Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1893 — THE SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

THE SENATE AND HOUSE.

WORK QF OUR NATIONAL LAWMAKERS. Proceedings of the Senate and Bouse oi Representative. Discussed and Acted Upon—Gist of the Busiuess. The National Solons. In tbe Bouse, Tuesday, the hours were mostly employed In filibustering against the car-coupler bill. Day" and night were devoted to the consideration of the postoffice appropriation 'bill, the debate on which was confined, to the special service provision. But the oat-coupler measure was the ene which -met’ with determined oppoßltish: Mr. feidhardspn led the opposing party and,- by. 'parliamentary maneuvers, prevented any’ action being taken on It. •. , The first of what is said to be a dally series of conflicts between the appropriation bills and the anti-options bill until the latter is acted on was the feature of Wednesday’s session of the House. The members were worn out from Tuesday night’s session, which lasted uirtil morning, and the day' passed tamely. Mr. Hatch had grown tired of the delay to which the anti-options bill is being subjected, and when It was moved to take up the postoffice appropriation bill he antagonized tbe motion , jvlth the measure of which he Is champion. Being defeated he made the same fight also unsuccessfully when the postoffice bili was passed with the special mall facility appropriation Included m it, and again when the Indian appropriation bill was called up. Members were thus put on ‘record, and then the Indian question was discussed languidly for three hours. In the Senate Senator Chandler, from the Committee on Immigration, submitted a report on hts bill establishing additional Regulations concerning immigration In the United States by Increasing by three the number of excluded classes of aliens The consular and diplomatic appropriation was next brought before the Senate, but the consideration of executive business was resumed instead.

Good progress was made in the Senate ’lhursday in disposing of the absolutely necessary work of Congress Within less than an hour two of the general appropriation bills—the diplomatic and consular and the military academy—were read, considered and passed. Then the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill, which appropriates about $22,000,000, was taken up and considered up till the sime of adjournment. Without disposing of the legislative bill, the Senate adjourned. On motion of Mn Hitt in the House, a bill was passed for the relief of George W. Jones, late United States Minister to the United States of Colombia. Mr. Jones, who was the first United States Senator from the State of lowa, was present, and when the Speaker announced that It had been agreed to he arose and returned his hearty thanks to Mr. Hitt for his- successful effort The sundry civil appropriation bill, with Senate amendments, was laid before the House arid referred to the Committee on Appropriations. Mr. Peel (Ark.) moved that the House go Into committee of the whole for the consideration of general appropriation hills. This motion was antagonized by Mr. Hutch (Me.), who wished the consideration of the anti-option bill. Mr. Peel’s motion prevailed—yeas. 152; nays, 75—and the consideration of the Indian appropriation bill was resumed. Without disposing of the bill the committee rose and the House adjourned. Mr. Hatch received another reverse Friday in his efforts to secure consideration of tbe anti-option bill It was his third reverse within twenty-four hours, and it caused much alarm in the anti-option ranks. There was a disposition to criticise Mr. Hatch for lack of judgment in bringing tne bill forward in antagonizm to the appropriation bill. Mr. Hatch, who was presiding over the committee of the whole, left the chair and addressing his successor said that for three legislative days the Indian bill had been under consideration. There was not, he continued, an intelligent member of the House who did not absolutely know that at this hour of the session the appropriation bill was being used as a means of obstructing the consideration of the anti-option bill, and that the opponents of the latter measure, the friends of the demonetization of silver and the friends of the Senate rider to an appropriation bill were In an absolute agreement and conspiracy, and no sentleman from this time until 12 o’clock March 4 could shield himself under any sort of subterfuge unless ho was willing to go on record not only as opposed to the antioption bill, but as the opponent of silver and the friend of tne 2 per cent, amendment. The House was brought face to face with this issue, and he gave notice that he would continue this struggle In the interest of the people as against the Interest of Lombard street and Wail street until the people’s rights were preserved. The House then took a recess until the evening session, which was to be devoted 1.0 the consideration of private pension bills. Jhe debate In the Senate was over the question presented in ihe legislative appropriation bill, whether the Utah Commission, which has been In existence for the last ten years, should he abolished, as proposed by the House, or continued in office, as recommended by the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The question was decided In fhvor of continuing the commission. A fight was inaugurated In the nouse Saturday. It was over the sundry civil appropriation hill which contains the Sherman bond amendment. 1 here are in all 207 amendments to the bill Mr. Holman desired that all—except the Sherman amendment, upon which there was to he debate—be nonconcurred in. Mr. Bland, as leader of the opposition to the Sherman amendment, objected unless it was agreed that that amendment should he, after debate, also nonconcurred in. > This suggestion of Mr. Bland's raised the antagonism of Mr. Cockran. and no agreement was arrived at. The sliver men then resorted to filibustering tactics, which were effectual. and after a speech by Mr. Bland the bill went over without action. After four hours passed In discussing various amendments (of little Importance) to the legislative appropriation bill the Senate passed the bill, insisted on its amendments, and requested a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes. The pension appropriation bill was passed by the Senate Monday without any amendments. It appropriates for army and navy pensions (including widows and minor children) $165,000,000 and about $1,500,000 In addition for fees of examining surgeons, clerk hire at peusion agencies and some small items. Mr. Gorman commented upon the magnitude of pension appropriations, and gave it ns his opinion that it would be necessary to appropriate $200,000,000 for pensions next session. There was a general expression in the discussion which took place that no material reuuctlon co.uld be effected except through a repeal or modification of sonys of the laws on the subject, and that there was no probability of such a thing. One of the most important hills affecting railroads ever passed by Congress was that which went through the House Monday afternoon, providing for a uniform system of brakes and car-couplers. Tbe hill has already passed the Senate, so that the action of the House Insures a comprehensive American system of safeguards for railway travel The bill passed In spite of the most bitter opposition from the railroads, which contended that it would bankrupt somo of the Southern roads, and would cost tbe railroads of the country from $50,000,000 to $100,000,000.