Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-13
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
STATUS OF APPROPRIATION BILLS.
TWO HOURS WASTED IN THE HOUSE.
OTHER CONGRESSIONAL PRO-
CEEDINGS.
The Senate.

Ihe chair laid before the Senate q letter from
the Secretary of the Navy recommending that
the meridian of Greenwich be adopted for all
nautical and astronomical purposes. Also, a
letter from ]. Schuyler Crosby, Acting Postmas-
ter General, upon the Importance of securing
possession of certain documents relating to the
States.
The papers were appropriately referred.
Priations, reported the Indian appropriation
BILL with amendments. It was placed on the
calendar.
STATUS OF THE APPROPRIATION BILLS.
Mr.. ingalls, said he had seen it stated in oppo-
sition quarters that the republicans were en-
deavoring to force an extra session. For the
purpose of getting accurate information in re-
gard to the status of appropriation bills he
would ask statement from the chairman OF
the senate appropriations committee.
Mr.. Allison replied that the military academy
blll was the only one which had become law.
The The 1 District Of Columbia bill the pension bin
ference; the Senate passed the army bill yester-
day; the Indian bin was to-day reported and
have in hand the agricultural bill, which will
be reported Monday. Mr.. Allison added that
the post office appropriation bill, the legisla-
the fortifcation bill, the sundry civil bill and
the general deficiency bill have not vet come
from the House These he said are SIX Of the
not been received from the House.
MR.. BECK THINKS THERE IS TIME ENOUGH TO
GET ALL THE BILLS THROUGH.
Mr.. Beck, a member of the appropria tions
committee, said that speaking from years of
experience ON the appropriations committees Of
both house he would say he could not recall
any time in short session. of Congress where
the work of the appropriations was better up
portant appropriation bills came to the Senate
in the last few days of Congress. This would
not be the &c. case now. There was time enough
Mr. Allison said that If the House could get
the Nils over in reasonable time there would
be no danger of not getting them through.
Mr.. Ingalls, inquired what time the Senate
would require before the close Of the session in
order to properly consider the appropriation
Mr.. Allison said: awe ought to have all the
bills next week-eNcept; perhaps, the general
deficiency blu. ." There were now fourteen work.
ing days of the Senate remaining-ass
that much work would be done on the 21st in
slant.
Mr.. Beck saw no difficulty in getting through
with the appropriation bills, or IN having ample
tlInetO consider them.
SENATE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
Mr.. Morgan said that, with view to facilitat-
ing matters, he had introduced river and har-
Dor bill in order that the Senate committee on
commerce might make progress with it. He
would not undertake now to raise discussion
of the question of the constitutional power of
the Senate to originate appropriation bills. He
thought he would have, no difficulty, If the dis
cusSiOn were up, in showing that the Senate
could, at any rate, originate river and harbor
OH, Wnlcn ne dlu not regard as general apprO-
priatiOn bill
Mr.. Morgan reed from a decision of the SUI
preme judicial court of Massachusetts as to the
nature OF money bills.
Mr.. Laphanl quoted from President Washing
toms first message to Congress to prove that It
was his (Washingtonsl belief that appropria-
Mr.. Morgan said it would no doubt be unfort-
innate for any man to differ from President
tional powers of the Senate, but we had to deal
with these questions as they came to us in our
own times, and they would have to be dealt
with down the centuries. If it should turn out,
Mr.. Morgan said, that the House of Represent
atives should send no river and harbor bill to
the Senatei it would be for the Senate to consider
whether it could not originate such bill and
send it to the House. He (Nlr. Morgan) did not
believe that the appropriation Of money for the
the Senate was shut out.
MIR. Hale earnestly hoped the Senate commit
tee ON commerce would think twice before pre-
cipitating the question raised by Mr.. Morgan.
We We're estopped from raising the question
referred to by the Senator from Alabama (NIr,
Morgan( because the Senate, by its rules, had
treated the river and harbOr bill as q regular
appropriation bill. The House, Mr.. Hale added,
would never agree to part with the power of in
1tlatlng the great appropriation bills.
Mr.. ingalls, said he was the innocent cause Of
so much discussion. He was glad to have the
assurances of Mr.. Allison and Mr.. Beck. He
(Mr Ingalls) had made the request in order, If
possible to repel the insinuatiOns made to the
effect that the republicans of the Senate and
House desired an extra session of Congress. In
for the country and all Its various business in
terests, than an extra session of Congress. If
there was q republican Senator who desired an
extra session, he (Mr. Ingalls, did not know him
He doubted very much whether the interests of
the incoming administration would be bene-
flied by an extra session, and it was proper, If
there was to be an extra session, that a declara-
ton should be made that the responsibility for
It would depend not on the republicans of the
Senate or House, but upon the party friends of
the head of the next administration.
Mr.. Hoar, from the committee on privileges
and elections, reported resolution allowing
George E. Spencer, formerly Senrtor from Ala
bama, 81, 1872, being the amount of his actual
and necessary expenses in maintaining his title
Mr.. salisbury said that, as a member of the
committee on privileges and elections, he did
concur in the resolution offered:
On objection of Mr. COckrell the resolution
went over one day.
The Des Moines river lands bill was then
taken up, and Mr.. Lapham proceeded to ad-
dress the Senate on it.
AT 1 o'clock the matter went over one day,
Mr.: LaPham retaining the floor.
the electoral count bill, reported that the House
and Senate conferees had been unable to agree
AS the House members of the conferences com
mittee had not yet reported to the House Mr.
Hoar moved that message be sent by the SEN
ate to the House informing the Hoase that the
ment, Mr.. Hoar said, had taken place in the
first week of the SESSION.
House Of Representatives.
The House met at ten o'clock in continuation
of Thursdays session.
On motion Of Mr.. Payson Qll.) Senate
amendments were cOncurred in to the House
bill to prevent the unlawful occupation of the
public lands.
: Mr.. Willis (Ky.) moved that when the House
went into committee of the whole on the river
and har6or 6iil an debate on the pending Sec
ton be closed in an hour and half.
MR.. REED RAISES A POINT OF ORDER AND IS
OvERRULED BY THE SPEAKER
Mr.. Reed (Me.) raised the point that this mo-
ton was not In order, as it was not competent
for the House to close debate on paragraphs of
the bill which had not yet been read in COM
mittee.
The Speaker pro tenn. (Nir Blackburn said
that this point would have been well taken if
directed against general appropriation bills and
revenue bills, but a river and harbor bill had
been repeatedly held to be neither: and the
chair, therefore, Overruled the point OF order
MIR. REED APPEALS FROM THE DECISION OE THE
CHAIR AND LONG DEBATE ENsUEs
Mr. Reed appealed from the decision. Such a
ruling would establish o precedent of q most
necessarily recOil on both sides of the House.
In the rule, which allowed debate TO be closed
upon pending paragraphs, no distinction was
made between general appropriation bills and
other bills; and 1t was not possible for any men,
ber to give any ground Of difference between
them.
Mr.. Hiscock On. ~ suggested that as it had
been the policy OF the committee OF the whole
to consider each paragraph separately, twas
not proper for the House to close debate on para
graphs which had not been read, and which
therefore never had been under consideration
Mr. Long (Mass) called the attention of the
House to the fact that If the principle involved
in the decision Of the Speaker were carried ont,
it would be I'D the power of any committee to
put an entire bill In one section and then cut Off