Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1897 — SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

SENATE AND HOUSE.

WORK OF OUR NATIONAL LAW. MAKERS A Week’s Proceedings in the Halls of Congress—lmportant Measures Discussed and Acted Upon—An Impartial Resume of the Business. The National Solons. The tariff bill passed the Senate Wednesday morning by a vote of 38 to 28. The day was spent in amendments of minor importance. Following the passage of the bill, a resolution was agreed to asking the House for a conference, and Senators Allison, Aldrich, Platt of Connecticut, Burrows, Jones of Nevada, Vest, Jones of Arkansas, and White were named as conferees on the part of the Senate. The session of the Senate Thursday was uneventful, the deficiency appropriation bill being considered throughout the day. Among its provisions is one accepting the invitation of France to participate in the Paris exposition of 1900. The bill was rot completed up to the time of adjournment. An effort to have several claims added to the bill led to a debate on the propriety of paying Government claims, the general sentiment being that a bill covering all claims should be brought in at session of Congress. A resolution requesting the President to demand of Spain the release of Ona Melton, one of the Competitor prisoners, was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. A new committee amendment was agreed to appropriating $6,000 in full indemnity to the heirs of three Italians lynched in Louisiana in 1886, *is was also one appropriating to the widow of the late Representative Cooke of Illinois $5,000. The House sent the tariff bill to conference. Chairman Dingley, Paine of New York, Dalzell of Pennsylvania, Hopkins of Illinois nnd Grosvenor of Ohio. Republicans, anu Bailey of Texas, McMillin of Tennessee and Wheeler of Alabama, Democrats, were appointed conferees. The proceedings were in nowise sensational. The House spent the afternoon under the special order adopted last week listening to eulogies on the life and public services of Judge Holman. The B'enate met Friday under the depressing influence of the death of Senator Harris of Tennessee, who has been one of the conspicuous figures in the upper house of Congress for over twenty years. Rev. Mr. Johnston, chaplain, referred feelingly to the loss the Senate had sustained and spoke of Senator Harris’ “rugged honesty, his unswerving attachment to his political principles, his opjtosition to all ne considered wrong, his devotion to his State and his service to the nation.” Senator Bate of Tennessee paid a high tribute to the memory of the distinguished dead, and offered the usual resolutions which provided for a public funeral in the Senate, to which the House, President and cabinet, members of the Supreme Court, the diplomatic corps, major general of the army and the admiral of the navy were invited, and for a committee of nine Senators to accompany the remains to Tennessee. Then, as a further mark of respect, the Senate adjourned. After the Senate adjourned the VicePresident appointed the following named Senators to attend the remains to Memphis: Messrs. Bate, Walthall, Berry, Turpie, Allen, Deboe, Pettus, Chilton and Wetmore.

A discussion of Union Pacific Railroad affairs occupied the attention of the Senate Monday. The deficiency appropriation bill was taken up early in the day and Mr. Morgan proposed an amendment designed to prevent the consummation of an agreement made some time since for the settlement of the Government's claims against the road. Mr. Morgan spoke throughout the day, severely arraigning the Pacific railroad managers. Late in the day the entire subject was disposed of by the withdrawal of the paragraph to which Mr. Morgan had offered his amendment. The deficiency appropriation bill was not completed up to the time of adjournment. The price to be paid for armor plate fol- the three new battle-ships now in course of construction was the theme of extended and at times lively debate in the Senate Tuesday. Late in the day an amendment to the deficiency appropriation bill was agreed to restricting the price of armor plate to S3OO per ton, or $125 less than the amendment reported by the committee and recommended by the navy department as the minimum rate acceptable to the armor contractors. Another amendment inserted in the bill directed the Secretary of the Navy to investigate as to the establishment of a government armor factory and to report to the next session of Congress. Then the deficiency appropriation bill, the last of the great supply measures, was passed. The House took a recess for one day without transacting any business.