Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1898 — CONGRESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CONGRESS

The District of Columbia appropriation bill was before .the House on Saturday, but the day wns spent in political debate. The controverted question as to whether prosperity had nrrived attracted the most attention and interest, and testimony pro and con was offered throughout the day. At times considerable acrimony was displayed, but as a rule the debate was goodnatured, both sides seeming to recognize that it was merely a struggle to score political advantage. The Senate was not in session. In the Senate on Monday two of the general appropriation bills, that for the army carrying $23,243,492. and that for the legislative, judicial and executive departments, carrying $21,658,520, were passed, the latter tonsisting of 121 pages, occupying the attention of the Senate during the greater part of the session. After a brief executive session the Senate adjourned. In the House all'day was spent in debate on the Teller silver resolution. It was defeated by a vote of 132 to 182. The feature of the short session of the Senate on Tuesday was a statement made by Mr. Clark (Rep., Wyo.), ns a matter of personal privilege, concerning his vote in favor of the Teller resolution. He maintained that his vote wns in no way inconsistent with his Republicanism, and declared he would not permit anybody to read him out of the party, as he was satisfied the masses of the party would not convict him of political heresy. , The House devoted most of the session to the District of Columbia appropriation bill, but had not completed it at the time of adjournment. Some politics was injected into the debate just at the close, the feature of .which was a bitter denunciation of W. A. Stone of Pennsylvania by Mr. Mahany (Rep., N. Y.), for the former's position in favor of the immigration bill. Mr. Stone did not see fit to reply. Before the district bill was taken up several bills and resolutions of minor importance were passed.

After three days spent on the District of Columbia appropriation bill, mostly in political discussion, the House passed the measure on Wednesday and then took up the bill to provide for fortifications and coast defenses. Several notably Mr. MeClellan of New York, criticised the measure because it cut down appropriations for these works below what has been appropriated in recent years. Beyond the reading of the agricultural appropriation bill and agreeing to the amendments proposed by the committee, the Senate transacted no business of importance in open session. The greater part of the afternoon was passed in executive session, the discussion being upon the Hawaiian annexation treaty. Thursday in the House was spent ostensibly in considering the fortifications appropriation bill. In reality the major portion of the time was consumed in the discussion of political topics. The existence of prosperity in the country was again the main question of dispute. All attempts to increase the appropriations in the fortifications appropriation bill or to amend it in any respect were voted down. One of the features of Thursday’s session of the Senate was a speech by Mr. Caffery of Louisiana in support of the resolution reported by the Committee on Frivilegesand Elections declaring that Henry W. Corlmtt is not entitled to a seat in the Senate from the State of Oregon. Mr. Corbett was appointed ns Senator by the Governor of Oregon after the failure of the Legislature to elect a Senator to succeed Senator Mitchell. Mr. Caffery maintained that the Governor of a State had no authority to appoint to fill an original vacancy—a vacaucy beginning with a new term—after the Legislature had had an opportunity to elect and had failed to do so. The agricultural appropriation bill was under consideration during the greater part of the afternoon and was finally passed. After a brief executive session the Senate adjourned.

Friday was private bill day in the House, but by systematic filibustering the private calendar containing the bills reported by the Committee on Claims was not reached, the whole day and evening beiug consumed in passing thirty-seven private pension bills favorably acted upon by the House nt the session last Friday night. During the consideration of one of the bills nil interesting discussion of the sale of the Kansas Pacific Road was precipitated by Mr' Fleming (Dem., of Georgia), who, with his Democratic colleagues, desired legislation to require the President to bid the full amount of the debt, principal and interest. Mr. Powers, chairman of the Pacific Railroad Committee, contended tlint the real purpose of the opposition was to compel the Government to tnke the road and operate it. He Said he thought the administration, which had secured every dollar owing from the Upion Pacific, could lie safely trusted to protect the Government's interest at the sale of the Kansas Pacific. In the Renate no business of importance was transacted in the brief open session. After the executive session of three hours the Senate adjourned until Monday.