People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1896 — A DAY OF INCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

A DAY OF INCIDENTS.

LIVELY SESSION OF UNITED STATES SENATE. Onv* tnd Dignified Statesmen Indulge In Personal Controversies Agricultural BUI Passed by the House —Pacific Railroad Inquiry. Washington, Feb. 19. —The session of the senate Tuesday furnished a succession of breezy incidents. Little actual work was accomplished, but brief debates on a number of subjects developed frequent sharp personal exchanges between the senators. Mr. Hill of New York had a lively tilt with Mr. Tillman of South Carolina during the debate on Mr. Peffer’s resolution for a senate Investigation of the recent bond issue. Mr. Allen of Nebraska took issue with Mr. Gear of lowa and Mr. Wolcott over the course of the Pacific railway committee in conducting their inquiry. Mr. Chandler and Mr. Cockrell had an animated but good-natured colloquy and Gen. Hawley and Mr. Allen had a difference somewhat less good-natured. Two appropriation bills, the military academy and the pension bill, were passed during the day. Efforts were made to amend "he military academy bill by increasing the number of cadets by two from each state, ninety in all, but after a debate of three hours the plan was defeated. The pension appropriation bill, carrying >142,000,000, was passed after ten minutes’ debate. When the senate met at noon Mr. Allen pop., Neb.) asked the finance, committee what steps were to be toward a conference with the house on the silver-bond bill. It was explained that the house had not asked for a conference on its non-concurrence, and no further action was taken.

Mr. Peffer sought to secure action on his resolution for the creation of a special committee of five senators to inquire into the circumstances of recent bond issues. Mr. Sherman moved to refer the resolution to the finance committee. Mr. Peffer declared that public indignation alone prevented the last bond issue from going to the syndicate which made such enormous profits at the previous bond sale, Mr. Peffer referred to the vague suggestions of scandal as to this last sale, including the late submission of one of the largest bids. Mr. Stewart advocated an inquiry and strongly criticised the recent bond issues. Mr. Lodge briefly stated that in view of the charges of irregularity, involving the credit of the nation, he believed that an investigation should be made. Mr. Hill (dem., N. Y.) was opposed to any investigation at this time by the finance committee, or any other committee. The senate had heretofore dignified such rumors by serious investigation. It was a pandering to idle curiosity. The senator (Peffer) who proposes this inquiry did not make personal charges against the president or the secretary of the treasury. “But I make the charge,” exclaimed Mr. Stewart, rising and moving down the middle aisle. Mr. Hill waved Mr. Stewart back and declined to entertain the interruption. He proceeded to argue against the senate inquiries into rumors when he was interrupted by Mr. Tillman (dem., S. C.). A lively exchange of personalities ensued, stopped only by the chairman’s gavel. The Peffer resolution was finally sent to the calendar.

The military academy bill was then taken up. The debate proceeded on the amendment of Mr. Vilas (dem., Wis.) for an increase of military cadet appointments by two from each state. The discussion took a wide range, many senators participating, and the comment included comparisons of West Pointers and officers appointed from civil life; also the relative rights of officers and enlisted men. There were frequent evidence of personal feeling. After a debate of three hours Mr. Vilas’ amendment and all propositions connected with it were defeated—24 to 27. The pension bill was then taken up. Mr. Gorman took occasion to state that the vast amount of the pension bill was one of the several sums which hung over the treasury like a pall, swelling the expenditures of the government beyond the revenues. The bill was then passed. Mr. Call (dem., Fla.) offered a resolution which went over providing that lapsed bids under the recent bond issue be assigned to the lowest among the other bidders.

HOUSE DOES SOME WOKK. Agricultural Appropriation Bill Debated and PaMed. Washington, Feb. 19'.—The house Tuesday passed the agricultural appropriation bill. It carries $3,158,192. The section of the revised statutes for the purchase and distribution of “rare and uncommon” seed, which Secretary Morton declined to execute in the current appropriation law, was repealed,the appropriation for seed was increased from $130,000 to $150,000 and its execution was made mandatory upon the secretary.

Mr. Cousins of lowa introduced his amendment to reduce Mr. Morton’s salary until he expended the appropriation in the current law, but the amendment was ruled out on a point of order. Several amendments to the meat inspection act of 1891 recommended by Secretary Morton, which would have given him additional power to enforce regulations and have strengthened the law by the imposition of penalties for violations, were stricken out. A . resolution wai adopted directing the committee on ways and means to Investigate the efTect of the difference of exchange between gold and silver standard countries upon the manufacturing Vidua tries of the United States.

The house then went into the committee of the whole and resumed the consideration of the rgricultural bill. The amendments to the act of 1891 for the inspection of live cattle, hogs, carcasses. and products thereof which had been incorporated in the bill, were stricken out on the motion of Mr. Baker (rep., N. H.). The amendments refused clearance to vessels exporting meats not found sound upon inspection, and provided for the certification and stamping of cattle, sheep, and swine found free of disease, and made counterfeiting of such certificate or stamps punishable by a fine of SI,OOO and imprisonment not exceeding one year. The secretary of agriculture was authorized by one amendment stricken out to make regulations to prevent the transportation of condemned carcasses or meats from one state to another, or to foreign countries. An amendment to print 80,000 copies of the report of 1892 on diseases of cattle was ruled out. The bill as amended was passed. Mr. Lacey then called up the bill to extend for five years the time for bringing suits to vacate and annul patents to public lands under the railroad grants. The bill extends the time five years. Without action on the bill the house at 5 o’clock adjourned.

DROPS UGLY HINTS. Senator Morgan Ask* Unpleasant Question* of Huntington. Washington, Feb. 19. —The hearing on the refunding of the Pacific railroad’s debt by the senate committee on Pacific railroads continued Tuesday. Senator Morgan resumed his inquiries concerning the destruction of the papers of the finance and contract company. He intimated that he believed the papers were burned for the purpose of destroying the proof of the individual liability of the stockholders, but Mr. Huntington insisted that they had been destroyed for the purpose of cleaning out a room and because the business for which the company had been organized was closed. Questioning developed that the Central Pacific organizers had built three other roads in California connected with the Central Pacific, and had bought twelve which had failed. Mr. Huntington said that the roads built had cost about $40,000 per mile and the construction companies had been paid with bonds at this rate which were issued by the Central Pacific company. Taking up the question of the government indebtedness, Senator Morgan asked Mr. Huntington if he considered the interest which had been paid by the government on the guaranty bonds a part of the Central Pacific indebtedness to the government. Mr. Huntington replied that he did and that his proposition was to calculate the entire amount up to the maturity of the bonds, including interest as well as principal, and count it aH as interest. He did not, however, understand that he was to be expected to pay interest on interest. He did not think the company could pay more than 2 per cent interest on this extension. Replying to an assertion made at a mass meeting in San Francisco that he, Stanford, Perkins and Crqpker had accumulated a combined fortune of $200,000,000, he said it was “a lie,” as was the statement that they had received from city, county, state and nation property of four times the amount of the cost of building the roads. The hearing will be resumed again next Thursday.

WODLD exclude: illiterates. Committee on Immigration Report* an Important Bill. Washington, Feb. 19.—Senator Lodge, chairman of the committee on immigration, on Tuesday reported a bill from that committee for the restriction of immigration. The bill provides for the exclusion of all persons who are so ignorant as to be unable to read and write any language. The committee says that there can be no doubt that there is a general and earnest desire among the people of the United States to restrict immigration. “It is obvious that immigration in its present unrestricted form,” the report continues, “threatens to injure the quality of our citizenship and lower the rates of American wages.”

Wlmt the Government Coat*. Washington, Feb. 19.—Representative Bingham of Pennsylvania on Tuesday reported to the house from the appropriations committee the bill making provisions for the expenses of the legislative, executive, and judicial departments of the government for the fiscal year 1897. The amount carried by the bill is $21,444,195. The bill of last year carried $22,069,778. The estimates submitted by the treasury department were $22,365,051.

Minority Report on Dupont. Washington, Feb. 19. —Senator Turpie, from the committee on privileges and elections, presented the report of the minority of that committee on the petition of Henry A. Dupont to be given a seat in the senate by virtue of the vote cast for him by the Delaware leglslatuio on May 9, 1895. The report takes the position that Mr. Dupont was not elected by that vote.

Mrs. Coloim-1 W. R. Morrison 111. Washington, Feb. 19. —Mrs. W. R. Morrison of Illinois is seriously ill at her apartments here. Col. Morrison left this city for the west three or four days ago. His wife was fhen ill, but not so seriously that he felt justified in postponing the trip. Yesterday her physician said that she had improved somewhat.