Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1898 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

On Thursday in the House consideration of the agricultural appropriation bill was completed in committee of the whole, and then the House adjourned upon the motion of those opposed to the printing of another edition of the famous “horse book.” There was the annual fight over the question of free seed distribution to the farmers, but the effort to strike out the appropriation ($130,000) failed as usual, the majority against it Thursday being 136. One of the important amendments adopted provided for the inspection of horse meat for export purposes in the same way that the meat of eattle and other animals is now inspected. Among the measures reported in the Senate was the pension appropriation bill. It was placed on the calendar at the conclusion of the morning business. The immigration bill was then taken up, and Mr. Caffery was recognized for a speech in opposition to the measure. The eulogies in memory of the late Senator Isham G. Harris of Tennessee, which were to have been presented, were postponed at the request of Senator Bate on account of the absence of his colleague, Senator Turley. They will not be offered until after the election of a Senator by the Legislature of Tennessee. At the conclusion of Mr. Caffrey’s speech the Senate went into executive session. In the House on Friday, it was the intention of the managers to proceed with the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill, but they relinquished the day to the Committee on Claims. Before this order was entered upon the agricultural bill was passed. When the House adjourned the night before the amendment to the bill providing for the publication of another edition of the “horse, book” was pending. On I riday the friends of the amendment compromised with the Appropriations Committee by agreeing to a reduction of the number to be printed from 150,000 to 75,000. As amended the amendment was adopted. Most of the day was consumed in a filibuster against a bill to pay the publishing house of the Methodist Episcopal Church South at Nashville, Tenn., $288,000 for the seizure and use of the property of that corporation during the war.. In the Senate Mr. Hoar offered a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution extending the term of office of the President and Senators to April 30, 1901, at noon, and making that day instead of March 4 the commencement and termination of official terms in future. It was referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. Mr. Lo',’- offered a resolution, which was agreed to, calling upon the Secretary of Agriculture to supply the Senate with information as to the amount of sugar imported into the United States; the amount of beet sugar produced in the united States; with what sugar, imported or domestic, the beet sugar comes into competition, and what effect the Hawaiian sugar has or can have upon beet sugar production in the United States.

Monday was District of Columbia day in the House, but only three bills of local importance were passed. The remainder of the session was devoted to further consideration of the army appropriation bill. The debate was particularly notable for a vigorous speech by Mr. McClellan of New York, a son of Gen. George B. McClellan, attacking the present army organization as obsolete and inefficient. Mr. Lewis of Washington also made a speech that attracted attention, in denunciation of trusts, which, he declared, were threatening the liberties of the' country. The consideration of the army appropriation tyll was not completed. Quite unexpectedly Senator Hanna appeared at the opening session in the Senate. Mr. Foraker, the senior Senator from Ohio, presented’ Mr. Hanna's credentials for the remainder of Mr. Sherman’s term, which will expire March 4, 1899, and asked that the oath of office be administered to him. Mr. Foraker escorted his colleague to the desk, where Vice-President Hobart administered the oath. Senator Wolcott delivered a speech explaining the work of the bimetallic commission. By a vote of 45 to 28 the immigration bill was passed. The rest of the day was devoted to consideration of bills on the calendar.

Cuba had a hearing in the House on •Tuesday, and for a time it looked as if parliamentary precedents would be set aside and the Senate resolution recognizing the insurgents as belligerents would be attached as a rider to the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill. Mr. De Armond, a Missouri Democrat, precipitated the issue by offering the resolution as an amendment, but a point of order against it was sustained. Mr. De Armond appealed, urging the, Republicans who had professed friendship for the struggling Cubans to override yje decision of the chair as the only chance of securing action on the proposition. Mr. Bailey, the leader of the minority, and other Democrats joined in the appeal. The excitement became intense, but the appeals of Mr. Dingley, the floor leader of the majority, as well as other Republican leaders, to their associates not to join in the program, succeeded. Before the diplomatic bill came up the army bill was passed. In the Senate practically the only business accomplished was the passing of the urgent deficiency appropriation bill. The measure as finally passed by the Senate carries $1,013,810. The Teller resolution providing that bonds of the United States may be paid in standard silver dollars was favorably reported by a majority of the Finance Committee, and notice was given that it would be called up at an early date. An effort was made to fix a time for the final vote on the pending census bill, but was abandoned.