Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1896 — SENATE AND HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

SENATE AND HOUSE.

WORK OF OUR NATIONAL LAWMAKERS. A Week’s Proceeding;# in the Hall# of Congress—lmportant Measures Discussed and Acted Upon—An Impartial Resume of the Business. f The National Solons. The House spent the entire day Monday liscussing $ series of amendments to strike from fhe' District of Columbia apiropriation bill eight appropriations aggregating $34,000 for thffe lHaiutenance of lestitute women and children in various private and sectarian charitable institutions in the District. -President Cleveland sent to Congress a request forjin appropriation for some of the Italian victims of TSSCWnlsenbiirg riots in Colorado. The Senate did nothing of importance. The belated Iloufee tariff bill emerged from the Finance Committee in the Senate Tuesday, and it had a'free-silver substitute attached, by a report of one in committee. No definite action was taken. Minor business was transacted in the House, anil the balance of the session was devoted to heated controversy aver appropriations for private and secfa riaii charitable institutions in the District of Columbia. The Senate spent Wednesday in fruitless debate upon the tariff-silver bill. Ic the House Delegate Catron (N. M.) introduced a bill to prevent the pugilistic festival from taking place near El Paso, and the measure was rushed through without division.. .The hill makes nrife fighting a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonnient for not less -than one year. Mt. Catron asked for unanimous. cousenOor consideration, but Ms. Knox (Rep., Mass.) objected and the bill was referred, but subsequently was taken up and passed. The measure also prohibits bull fights. The House also began its debate ou the Senate free-eoinage bond bill. The Catron anti-prize flghtbUt passeil the Senate Thursday. The law becomes executive' from the moment it is signed by the President, anil all persons must aLfheir peril take cognizance of its enactment.' The Senate free-coinage substitute for the House bond bill was debated five hours in the House in the afternoon and for three hours at the night session. Nevertheless the pressure from members for time to present their views is so great: that it seems-possible now that the debate may continue indefinitely. The House Friday was in an-uproar-most of the time because of a tilt between Talbert of Sontli Carolina and Barrett of .Massachusetts, over the former's defense of secession. A resolution of censure failed of adoption, 200 toll. The bond bill debate consumed the evening session. The Senate chose Mr. Frye president pro tern, and passed abitt opening the forest reservations of Colorado for the location of mining claims. A resolution offered by Mr. Stewart was agreed to calling on the Secretary of tlie Treasury for information as to the estimated increase in revenue if the pending tariff bill becomes a law, and what the duty on wool per pound would be under the law based on the present market price of wool. The resolution copteniplating a reform in handling* appropriation bills by distributing them among the several committees was referred, for report next December.' Senate adjourned until Monday. The House debate Saturday upon .the Senate's free coinage substitute for the bond bill was very spirited. Mr. Towne, a Minnesota —Republican,- claimed the. attention of the House and galleries for over an hour with an eloquent effort on behalf of free coinage. Mr. Hall, a i/emocrat from Missouri, on the other hdnd, announced f<)""sofind nforiey” in a rather sensational, speech, in which he charged Jhat eight Senators who voted for free coinage, according to “credible information,” had privately said that they believed free coinage would bring upon this country national and individual bankruptcy and ruin. He charged them with trying, to “feather their nests at home” and declared that the greatest sin of the nre-sont age was the cowardice of statesmen. lie also" declared that a high officer of the administration had said that the silver agitation had already cost the Government $2(52,000,000 in bond issues, and in the course of the next twelve months the bond ISSUES would increase to $1,000,000,000. Mr. Hall voted for free coinage in the last Congress. The National Game, Bird and Fish Protective Association has prepared a bill, which will soon be -introduced in "both houses of Congress.