Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1896 — NATIONAL SOLONS. [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL SOLONS.

REVIEW OF THEIR WORK AT WASHINGTON. Detailed Proceeding* of Senate and House-Bills Passed or Introduced in Hither Branch—Questions of Moment to the Country at Large. The Legislative Grind. The work of the Honse Tuesday was confined to preparations to oust Mr. Downing, the only Democrat in the Illinois delegation. Mr. Moody, Republican, of Massachusetts, presented the minority committee report, stating that Downing was fairly elected. The animated contest in the Senate over a deep water harbor on the southern coast of California was brought to a close by a compromise between the points of Santa Monica, the terminus of the Southern Pacific, and San Pedro, the locality urged by the California Senators. Senator Frye, chairman of the Commerce Committee, finally harmonized the differences by referring the determination, as between Santa Monica and San Pedro, to a commission to consist of three civil engineers, a naval officer, and an officer of the coast survey. The compromise was accepted by the California Senators, and was unanimously passed. An amendment urged by Mr. Gorman, limiting the expenditure under the contract authorizations to $10,000,000 annually, led to a debate. A motion by Mr. Vest to table the amendment failed —yeas. 26; nays. 31. Because of opposition by Mr. Moody of Massachusetts and Mr. Dalzell of Pennsylvania, both Republicans, the House Wednesday reconsidered its action in unseating Mr. Downing, Democrat, of Illinois, and decided that before Mr. Rinaker’s claims could be considered there must be a recount of the vote. The river and harbor appropriation bill was passed by the Senate after an unusually stormy experience, lasting many ifays. As finally passed the bill makes direct appropriations of $12,200,000 and authorizes continuing contracts of $(>4,000,000, an aggregate of about $7(5,000,000. The bill was passed with amendments authorizing the construction of a bridge over the Mississippi river to the city of St. Louis from some suitable point between the north line of St. Clair County, Illinois, and the southwest line of said county. Bills were also passed to authorize a life-saving station at Port Huron, Mich., and to establish a railroad bridge across the Illinois river near Grafton, 111.

The Senate was occupied Thursday with discussion of the Dupont contest case and immigration matters. The House devoted the whole day to private pension hills. They were disposed of at the rate of about one every five minutes, fifty-eight iu all being favorably acted upon before adjournment. Among them were bills granting pensions to the widow of Gen. O. M. Poe, SSO; the widow of Gen. Jameson, SSO; the widow of Gen. John Newton, $75; the widow of United States Senator George E. Spencer of Alabama, SSO, and ex-Congressman Smalls of South Carolina, S3O. By a vote of 31 to 30 the Senate Friday determined that Henry A. Dupont was not entitled to a seat in the Senate from the State of Delaware. This closed a long and animated controversy which had become one of the most notable contests of its kind iu the history of the Senate. The unseating of Mr. Dupont makes no difference in the complexion of the Senate. The contest over Mr. Dupont’s seat grew out of the question whether Lieut. Gov. Watson had a right to vote as a Senator when he was acting as Lieutenant Governor. There was a tie vote in Delaware and Watson broke it by voting for Dupont. The Senate having decided that the vote was void, it will be ruled that no election was held. There is consequently a senatorial vacancy in Delaware. The balance of the day was passed in tariff discussion. The House occupied itself in passing Ae private pension bills which were favorably acted upon during the two special days given to their consideration. Thirty-four were held up because they were not engrossed, but 100 were passed, leaving about sixty yet undisposed of. Mr. Howard (Pop.) of Alabama caused n mild sensation by arising to a question of personal privilege to denounce some published' reports made about a few months ago that he had been drunk on the floor of the House. He denied the story as a base falsehood from beginning to end. He explained that at the time of the alleged occurrence he was desperately ill and had been ill ever since, and only Wednesday had been able to return to the House to denounce his traducers. The Hoge-Otey election case from the Sixth Virginia district was unanimously decided iu favor of Mr. Otey (Dem.), the sitting member. The House adjourned until Monday. The Cuban question was revived in the Senate Saturday, when Mr. Morgan of Alabama, who reported the original resolutions, spoke in favor of further and more decisive action toward' the recognition of the Cubans as belligerents. The Senator declared it to be the duty of Congress to adopt joint resolutions on belligerency, which, unlike the previous concurrent resolutions, would require the approval of the President, nnd thus fixing the responsibility. At the close of Mr. Morgan’s speech the Senate adopted without division the resolutions introduced by him directing the committee on foreign relations to inquire into and report on the treaty relations between the United States and Spain relating to the Americans now under condemnation at Havana, also requesting the President to submit the recent diplomatic correspondence with Spain on this subject. The resolutions have no reference to the recognition of belligerency. In the Senate Monday the entire day after 1 p. m. was given to the bill regulating rates in the District of Columbia. The following hills were passed: Authorizing the purchase by the United States and the making free of toll roads passing over the Yosemite national park; regulating the pay of non-commissioned officers of. artillery, cavalry and infantry of the army. Quite a number of minor bills and conference reports were adopted by the House, and bills were passed as follows: To allow the bottling of distilled spirits in bond; to expedite the delivery of imported goods in parcels and packages not exceeding SSOO in value; to provide for the registration of trade marks on bottles, barrels, corks and other receptacles jased in interstate and foreign commerce; for the general distribution of condemned cannon by the Secretary of War and Secretary of the Navy; to compel the attendance of witnesses before the local land officers. The conference report on the bill to improve the merchant marine engineer service was adopted.