Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-13
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY,
OPEN EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
Senator Platt on That Subject.

Senator Platt ON That Subject.
Contested Election Case in the House.
The Senate.
In the Senate, among bills introduced and re-
| ferred was one by Mr.. Call to provide for the
| erection of q government warehouse and docks
at Key West, Fla, in place of those destroyed
| by fire.
Dir. Plat then took the floor on his resolution
| relating to open executive sessions. The Ques-
ton was political one, he said, but in no
sense question of party politics. 1t rose above
all party questions; it was the most important
question Of administrative reform to which the
Senate could at this time devote Its attention.
Mr.. Platt read the Senate rules relating to
| hibits the disclosure bv either Senators or
Senate officers, of the secrets of executive ses-
stons, the penalty Of which is that Senators
GERS to discharge. No Senator, he said, could
| hear that rule read without sense Of personal
| Ing been imposed on Senators, Mr.. Platt said,
occurred In January, 1920.
Mr.. Morrill, asked whether it was not the fact
that prior to that time all sessions of the Senate
| had been held with closed doorse
Mr.. Platt said he would come to that by and
! by. He would be able to show that the public
| ing of the Senate doors in the frst Instance.
after they had been closed some years; and he
would be able to show that the same public sem
timent now demanded that the doors should be
opened, as rule for the consideration OF execu-
th ve o4nctiS HIS present resolution was
with open doors, except when otherwise
ordered by the Senate. Senators themselves
ought to desire that their constituents should
know what the Senate was doing. The princi-
PAL objection to the proposed change was that
II was against the custom of the Senate. That
Nh Crrnnf orfro form,
had ever made progress that did not make it
over the ramparts of custom and tradition.
tive and executive sessions, and read from the
early journals OF Congress to show that the
opening of the doors OF Congress during legisla-
| members of the House Of Representatives
themselves as tending to make members of
congress more fully feel the responsibility Of
their position.
House OF Representatives..
Mr.. Turner (Ga.) called up as a privileged
question the Ohio contested case of Hurd agt.
Romeis-Mr. Reagan (Tex.) refraining from an
tagonizing 1t with the interstate commerce bill
with the understanding that that measure
| should lose none of its rights as the special
! order.
1t was agreed that the previous question on
the election case should be considered as
ordered after eight hours debate.
In this case there are three reports submitted
oy the committee on elections--the majority
home1s TO the seat; minory report unseating
the sitting member, and declaring that Hurd is
entitled to the seat, and another minority re-
teStant nor cOntestee was duly elected.
M. Boyle lpa) opened the debate in support
6e Inc majority report and quoted from the evil
was not only no ground for unseating Romeis,
but scarcely any ground for contrasting the seat.
| halt aud asserted that in precinct d of the sth
ward OF Toledo not one OF the statute laws Of
Ohio had been complied with.
District in Congress.
THE WHITE HOUSE EXTENSION BILL FAVOR
ABLY REPORTED.
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Morrill,. from
the committee on public buildings and grounds.
reported favorably the bill to erect just south
of the Executive Mansion duplicate of the
existing building. In its report the committee
aa1GP sSa tine NJ made similar bin
extension, Mr.. Morrill, said, is primarily to fur
nish the President an appropriate dwelling
place. To accomplish this 1t is proposed to du-
plicate the present structure upon the grounds
Immediately south of it, and to connect the
two by broad corridor which will also furnish
porte cochere In the rear of the present build
ing, and an ample exit for the large crowds
which frequently assemble at official recep-
tons. The bill appropriateS $500, 900 for the
purpose of erecting the extension. The Presi-
dent, Secretary OF the Treasury and Secretary
OF the Interior are created o commission, with
authority to select the best material and to
make contracts tor the erection of the building
and they are authorized to make such mOdifi
cations In the plan as they deem expedient
PENSIONS.
The Senate committee on pensions has re-.
ported favorably bill increasing from SO to $40
the pension of Catherine Doyle, the widow of
Michael Doyle. late a private Of company B, 1st
District OF Columbia cavalry. Senator ingalls,
has introduced a bill to place on the pension
rolls the name OF Manuel Tibbs, of this city, to
receive pension at the rate of S24 per month.
PROHIBITION IN THE DISTRICT.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Cameron presented
O petition from % citizens of Enceldown. Pa.
setting forth the evils OF the liquor traffic in the
District of Columbia, and praying that it be
p1Dhibited.
DISTRICT BILLS PASSED IN THE HOUSE,
The House yesterday passed, without debate,
bills to change the name Of Uniontown to Ana
costa, and to promote anatomical science, and
prevent the desecration of graves in the District
of Columbia. The latter bill provides that any
public officer or officers whether directors trus-
ayers, having lawful charge Of or control over
any hospital, prison, almshouse, jail, morgue or
asylum within the District OF Columbia, may
deliver to the duly authorized agent of any
medical college or colleges in the said District
Of Columbia the bodies OF such deceased per
sons as are required to be buried at the public
expense, said bodies to be distributed among
the several colleges cquitably, the number as
signed to each being prOportiOned to that Of it's
students. P0ctded, however, That If the deceased
person, during his last Illness of his own accord
request to be buried; or II, within forty-eight
hours after his death, any person claiming to
be, and satifying the authorities that ne is a
relative by blood Or marriage, or friend of the
deceased, asks to have the body buried, or If
such deceased person was stranger or traveller
who suddenly died, the body shall not be SO de-
llvered, but shall bc buried.
Section 2. That every physician or surgeon
before receiving such dead body, shall give to
the officers surrendering the same to him a
sufficient bond that each body shall be used
only for the promotion Of anatomical and sur
gicai knowledge within the District OF Colum-
Dia, and that after having been SO used the re-
mains thereof shall DO decently buried: and
whatsoever shall use such body or bodies tor
any purpose other than that aforesaid, or shall
remove the same beyond the limits OF the said
District OF Columbus, and whoever shall sell or
buy such body or bodies, or in any way traffic
in the same, or who shall disturb or remove
bodies from graves in which they have been
buried, shall be deemed guilty Of u misde.
meanor, and shall, on conviction, be i'm prisoned
Tor term not exceeding three years. at hard
labor, In the District Tor city, jail.
CHEAPER GAS.
The Senate District committee yesterday an
pointed Senators Pike, Blackburn, and Spooner
! subcommittee to investigate the question of
cheaper gas in this city. The gas company has
been asked for information relating To the sub
ject.