The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-09-27
CONGRESS.
An Abstract of the More Important
Proceedings in Both Houses.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10.

w EbNkSnAR3 cEPFs 10.
In the Senate, Mr.. Edmuuds (Vt.) reported
from the Committee on Foreign Relations a
resolution ordering that the President of the
Senate be directed to withhold the transmits
sion to the House of Representatives of the act
| blouse bilI) TO prohibit the coming of Chinese
| laborers to the United States until the further
direction of the Senate. lie asked for its i'm
mediate consideration. Mr.. Teller objected to
! its present consideration, and the order went
! over until tomorrow.
| Mr.. Edmunds also offered joint resolution
! appropriating 100000 to be expended under
| the direction of the President of the United
| States in the relief of the suffering caused by
| yellow fever now prevailing in the State of
Florida, and asked for its immediate e0nsidera-
| ton.
| After brief remarks by Senators Call (Fla.)
and Pasco (FIa.) the joint resolution was passed.
| Mr.. Sherman's (Ohiol resolution as to Cana
| dian affairs was, at the request of Mr. Morgan,
| postponed until tomorrow.
| Mr.. Stewart New next addressed the Senate,
expressing views directly the opposite of those
put forward by Mr.. Jones, but declaring that
| the existing stagnation and depression of prices
did not result from the tariff but from the
demonetization of silver.
| After the passage of number of bills of minor
| Importance the Senate at BIO adjourned.
! Immediately after the reading of the journal
| the House resumed the consideration of the
conference report on the sundry civil appropria-
/ tion bill.
| Mr.. jackson (Pa) speaking on the library
proposition, thought that the main question
| the necessity Of erecting new building-had
! been lost sight of in a discussion about the COM
potency or incompetency of the architect. The
| Government required building in which to
| keep its magnificent collection of books, and
! that building should be commensurate with the
! grandeur of the Nation. In his opinion none
of the Department buildings were large enough
| to meet the requirements of the Government
| service. 1t did not makeany difference whether
| the House had been deceived in the first in
stance in regard to the library building; the
question was whether the plan adopted was a
reasonable and proper one.
| The vote on agreeing TO the conference re-
port resuted-yeas 81, nays II; no quorum,
| and the House at 2;25 adjourned
THURSDAY SEPT. 20.
In the Senate, the order reported Yesterday
by Mr.. Edmunds (Vt), from the Committee on
Foreign Relations, directing the retention of
the Chinese Exclusion bill, having been taken
up Mr.. Edmunds said that as the bill had gone
out of the possession Of the Senate the order
was not applicable to the present state Of the
case. Therefore, SO far as he was concerned,
the resolution might be laid on the table. There
being no objection it was so ordered.
Mr.. Hawley Comm offered a resolution,
which was referred to the Committee on Con-
tingent Expenses, directing the Committee on
Agriculture to inquire into the purchase of
seed by the Agricultural Department. Mr..
Butler IS. C)suggested that the inquiry should
be bEoadened so as to apply to the ACCESSIBILITY
of abolishing the purchase of seed by that De-
partment, but Mr. Hawley declined to modify
the resolution for that purpose.
Mr.. Mitchell (Ore.) then proceeded to address
the Senate on the motion to refer the Presi-
dents annual message. He characterized the
tariff bill passed by tine House as one in the i'm
terest of the importer and against the interest
of the laborer, and which had received the en-
thusiastic approval of free-traders at home and
abroad, and said that on the other hand the Sem
ate substitute would be a bill based from begin.
ming to end on the American doctrine OF protec-
| ton to American labor and American industry
After speaking for about two hours Mr.. Mitch
ell yielded the floor for motion to proceed to
Executive business. The Executive session
lasted over an hour.
After the doors were opened Mr. Plumb
(Kan.) gave notice that he would on Monday
next, ask the Senate to consider the bill forfeit
ing the Northern Pacific Railroad grant, and
Mr. Chandler IN. H. gave notice that he would
on Tuesday next ask action on his resolution
for the investigation of the Louisiana election
Mr. Mitchell again took the floor and delivered
the remainder Of his speech.
Mr.. Mitchell concluded his speech at 400
and then the Senate took up the Agricultural
Department bill, the question being on the
amendment to strike out the fifth section
which transfers the Weather Bureau of the Sig,
nal Service to the Agricultural Department. Mr.
Chandler criticized the bill and questioned the
propriety of making the head of the Depart.
ment a member of the Presidents Cabinet
Still, as its friends seemed to think it highly
desirable he would not vote against it. He
was, however, opposed to the transfer of the
Weather Bureau, at least until the doubtful
experiment Of making the Commissioner Of
Agriculture a Cabinet officer proved to be q
success. Without concluding his remarks Mr.
| Chandler yielded for motion to adjourn and
the Senate at 5:25 adjourned, an agreement
having first been reached that the vote OH the
amendment will be taken at 3 o'clock on Fri.
day.
In the House, Immediately after the reading
Of the journal, Mr. Burnes MOI called up the
conference report on the sundry civil appro
priation bill, and tho House refused-32 TO Al
to agree to it.
Mr. Payson (Ill.) moved that the House in
sist on its disagreement to the amendment Of
the Senate relative to the library building
Coupled with his motion is declaration on
the part Of the House iii favor of the origina
proposition of the House suspending the prog
ress OF the existing work and authorizing the
Senate and House Committees on Public Build
ings to invite from five leading architects plans
and specifications for library building which
will not exceed in cost 100000 Mr. Paysor
subsequently withdrew his proposition, and OF
. motion OF hr. Burnes further conference wa
, ordered on the bill
Mr. Morrow (Cal.), as q question of privilege
offered resolution reciting the passage of tn
Chinese bill by the House and Senate TIN
signing of the enrolled bill by the presiding
officers of the two Houses its delivery to tn
Committee on Enrolled Bills, and the fact tina
it is now in the possession of the Acting Chair
, man, DIR. KilgOre 1t further recites a repor
: in the Washington Post that the bill is bein
withheld from the President by the Commute
. on Enrolled Bills, and declares that such actor
of the committee is without authority of Law
1t directs the Committee on Enrolled Bills
transmit the bill to the President forthwith
and without further delay.
Mr.. McMillin (Tenn.) raised the point G
order that the resolution did not present
Q question of privilege There was no allegation
n of delay in the transmission of the bill tha
: was unreasonable or unusual. AS matter c
q fact, there were other cases in which the della
9 had been much greater than in the presen
d case.
After an acrimonious debate, the Speaker pr
tenn sustained Che point of order There wa
9 no law or rule prescribing the manner in whic
. a bill should be transmitted to the President
: but the practice had grown up of intrustin,
:, that duty to the Committee on Enrolled Bills
) One days delay was not unusual. The ayerag