secret ballot by male citizens of the U. S. resident in the State one year, the county six months and the precinct sixty days is provided for, with provisions modelled after the Australian system to prevent bery. One election a year in one place, and no more, is provided for. Sections define the rights and privileges of corporations in general, and their limitations in their relations to the public. The issue of stock except for money or other value at the current market price is forbidden; also the giving of transportation or other passes to persons holding public office." Consolidation of transportation and telegraph companies, or pooling of profits, is forbidden. Bank offcers who receive money for deposit after the bank is known to be insolvent are made guilty of felony. A railroad commission, to operate under extended constitutional provisions, is established. All property, land, bank stocks and money are to be taxed alike. The number of grand jurors is changed from sixteen to twelve. A uni form system of courts is devised. LOUISIANA.-The Supreme Court, by a majority vote, held that the proposed Con stitutional Amendment relating to the Lottery was legally pending. It will be sub. mitted to popular vote at the next election, in April, 1892. (The Amendment proposes, in consideration of $31,250,000, to be paid for the term of 25 years, from Jan. 1, 1894, to authorize Jchn A. Morris, his heirs, agents or assigns, to prepare schemes of lotteries, to sell lottery tickets, and to draw and conduct lotteries in Louisiana, to be paid in one hundred equal instalments quarterly. This amount is to be applied as follows: $350.000 annually to public schools, $350,000 annually to levees, $150,000 annually to charities, $50,000 annually to pensions, $100,000 annually to New-Orleans for drainage and other santtary purposes, $250,000 annually to the General Fund. MAINE.-A new Temperance act provides that any person knowingly bringing liquor into the State, or transporting it from place to place with intent to sell in violation of tax, shall be liable to a fine of $500 for each offence, and imprisonment for one year. An Australian ballot law apply. ing to every city, town and plantation in the State was passed. MASSACHUSETTS.-By vote of 25 to 12 the Senate voted down the bill to confer upon women the right of municipal suf. frage. In the last twenty-four years propositions for conferring upon women unrestricted suffrage have been defeated eleven times, and propositions for the extension of the right to vote at municipal elections thirteen times. A new "Bar" bill was passed. On Nov. 25 Governor Russell Issued a proclamation promulgating the XXXIId and XXXIIId articles of amendment of the Constitution. MICHIGAN.-In the absence of several Republican Senators, at their State Convention, the Democratic majority remaining. unseated two Senators whose seats were in contest, which gave the Democracy a clear majority. As a result, several parti san bills were passed and became laws. Among them was one to change the method of choosing Presidential electors from the vote of a majority of the State at large to the election of one elector by each of the Congressional districts into which the State is divided. MINNESOTA-An Australian Election law was passed. The Prohibitory Amendment was indefinitely postponed in the House 59 to 40. For postponement were 18 Republicans, 35 Democrats, 6 Alliance. Against postponement were 16 Republicans, 4 Democrats, 19 Alliance, 1 Prohibitionist. MISSISSIPPI. The Legislature of 1890 refused to submit the Prohibitory Amendment, and the Constitutional Convention refused to incorporate the amend. ment or submit it to a vote of the people. NEBRASKA-The Supreme Court has decided that James E. Boyd, not being a naturalized citizen, was ineligible to the office of Governor, to which he was elected by the Democrats last November, and that John M. Thayer, his predecessor, is entitled to hold the office until a successor has been legally chosen and qualified. The case has been appealed to the U. S. Supreme Court. NEVADA.-Chairman Rep. State Committee, E. Strother, Virginia City; secretary, T. C. Lord, Virginia City. Chairman Dem. State Committee, John H. Dennis, Virginia City; secretary, Peter J. Dunne, Virginia City. NEW HAMPSHIRE-A Local Option License bill was defeated in the House148 to 166. NEW YORK.-The Senate passed a joint resolution to submit the Prohibitory Amendment to a popular vote at a special election on April 18. The Assembly substituted for a special election the regular election in November. As the two houses could not agree, no provision for submission was made. A motion in the Assembly to substitute the Senate provision Yeas, 48 (Republicans); was defeated. nays, 62 (1 Republican, 61 Democrats). Some amendments were made to the Ballot Reform act. The Assembly passed, by a party vote, a new Liquor bill, but it failed of enactment. An act passed prohibiting life insurance companies from showing any discrimination against colored persons, or charging them a higher rate than that paid by others. A new act relating to promissory notes and other negotiable instruments "given for a speculative consideration for farm products, provides that when such instruments are given in purchase of farm products, at a price four times greater than the fair market value of the same, or in certain dealings in reference to such a notes shall be marked Purchase, the "given for a speculative consideration." Three constitutional amendments were proposed by concurrent resolutions and will be submitted to the people if the next Legislature concur. One provides for the determination by the Courts of disputed election cases; another allows the sale of the Onondaga salt springs; a third increases the number of judges of the Court of Appeals and allows its sub-division into two or more quorums. NORTH CAROLINA.-The Legislature has passed a bill providing for an amendment to the constitution, by which the people of the entire State will vote for solicitors. Also, a bill providing for scientific temperance education. NORTH DAKOTA.-A bill to resubmit the Prohibitory Amendment passed the House-32 to 29. but was defeated in the Senate by a vote of 18 to 12, absent 1. OHIO.-A new law forbids minors to enter saloons. An Australian Ballot act was passed. A proposed Constitutional Amendment giving the Legislature the power to tax all franchises of companies and corporations was passed, to be submitted to popular vote in November. OREGON.-Chairman Rep. State Committee, James Lotan, Portland; secretary, F. A. Moore, St. Helens. SOUTH CAROLINA.-A bill to prohibit the manufacture and sale of spirits and intoxicating liquors, except under certain restrictions. has passed the House. SOUTH DAKOTA.-A bill to provide for resubmission to popular vote of the Prohibitory Amendment passed the House-66 to 47 (absent 11). The affirmatives were Republicans 26. Independents 23, Democrats 17. The negatives were Republi cans 23. Independents 24. TENNESSEE.-The Legislature refused to abolish the convict lease system. TEXAS.-A law providing for scientific temperance education was passed. (All the States but eight now have such a law.) UTAH.-At the Territorial election in August, 1891, the following were chosen: Council. Honse. Total. Liberals.... 4 8 12 Democrats. 8 16 24 WASHINGTON.-Chairman Rep. State Committee, Eugene T. Wilson, Ellensburgh; secretary, Ralph K. Nichols, North Yakima WEST VIRGINIA.-An "Australian ballot" act was passed. WISCONSIN.-The "Bennett" School law was repealed by a partisan vote. In the Senate the vote was-yeas 16, nays 14. MEETING OF REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION. Pursuant to the call of the Republican National Committee (see p. 189), the tenth Republican National Convention met in the Exposition Hall at Minneapolis, on June 7, 1892. General J. S. Clarkson, of Iowa, chairman of the retiring National Commit tee, called the convention to order. J. Sloat Fassett, of New-York, was elected temporary chairman. Ex-Senator William J. Sewall, of New-Jersey, moved the reading of the roll. Indian Territory was not called. The delegates, on the recommendation of the National Committee, were temporarily admitted to seats without votes. Indian Territory, Oklahoma and Alaska were all subsequently admitted. At the second day's session, N. Q. Lockwood, of Idaho, read the report of the Committee on organization, naming Governor McKinley, of Ohio, permanent chairman; and on its adoption Senator J. C. Spooner, of Wisconsin, Samuel L. Fessenden, of Con. necticut, and General William Mahone, of Virginia, escorted Governor McKinley to tho chair. The permanent chairman, who was enthusiastically received, clearly outline in an eloquent speech the two great issues before the party. Substantially the general code of parliamentary law enforced in the LIst Congress was accepted for convention use, and the business rules employed in the Chicago Conven tion of 1888 were readopted. On June 9 the Committee on Credentials reported at the evening session on twentyfour contested cases, sustaining the National Committee as to twenty-three votes, and reversing its action as to seventeen. Politically the result implied a gain of thirteen votes for Harrison and one vote for Blaine. Chauncey I. Filley, of Missouri, presented a minority report favoring Mr. Blaine. Ex-Senator Warner Miller, of New-York, demanded a division of the propositions in the majority report. The minority report was, however, defeated by a vote of 463 to 423, and the majority report adopted intact by a vote of 476 to 365, showing surprising changes to Harrison. Between the two sessions Chauncey M. Depew presided at a conference of 463 Harrison delegates in Market Hall. C. L. Magee, of Pennsylvania, was secretary. On a rollcall of States, 512 votes were pledged for Harrison on the roll as it then stood, or 520 as it would stand after the report of the Committee on Contested Seats. At the evening session of the convention the platform was adopted as given below. THE NOMINATIONS. At the fourth and last day's session, on Friday, June 11, Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, chairman of the Woman's Republican Association of the United States, was introduced, and made a speech. Then the chairman invited nominations of Presidential candidates, the secretary calling the roll. When Colorado was called, Senator E. O. Wolcott nominated James G. Blaine, amid much cheering. R. W. Thompson, of Indiana, ex-Secretary of the Navy, nominated Benjamin Harrison. This nomination was received with tremendous enthusiasm. W. H. Eustis, of Minnesota, Warner Miller, of New-York, II THE TRIBUNE ALMANAC FOR 1892: POSTSCRIPT. Quarles Boyd, of Tennessee, and S. W. Downey, of Wyoming, seconded Mr. Blaine's nomination, and Chauncey M. Depew, of New-York; H. P. Cheatham, of North Carolina; Senator Spooner and Bruno Fink, of Wisconsin, that of President Harrison. On motion of ex-Senator Sewall, the convention proceeded to a ballot. The vote by States was as follows: Lia McKin- Lin Harri Mekin son. Blaine. ley. Reed.coln. Harri- Blaine. 14 Novada New Hampsh'e 4 Now-Jersey 18 35 ley.Reed.coln. North Carolina 17 2-3 22-3 1 0 0 North Dakota. 10 0 Pennsylvania.. 19 5 South Carolina 13 South Dakota. 8 Tennessee 17 Texas 22 Vermont 8 Virginia 9 Washington 1 West Virginia 12 Wisconsin 19 Wyoming Arizona 1 Dist Columbia 0 New-Mexico.. Oklahoma Utah Alaska Indian Territ'y Total 12221 Kentucky, 1 absent. Delegates present, 904 1-3; necessary to choice, 453 Har с rison's plurality, 166. President Harrison was thus renominated on the first ballot. Governor McKinley, temporarily relinquishing the chair, moved that the President be nominated by acclamation." General J. S. Clarkson, of Iowa, the manager of the Blaine candidacy, seconded the motion, and the vote was presently declared unanimous. At the evening session the nomination of Vice-President was immediately taken up. State Senator Edmund O'Connor, of New-York, nominated Whitelaw Reid, of NewYork. General Horace Porter, of New-York, and Governor Morgan J. Bulkeley, of Connecticut, seconded tho nomination. A Tennessee delegate presented the name of Thomas B. Reed, of Maine, but withdrew it on the statement of the Maine delegation that Mr. Reed would not accept. Mr. Reid's nomination was then made unanimous. Governor McKinley was appointed unanimously chairman of the Committee on Presidential Announcement. The convention adjourned without day. THE PLATFORM, The following is the full text of the platform: "The representatives of the Republicaps of the United States, assembled in general convention on the shores of the Mississippi River, the everlasting bond of an indestructible Republic, whose most glorious chapter of history is the record of the Republican party, congratulate their countrymen on the majestic march of the Nation under the banners inscribed with the principles of our platform of 1888, vindicated by victory at the polls and prosperity in our fields, workshops and mines, and make the following declaration of principles: PROTECTION.-"We reaffirm the American doctrine of protection. We call attention to its growth abroad. We maintain that the prosperous condition of our country is largely due to the wise revenue legislation of the Republican Congress. We believe that all articles which cannot be produced in the United States, except luxuries, should be admitted free of duty, and that on all imports coming into competition with the products of American labor there should be levied duties equal to the difference between wages abroad and at home. We assert that the prices of manufactured articles of general consumption have been reduced under the operations of the Tariff act of 1890. We denounce the efforts of the Democratic mafority of the House of Representatives to destroy our tariff laws plecemeal, as is man!fested by their attacks upon wool, lead and lead ores. the chief products of a number of States, and we ask the people for their judgment thereon. RECIPROCITY. "We point to the success of the Republican policy of reci procity, under which our export trade has vastly increased, and new and enlarged markets have been opened for the products of our farms and workshops. We remind the people of the bitter opposition of the Democratic party to this practical business measure, and claim that, executed by a Republican Administration, our present laws will eventually give us control of the trade of the world. SILVER.-"The American people, from tradition and interest, favor bimetallism, and the Republican party demands the use of both gold and silver as standard money, with such restrictions and under such provisions, to be determined by legislation, as will secure the maintenance of the parity of values of the two metals, so that the pur EXPOSITION-"The World's Columbian Exposition is a great National undertaking, and Congress should promptly enact such reasonable legisla tion in aid thereof as will insure a discharge of the expenses and obligations incident thereto, and the attainment of results commensurate with the dignity and progIn temperance we sympathize with all wise and legitimate efforts ress of the Nation. to lessen and prevent the evils of intemperance and promote morality. PENSIONS."Ever mindful of the services and sacrifices of the men who saved the life of the Nation, we pledge anew to the veteran soldiers of the Republic a Under it the country has watchful care and recognition of their just claims upon a grateful people. O HARRISON'S ADMINISTRATION-"We commend the able, patriotic and thoroughly American Administration of President Harrison. |