Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-05-31
NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Cleaned by Telegraph and Mail
CONGRESSIONAL.

| VERY little business was transacted in
| the Senate on the 21st- number OF minol
| bills passed, and Mr. Frye, from the Commerce
/ Committee. reported the River and Haroor Dill
with amendments. Adjourned In the House
| the Senate amendments to the Pension Appro
| priation bill were non-concurred IN and con
ference ordered. Much time was consumed in
referring to appropriate committees Senate
| bills that had accumulated during the tarih de
bate. On motion of Mr.. Hatch, of Missouri, the
/ bill to enlarge the powers Of the Department
/ of Agriculture was passed under suspension OF
| the rules. Il creates an executive de-
| partmeut TO be known as the Depart
| nent of Agriculture under control OF a
| Secretary Of Agriculture, and transfers the
weather service from the war TO the new de-
partment. The Diplomatic and Consular bill
was considered and passed without material
amendment The District Of Columbia bill also
passed Adjourned.
AFTER the morning hour in the Senate on
the 22d an executive session was held, and when
the doors were opened the House bill TO estab'
lish Department for Labor was taken up and
after agreeing 10 several amendments the bill
passed. A message was received from the
President returning without his approval the
bill for the relief Of L. J. Worden, late post
master at Lawrence, Kan, amounting TO s625
for extra clerk hire on the ground that the
allowance for clerk hire is fixed by regulation
Of the Post-ofice Department. that in this case
application for extra allowance had been
twice refused and the bill set bad
precedent. A number Of bills passed
the only one OF general interest being the bill
increasing the appropriation to 100000 for
equipments and arms for the militia. In the
House the dav was accorded TO the Committee
on Labor, and Mr.. O'Neill, of Missouri, called
up the bill to confne the sale of the products of
convict labor to the States in which they are
produced, and addressed the House in its sup
port. A long debate followed and after the
previous question had been ordered the House
adjourned before taking final vote.
But little business was transacted in he
Senate on the e3d, that body adjourning that
members might attend the funeral of the wife
OF Senator Sawyer In the House the Senate
bill authorizing the Leavenworth Water Com
pany to purchase portion of the Fort Leaven-
worth military reservation passed and the
House went into Committee of the Whole on
the Post-ofice Appropriation bill. consideration
of which was pending when the House ad-
journed.
IN the Senate on the 24,h Mr.. Stewart
called up his resolution for constitutional
amendment providing that majority instead
Of two-thirds vote shall be sufficient to pass a
bill over the Presidents veto and spoke at
length in its favor. Senators Vest, Plumb,
Manderson Cnllom and Coke were appointed
the special committee to investigate the meat
product (the Chicago beef pool and after agree
ing to the conference report on the Pension
Appropriation bill the Senate adjourned ...
After passing several bridge bills the House re-
sumed consideration of the Post-office Appro-
priation bill which finally passed, and the
Legislative Appropriation bill was taken up.
The Dakota bill also received another INSTALL
ment Of political repartee, and after agreeing
to the conference report on the Invalid Pension
bill the House adjourned.
IN the Senate on the 25th bill for the
confinement of inebriates in the Government In
sane Hospital was reported and placed on the
calendar. Senator Blair introduced joint res
olution amending the Constitution SO as to pro-
hibt any State from maintaining any law re-
specting any religious sect or prohibiting free
exercise thereto. The Revenue Deficiency bill
was then taken ur, discussed and passed. After
an executive session the Senate adjourned until
Monday. Private business was laid aside in
the House and consideration of the Legislative
Executiyeand Judicial Appropriation bill re-
sumed in Committee of the Whole. The debate,
however, was mostly of q partisan character,
and continued during the day. At the evening
session fifty pension bills passed.