Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-08
AFFAIRS OF THE NATION.
A Quorum in the House, but It
 Is Still Deadlocked.
THE SENATE DEBATES IN SECRET
Senator Edmunfs Does Not Wish tho Diplomats to Know What Is Going on Concerning the Panama Canal-Pros- poets of an Extra Session.

the whole day in fiiibusteriny over the pro- posed change in the rules without result, Immediately after s.le reading of the journal the contest over the resolution of Mr. Reed, proposing a change in the rules so as to abolish, for the remainder of the session. the call of states on suspension Mondays" was renewed. The pending question being on ordering the previous question, the clerk proceeded to call the roll. A quorum not voting, call of the house was ordered. which developed the presence of 226 mem- bers more than quorum). Further pro- ceedings under the call were dispensed with, and the vote again taken on ordering the previous question, with the same result as be1ore-not quorum voting.
 Mir. Reed moved a call of the house and Mir. Cox moved an adjournment. The latter motion was defeated, and Mr. Reeds motion prevailed. Another call of the house was ordered, and a quorum voted; Mr. Blunt moved to adjourn, but the motion was de- feated.
 Then the old time dilatory motions began to adjourn to Wednesday, no quorum, votes by tellers, etc.
 At o'clock the session ended by limita- tion, and the house, without action on the pending measure, adjourned
 THE SENATE IN SECRET SESSION.
 The senate spent most of the day in secret session on the resolution of Mr. Edmunds in reference to the Panama canal The secret session concluded at $40 when, by unanimous consent, the date for the vote on the tariff bill was made Jan. p instead of Jan. 2l. The senate then adjourned
 The debate on the Panama canal was just getting under way when Senator Edmunds, noticing an unusual number of foreign diplomats in the galleries, moved that the senate go into executive session, and the gal leFies were cleared, and not even an official reporter was allowed to remain The debate was on the advisablity of the United States government taking control of the Panama canal, and it was participated in by all the leading senators of both parties A vote was taken which resulted in the affirmative-49 to3.
 FALSE STORIES CONCERNING ALASKA.
 The house committee on merchant marine and fisheries. Investigating the chargea against the Alaska Commercial company. continued the hearing. Capt. Johnson gov. ernment agent from 1887 to 1888, testified to the good effect the residence of the com pany's officers on the islands had upon the natives He stated during his stay there he had seen or heard nothing to confirm the many newspaper reports published lately, and says he does not think that they are true. He advises moro protection to seal life from pirates During his stay there were thirty-five of these pirates reported sealing. Of this number fifteen were capt. ured and 12,OOO skins taken from them, and be estimates from reports published that 6o,o00 seals were killed illegally during his stay. Lieut.. Nichols, U. s. N, said he found the natives of St. George and St. hn hon more contented and civilized than those in other parts of Alaska As to the newspaper charges he thought them without foundation.
 PROSPECTS OF AN EXTRA SESSION.
 Judge G, c. Moody, of, Deadwood, one of the senators-elect for the state of South na- kota arrived here from Indianapolis, where be had consultation with the president. elect ln reference to the prospects of action an the territorial statehood bills now pend- Ing Ill the house and an extra session of the Flfty-first congress. Judge Moody refuses to quote Gen. Harrison on anything, but ventures the prediction that no action will be taken on the ''omnibus' or any other bill looking to the creation of now states at the hands of this congress, and that there will be an extraordinary session of the Fifty first congress called to convene within three months after the 4th of March next. A delegation of the leading Democratic and Republican citizens of both North and South Dakota Is expected here at the i'd of this week for the purpose of ascertaining whether anything will be done at this session with the territorial statehood hills, and if there is to be no action to point out to the members elect the necessity for an extraordinary ses sion of the next congress.
 SCHEDULE OF INVALID PENS IONS.
 The house committee on invalid pensions agreed to report favorably a bill to increase the pensions of disabled veterans. Under this bill the pensions will be increased as fol lows: For the loss of an arm above the elbow the pension is increased from $ad to $42i for the loss of arm below the elbow the pension is increased from $S0 to $4d; for the loss of an arm at the shoulder the pension is increased from s45 to $50. The increases provided for the loss of leg are the same. In cases of total inability to perform manual labor the pension is increased to $50, and for the loss of both arm and leg the pension is increased to $6O.
 MAN WITH BIG IDEAS
 William H. Pearsall, former resident of New York, has returned to this city from Bolivia for the purpose of having his pension readJusted. He was a member of Company K, Thirty y-ninth regiment New York volun- teers, and received three severe wounds. Dis cussinG South American affairs he said: "I think the Argentine Confederation, Bolivia, Peru, Chili, and indeed, the entire section will soon be glad to have American protec- ton. The feeling of Americans there Is that South America will eventually belong to tho United States, as believe will also Central America, Mexico and Canada It will be 70 their commercial interest to belong to our nation. The Panama canal, believe, is . cad failure and the money spent on 1t is being thrown away"
 TO DISCUSS THE BANQUET, NOT THE CABINET Gen. George B. Williams, chairman of the banquet committee of the inaugural com mittee, left for Indianapolis yesterday to see Gen. Harrison. He will be in Indianapolis two or three days, and will stop at the New Denison house.
 AFRICANS WANT TO COME IN. The president pro tempore laid before the senate resolutions adopted at & meeting of the citizens ct San Miguel county, N. M, Dec. 2s, praying the admittance of Now Mexico as 8 state.
 DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS. The Democratic caucus last night, after several hours session. adopted resolution that the nemocratic party would not mak any dilatory motions or action on suspension Mondays hereafter, and that the pending