Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-24
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
OKLAHOMA In THE SENATE.
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL In THE
HOUSE.
WHAT THE COMMITTEES ARE DOING
The Senate.

The Senate.
Only three Senators heard the chaplain's
prayer in the Senate to-day, but half a dozen
stood just without the chamber, and entered
when the prayer was finished. When the
journal was ordered to be read only Senators
Morgan and Fair were in their seats, the others
having all retired to the cloak rooms. At a
quarter past ID eighteen Senators were present.
The chair laid before the Senate a memorial
from the legislature of Wisconsin urging the
placing of Gen. Grant on the retired list of the
army. Also, memorial from the Massachu-
setts Woman Suffrage association praying that
congress may take steps to prohibit the dis
franchisement of citizens of the United States
ON account OF sex. The papers were laid on the
table.
SENATOR ALLIsoN's ELECTION.
Mr.. Hoar, from the committee on privileges
and elections, submitted a written report re-
garding the dual set of credentials of Senator
Allison's election. The substance of the report,
Mr. Hoar said, was that, as Mr.Allison appeared
BILE to inquire whether the legal election was
that which took place on the second Tuesday
after the temporary organization of the legfsla-
organization; and if it were necessary to deter
mine that question it was for the Forty-ninth,
ana in not d the Forty-e1ghth, CONGRESS to deter,
on file.
THE OKLAHOMA BILL PASSED.
Mr.. CulIom presented memorial from the
legislature Of Illinois urging some early and sat
isfactory settlement of the Oklahoma ques-
tions.
Mr.; Cullom said 1t was very important
Mr.. Dawes said that if the newspapers that
had published so many articles favOring' the i'm
mediate opening of those lands to settlement
would publish the true state OF the case it would
tend greatly to the public peace. II the editors
OF such papers examined the question they
fnH hot 1rdn yyiSfir frpO-
ties it was impossible to open such lands to set
tlement in the present state of the title.
Mr. Plumb said that whatever title the In
dlans may have remaining in the lands In ques-
ton it was one that could only find expression
in money; it was not a title that the Indians
could avail themselves of.
Mr.. Dawes believed it was such remarks as
those OF Mr.. Plumb that had led to people going
to Oklahoma.
Mr.. Cullom thought that If there was so much
difference of opinion in this Senate about the
status of the lands in question: people in Illinois
might well be excused if they did not quite
underst.nd how those lands stood.
Mir. Dawes asked unanimous consent to at
once take up the bill heretofore introduced by
him to authorize the President tC negotiate for
the purchase of the remaining rights of the
Seminole. Creek and Cherokee nations of In
dians t, those lands.
Mr.. Sherman thought the bill had better be
considcred a: the regular time.
Mr.. Dawes said the Irregular tiIne'' would
never come.
Unanimous consent was given to take up the
2il, and in less than five minutes it was read in
full and passed. 1t now goes to the House for
action in that body.
MIR. Jones (of Nevada), from the COM
mlttee on contingent expenses, reported favora-
bly, the resolution to pay ex-senator Spencer, of
Alabama, the amount of his disbursements in
maintaining his right to his seat in the Senate.
MI Jones asked unanimous consent to consider
the resolution at once.
Mr.. Morgan objected, and it went to the cal
endar.
THE FIVE MINUTE RULE.
Mr.. Allison offered resolution providing
that for the remainder of the session it shall be
in order to move the application of the five
minute rule to amendments proposed to appro-
priatiOn bills. Mr.. Allison asked for the imme-
diate consideration of the resolution.
Mr.. Hoar objected; SO it lies over till to-
morrow.
Mr.. Sherman presented the annual report Of
the librarian of Congress, and it was ordered
Mr.. Mitchell asked unanimous consent to take
mp pension bills on the calendar under the five
minute rule
Mr.. Ingalls, thought it would be better to have
an evening session for them.
HOAR AND HALE.
Mr.. Hoar would oppose anything like shut
ting off of debate in the Senate.
Mr.. Hale said If the Senator from Massacha-
setts (N1r. Eoa,) wanted to speak all the time of
the Senate i'll tatk rather than work, a large
undOne.
Mr. Hoar said a private pension bill might in
Volve precedent of the greatest importance,
and he would not consent that q Senator's re-
marks should be shut Off in five minutes, and
with the right to him to be heard only once. In
Mr.. ioar's Judgment the remark OF Mr.. Hale
could proceed from the very imperfect cOmpre-
hension by that Senator of the Constitution of
his country and the constitution Of the Senate.
Laughter, in which Mr. Hale joined
The naval appropriation bill was laid before
the Senate and referred to the committee on
PENSION BILLS.
Mr.. Mitchell moved to take up the first pen
sion bill on the calendar. This was agreed to;
yeas 33, nays %.
In the course of debate on the bill Mr.. Jack
son remarked that since December, 1884, the
Senate pension committee had considered 500
Pension office. OF those over 60 per cent had
been fayorably reported by the committee.
bill. Considerable discussion arose as to the
best method of taking up the bills. Finally, n
motion prevailed to take up in their order all
pension bills tavorably reported, and they were
accordingly proceeded with.
House Of Representatives..
Immediately after the reading of the journal
the House proceeded to the consideration of
business under the special rule.
Mr.. Buckner (Mo.) called up the Senate bill
authorizing the Commercial National Bank, of
$1,000 600. In opposing the bill, Mr.. Weller
n.
declaring that it was the duty of every patriot
to strike it q death blow. The bill was passed
On motion of Mr.. George (Ore.), a bill was
passed for the allotment of lands in Severalty
tn the Indians OF the Umatilla Indian reserva-
ton.
On motion of Mr.. Lowry Und.), a Senate bill
was passed increasing to S175 1000 the limit OF
appropriations for the public building at Fort
Wayne, Ind, and making present appropria-
tiOn of $4,000.
AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
The Speaker announced the appointment OF
Messrs. Dibrel1, Beach and Cullen as conferees
on the agricultural appropriation bill.
VICTORY FOR THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
The usual conflict between the appropriations
and the river and harbor committees then took
place, and resulted in a victory for the latter
committee, a motion made by Mr.. Randall to
proceed to the consideration Of the deficiency
bill being defeated by II vote Of-yeas 122 nays
1885, and at one O'Clock the House went into
committee of the whole (Mr. Hammond o1
bill, che pending question being on the appeal
from the decision Of the chair ruling out the
Hennepin canal clause ON q point of order.
NJ, Aise1 snriager Ti and Mr Stone MASS a. sun s,
port of the appeal and by MIR. Turner (Ga
against it, the decision of the chair was sus-
tained-1O9 to 95. So the clause is eliminated
from the bill.
The District in Congress.
HALF MILLION FOR THE CITY POST OFFICE
SITE.
The House committee on public buildings and
grounds held a meeting to-day, and decided te
recommend the passage of the Senate bill fol
Post Office department for site for the proposed
new city post Office, with an amendment, pro
viding that the price to be paid for the whole
square shall not exceed five hundred thousand
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