People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1896 — FROM WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

FROM WASHINGTON.

THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LIVTH CONGRESS. A Brief Report of the Doings in Upper end Lower Houses of the National Legislature The Work of a Week Condensed Wednesday, June 10. An enormous amount of business was transacted by the house in order to clear the desks for the final adjournment. Fifty-three bills and joint resolutions were passed, the most important of which probably was the bill appropriating $200,000 for the trans-Mississippi Exposition at Omaha. The conference report on the District of Columbia bill was adopted. The senate resolution for final adjournment at 4 p. m. Thursday was passed. The house held a brief session at 9:30 to enable the speaker to sign tt.e enrolled bills. After some debate the senate amendments to the sundry civil bill w r ere concurred in by a vote of 100 to 88. The speaker appointed a committee to sit during the recess of congress, to investigate the charges affecting the Leavenworth (Kan.) Soldiers’ Home. The senate passed the last approticn bills and fixed 4 p. m. Thursday as the time for final adjournment. A number of bills were passed, including the important bill giving trial by jury and other safeguards in prosecution for contempt of court. The measure is the result of th'e agitation resulting from the imprisonment of Eugene V. Debs for contempt of an injunction issued at the time of the Chicago strike. The bill as passed continues the power of summary punishment when an offense is committed in the immediate presence of a judge. But in indirect contempts, such as violation of an injunction, the bill provides that the accused shall be given a full hearing, with opportunities to summon witnesses and offer a defense. In case of conviction an appeal is provided to the supreme court. Senators Hill, Butler and Peffer supported the bill, and Mr. Platt opposed it as revolutionizing the judicial system.

Thursday. June 11. Final session of the house was devoid sion of the house Thursday was devoid of public interest. The appropriations bill had been passed and the members simply waited for the end to come. Beyond a little misunderstanding between Mr. Bailey (Tex.) and Mr. Marsh (Ill'.) the utmost good feeling prevailed. On motion of Mr. Dingley a resolution was adopted for the appointment of a committee of three- members to join a similar committee from the senate to wait upon the president to inform him that congress was ready to adjourn and ascertain if he had any further communication to make. The usual resolution of thanks to the speaker for his impartial rulings was passed by a rising vote. As the hands of the clock pointed at 4, the speaker arose and said: “Gentlemen of the house of representatives: Before pronouncing the words which close the session, I desire to offer to the house my grateful recognition of its kindness. The thanks of the house of representatives is always a high honor, but is especially so at the end of a session where the speaker has been forced to say ‘no’ more times, perhaps, than in the history of any other congress. “While .hanking you for your kindness to me, I must congratulate the house oil its conduct of the public business. Ordinarily a majority of two and a half to one—a majority of 150 — means disorganization, faction and discord. In this house 150 new men of both parties have behaved with the steadiness of veterans, and if our connection with the other branches of the government, with different ideas, has prevented us from serving the country as we might have done, we, at least, have behaved with dignity, fairness and credit. "With the kindest personal wishes to you all, I again return thanks. By virtue of the concurrent resolution of both branches, I declare this house adjourned without day ” Vice-President Stevenson brought the session of the senate to a close at 4 o’clock after a brief valedictory expressing his thanks to senators for their courtesies to him throughout the session. The closing scene was not of the dramatic order, hut was marked by the placid serenity characteristic of the upper branch of congress. The senate convened at 11 o’clock, but no business was transacted beyond the formalities preceding an adjournment. The last bill to be passed was one urged by Mr. Sherman pensioning the widow of Gen. William H. Gibson, a prominent Ohio officer. Resolutions of thanks were unanimously adopted to VicePresident Stevenson and President Pro Tem. Frye for their impartial rulings in the chair. One of the last acts was to give the important immigration bill a parliamentary status by which it secures the right of way as soon as the senate reassembles. As soon as the vice-president announced the session closed the galleries emptied and senators exchanged good-bys.