Omaha daily bee., 1888-08-01
DELAYED But NOT DEFEATED
Fate of the Conference Report on
the Omaha Bill.
REJECTED BY ELEVEN VOTES.
Crisp OF Georgia Says the Present
Building is Good Enough-Dorseys
Vigorous Fight--McShane
is Still Hopeful.
Omaha's Claims Ignored.
WASHINGTON BUREAU rHE OMAHA BEE,
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET.

building bill was great surprise to the
friends of the measure and had they been
given notice that the report was to be called
up, they would have prepared for it and
scored success. To the credit of Mr..
McShane it should be said that he remained in
Washington constantly for over month
when he was so i'll that his physician often
advised him to take a change of climate and
his sole object in staying here was to watch
an opportunity to secure the adoption of the
report which was to-day defeated. He came
to the conclusion last week that it would be
some days before a majority could be secured
in the house, and being assured that the re-
port would not be called up until
majority was present, he went
to Atlantic City for the purpose of recupera-
tion, intending to return here to-day TO con-
tinue his watch over the Omaha bill. This
morning Senator Spooner, of Wisconsin,
who is u member of the senate committee on
public buildings and grounds and member
of the conference committee on the Omaha
bill, sent word to Chairman Dibble, of the
house committee on public buildings and
grounds, that the direct tax amendment to
the sundry civil appropriation bill, pending
in the senate, would likely create another
deadlock in the house, and inasmuch as the
bill would probably reach the house to-mor-
row the only chance the Omaha bill would
be given was to-day and he advised that it
be called up at once. This is why the
friends of the measure failed to
receive any notice of the anticipated
action. Immediately after the reading
of the journal of the house, Mr.. Dibble called
up the conference report for immediate con-
sideration. He made a statement to the
house embracing the merits of the measure,
explaining how the house committee when 1t
originally reported the bill making appropria-
tion for S400, 900 for the site alone had reached
its conclusion, and how the conferees were
led to reconsider and accept the senate
amendment appropriating $1,000, 900 and set
ting aside $500, 600 for the site and S1O0,0O0
for the building. He said it was in the first
instance believed by the house committee
that it would be sufficient Tor the present to
purchase the site for the building, but that
upon investigation in the conference it was
found there was immediate necessity for
larger and more convenient building, and
that it was wise to appropriate all the money
congress intended to put into the site and
new building AT one time, making
it all available at once, and limiting
the entire cost to the amount ap-
propriated Mr.. Crisp, of Georgia, who has
characterized himself as an extreme partisan
in the position of chairman of the committee
on, elections criticised, in the most severe
terms, the action of the house conferees,
and said that it was remarkable that the
first conference appointed on measure of
this Importance should agree, and that the
house conferees should so readily come over
to the demands of the senate. He intim-
ated that it was case OF "give and take"
He said there appeared to be an idea in the
house that simply because there was large
amount of surplus in the treasury and all
Kinds OF schemes would be en-
couraged in order to put into
circulation the peoples money that bills
were introduced for public buildings in
insignificant towns where there was no busl-
ness sense in the expenditure, and that
large cities were given buildings worth twice
the money the necessity called for. He rldi-
culed the statement of MIR. Dibble that the
conclusion of the house conference was in
the nature of a compromise, and said that it
was a complete surrender to the senate,
which body always was demanding the lions
share. Mr.. DibDle retorted that it required
three long meetings of the conference COM
mittee to reach an agreement upon this
measure, and that each individual upon the
committee had exercised not only his best
judgment but had drawn upon the highest
order of principle in reaching the conclusion.
He thought it was wiser to appropriate the
money in one sum than to dribble it out, caus-
ing delay and inconvenience and creating eX-
traordiuary expense. He produced reports
from the supervising architect of the treas
ury, showing that the buildings for cities as
large as Omaha had cost SSO0,000 each, and
that in some instances there was almost that
sum expended for the sites alone.
at was n jughandle compromise' ex-
claimed Mr.. Crisp, land the conferees on the
part of the house have been improvident.
They have given too much. There is al
ready at Omaha a building that cost $3.50, 600
and the business is being transacted in it
very we'll This bill should be voted down
and there should be nothing for the present
appropriated for the building in that city. 1t
is enough to appropriate Si0) 900 as originally
proposed by the house, for the purchase of
site alone. We can appropriate money for
the building at some future time. There is
no evidence that a new building is needed in
Omaha at this time. No proof has been
shown that there is public necessity for it.''
Several members at this time attempted to
talk at once aud the controversy on the floor
of the house was quite lively and interesting.
Chairman Dibble said that he regretted
very much that the member from Omaha
(Mr McShane) was absent on account of
sickness, for he could show to the house, if
present the necessity for not only appropri-
ating money TO purchase site but TO con-
struct more commodious building than
| the one now in use. In the
absence of Mr., McShane the chairman stated
that he would yield to Mr.. Dorsey to speak
| for the city of Omaha.
Mr.. Dorsey made strong appeal to the
house in behalf of the measure He produced
Il
| for the past few years, making comparisons
| to show the rapid growth of the city and the
necessity for a larger federal building. He
| showed the volume of business of various
| kinds being transacted for the government in
| the present building, and demonstrated the
| cramped condition of affairs. He said that
| it was true that the building now occupied
| cost $3.50, 900, but that it could now be dupli-
| Gated for 100000 and he said that Omaha
| had 10000 population, and that it was in
| creasing so rapidly that before the new
| building could be completed the present
| building would be entirely too small to fur
| nish quarters for all of the federal officers
| He said it was a sound business proposition
| to accept the amount proposed by the
| senate. The federal building, he stated
| would not be equal TO structures be-
| ing put up in Omaha at the present
| time. He said that The OMAHA BEE alone
| was constructing block which would cost
more money than the one the government
| proposed to put up and that when private in
! dividuals find it good business judgment TO
| make investments OF this character it surely
| argued in favor of the government making
one, especially in view of the fact that it had
| all OF the business that can be transacted in
| the building when completed. Mr. Dorsey
| withstood general cross-eXamination by
! aembers on the floor and then rushed
| around among his republican friends and
personally solicited them to support the con-
| ference report. When the previous question
/ was called Mr. Crisp demanded the ayes and
| NAYS and announce th6t he would also de-