People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1897 — WORK OF CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

WORK OF CONGRESS.

LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS AT WASHINGTON. The House Agrees to the Final Conference Report on the Immigration BUI by an Immense Majority—Arbitration Treaty Debated. Tuesday, Feb. 9. The house agreed to the final confer* ence report on the immigration bill by an overwhelming majority (217 to 33) and passed two more pension bills over the President’s veto. A bill was passed to prevent the fraudulent use of the word “copyright” on books and other publications. . The most important development concerning the consideration of the arbitration treaty by the senate in executive session Tuesday were the offering of an amendment by Senator Morgan (Ala.) providing for the abrogation of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty and the speech of the same senator in favor of this proposition. Wednesday, Feb. 10. The house has passed the senate bill relating to the carrying of obscene matter by express companies, and it went to the President for his signature. Senator Morgan, the champion of the Nicaragua Canal bill, announced in the senate his abandonment of that measure so rthe present session of congress, and thereupon it was displaced by the bankruptcy bill. * The senator gave notice that he would renew his advocacy of the bill at an early day of the coming extra session. The agricultural appropriation bill wpa then taken up. It brought out a severe arraignment of Secretary Morton by Mr. Vest (Dem., Mo.). Senators Chandler and Gallinger also criticised the business methods of the secretary. Thursday, Feb. 11. The house passed the fortification* appropriation bill with but a single amendment and made some headway with the postofflee appropriation bill, but the major portion of the day was consumed in a debate on the. financial question, which was precipitated by a provision in a bill providing for funding the debt of territories. The bill provided for gold bonds and the payment of interest in gold or its equivalent. Mr. McMillan (Dem., Tenn.,) moved an amendment; "Provided, That the principal and interest of the bonds funded under this act shall be payable In any lawful money of the United States, except the Arizona bonds above described, heretofore issued.” The amendment was agreed to, 149 to 7, aftwp which the bill passed. The senate spent the greater part of tie day in executive session debating (.?e Anglo-American arbitration treaty, lie entire time was consumed by Sen-

ators Turpie and Morgan, the former in advocacy of and the latter in opposition to ratification. No action was taken on any amendment or on any part of the treaty. Friday, Feb. 12. The house discussed the necessities of the postal service and passed the postoffice appropriation bill. The feature of discussion of the Anglo-American arbitration treaty by the senate was the general effort to reach a basis of agreement whereby the treaty could be disposed of and other business taken up. The foreign affairs committee agreed to make an amendment to be presented to the senate Saturday. Senator Sherman announced that he would not ask the senate to devote more than one day to the question this session.