Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 May 1890 — THE SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

THE SENATE AND HOUSE.

NATIONAL LAW-MAKERS AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING. Proceedings of the Senate and House of Representatives Discussed and Acted On—Gist of the Business. The world’s fair bill was passed by the Senate on the 21st inst. after six long and weary hours of debate, by a vote of 43 to 13. The plan of the Washington people for a celebration there upon the 14th of October, 1892, or about that time, which was added to tne House bill by the Senate Committee, was voted down. The idea a naval review in New York harbor in April, 1893, to which the nations of tho world ,k® Invited to send their fleets, was retained. Next session measures will De taken to have appropriate dedicatory ceremonies, in which the royal families of Italy and Spain and the Presidents of all the American republics will be invited to participate. There will be no objection to this plan ; in fact, the Chicago people will co-operate to secure the passage ot the bi>L if the affair will not interfere with the success of the exposition. There was a good deal of opposition to the bill fn the way of talk, but when the vote was taken the nays were very few, and even less than were expected. This was due to the fact that only about two-thirds of the Senators were present. There was very little debate upon the Chicago plan. Most of the talking against tne bill was by men who do not want any fair held, and Senator Vest of Missouri, who placed hiinßelf at the head of this faction, has said all along that he shall vote against an exposition bill, no matter what location waa selected. Tho opposition to the Washington celebration was active and included nearly all of the promirient Senators. The bill that came from the House received very little crltici-m and. was heattily approved by all who want a fair. In fact, no changes were made in it except to add the provision for a naval review at New York. In the House a bill was passed amending the act authorizing the construction of a high wagon bridge across the Missouri River at Sioux City, *°wa i a bill was passed providing that soldiers who lost their limbs during the war stall be entitled to receive an artificial limb every three years. (The present law permits thorn to receive one every five years.) The House spent the afternoon in consideration of the conference report on the Oklahoma bill and adopted, it with slight amendments. The bill to pension Union soldiers confined in Confedoiate prisons at the rate of $2 per day for the time of imprisonment came up, and an attempt was made topass it under a suspension of the rales. The vote stood: Yeas, 142; navs, 75. This was not a two-thirds vote and it failed to pass. The House then adjourned. In the House on the 22d Mr. Candler, of Massachusetts, moved that tho House concur in the Senate amendment to tbo World’s Fair bill. This being agreed to by a vote of 93 to 21, tho bill is finally passed and will be sent to the President for his action. The House then went into committee of tho whole, Mr. Payson, of Illinois, in the chair, on the legislative appropriation bill. A good deal of discussion was eliciied over the features of the bill which relate to the pay/of. the Civil Service Commission nnd ita exjaenses. Mr. Grosvenor made a vigorous attack-upon-the system, which he designated as one of Bhain and humbug. He did not believe that it had benefited tho public service, but on the contrary had proved disadvantageous. Mr. Lodge, of Massachusetts, made an earnest speech in defense of the system. He made no concealment, however, of his ielief that it was systematically and persistently violated by repiosentttt-lves Of both parties. Alter further discussion, the House adjouinod without completing the bill. In the senate a number of resolutions were iuirodueed, none of which were finally acted upon. The Senate spent the entire aflorn on in the consideration of the Dial rice of Columbia appropriation bill, which was passed. In the Senate, on the 23d inat., the Chair presented a communication from the Secretary of the Interior containing copies of certain documents in reference to the recent decision in the Pacific Railroad cases. A concurrent resolution profiling for tho irrigation of av d lands in tho valley of the T.io Grande ai)d tbe estaMishiinut ot a dam at a point near El Paso, Texas, for tho storage of waters was reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations. It was considered and agroed to. The conference report on the Senate bill to provide a temporary government for the Territory of Oklahoma was taken up and adopted. Among the bills brought before the Senate was one providing for the erection of an equestrian statue at Manchester, N. H.. of Major General John Stark. The bill elici ed strong objection from Messrs. Cockrell and Hawley, while Messrs. Blair, Hoar, Dawes, and others spoke in eloquent terms of the advisability of erecting such monuments tothe memory of the nation's heroes in every part of the United States. A good deal of feeling was manifested in the arguments upon the bill, which lasted until 6 o’clock, when the Senate adjourned. The House spent the day in a bitter partisan debate on the legislative appropriation hill, tho discussion being mostly over the paragraph which provides for clerks for Senators.

In th,e Senate, on tho 21th inst., the Senate bill appropriating $50,000 for an equestrian statue at Manchester, N. H., of Maj. Gen. John. Stark was taken up and passed—yeas, 37; nays, 15. On motion of Mr. Gray the House bill to transler the revenue cutter service from the Treasury Department to the Navy Department was again taken up for consideration. The amendments reported from the Committee on Naval Affairs was agreed to. Pending the consideration of the revenue cutter bill Mr. Hoar, from the Committee on Privileges and Elections. reported (as an original measure) a bill to amend and supplement the election laws of the United States and to provide for the more efficient enforcement of such laws, and it was placed on the calendar. The Senate spent the entireafternoon in consideration of the bill to forfeit certain lands heretofore granted for tho purpose of aiding in the construction of railroads. Itadjourned at 5:30 without action. The Houseresumed consideration of the legislative appropriation bill. Mr. Beggs, of California, made a. vigorous attack upon the civil-service system, advocating the doctrine that to the victors belong the spoils. Others followed, and on motion to strike ont the clause providing compensation for the Civil-Service Commission, which was then put, the vote stood: Yeas, 62; nays, 121. The House then adjourned. In the Senate, on the 25th, tho bill constituting Gladstone, Mich., a port of delivery in the Customs District of Superior was reported and. passed, and the House amendment to the Lafayette (Ind.) building bill (reducing the appropriation from SIOO,OOO to $80,000) was concurred in and a conference asked. The Senate then took up and passed the joint resolution for the relief of the Southern flood sufferers. The land grant forfeiture bill was then discussed, after which eulogies were delivered on Hon. Edward Gay and the Senate adjourned. In the House, on motion of Mr. Adams of Illinois, a bill was passed to provide for a term of court at Danville, 111., the first Monday in Mav. Mr. Cannon of Illinois, from the Committee’ on Appropriations, reported a joint resolution appropriating $153,000 to lenable the Secretary of War to distribute rations for the relief of the destitute people in tha districtoverflowed by the Mississippi and its tributaries. Tho appropriation was sufficient to enable the Secretary to give one ration a day for-tweDty-ono days to 35,000 people. The joint resolution was passed—yeas, 139; nays, 24. The resolution passod tbe Senate without opposition, and the Rresident has signed it, and. it is now a law. The afternoon was spent on the legislative appropriation bill, and an evening session was held, at which the House passed thirty private pension bills, and at 11:3J a - lourued.