The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-02-22
OUR NATIONAL LAWMAKERS
What They Arc Doing for tho Country'i
Good-BlIls Passed, Etc.

postal clerks were agreed to by the SENATE
yesterday, and the resolution for an inquir.
ing into tho state of suffrage in Louisiana and
elsewhere in tho country was sent TO the cleo
tions committee. The house bill to quiet title
of settlers on the Des Moines river lands i'm
Iowa was passed. Tho legislative APP
preparation bill was resumed, tho
amendment to increase the clerical
force of tho civil service commission
was rejected and the bill passed. The Union
Pacific funding bill WAS briefly debated and
laid over, n new conference on the territorial
admission bill ordered, a presidential message
on the Samoan affair read, number of
private pension bills passed and tho senate
adjourned
The house passed the army appropriation
bill and then after rejecting a motion to
strike out the clause in the agricultural bill
changing the system for the distribution of
seeds, passed that bill also and took recess to
7:3O, at which hour the passage of private
pension bills was taken up,thirty-eight passed
and the house adjourned.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. 1.-THE senate
Saturday passed IA bill TO establish United
States court III Indian territory; also tho for
tifcation bill, with one amendment appro-
printing 100000 for torpedoes controlled in
their action and movements from the shore.
Ingalls,, Hoar, Cullom and Cockrell
were appointed the senate COM
nlttee on inauguration ceremonies
and u resolution was agreed to providing
that the presiding officer of the senate APP
point the senate tellers at the count of the
electoral vote on Wednesday. The Pacific
railways funding bill coming up Stewart
ticular regulation of the affairs of those
railways by the government. Blair inter
rupted with questions occasionally, which
provoked Stewart to remark that if the sen
ator had listened he needn't have asked them,
to which Blair retorted that he was the only
senator who had listened to Stewart at all
for iach of the time The senate adjourned
without action on the bill
The house passed. bills authorizing the
bridging of the Mississippi river at La Crosse,
Wis, and granting right-of-way to the Big
Horn Southern railway through the Fl TT
Custer military reservation. Disagreement
on the Dakota admission bill was reported,
and resolution was offered to instruct the
house conferrees to strike New Mexico from
the bill and agree to the admission of North
Dakota, Washington and Montana by procla-
nation. 1t went over. The remainder of
the day was devoted to debate on the post
office appropriation, which was pending when
the house adjourned
WASHINGTON CITY, Fob. IA petition
of 100 Indian pupils of the Hampton, Va,
school against the issue of rations to Indians,
and recommending an equivalent in farming
implements was presented in the senate yes
terday. An executive session was then held
at which bill appropriating S25O,OOO to pro-
tect American interests on the isthmus of
Panama was passed Upon resumng open
session the naval appropriation was con-
sidercd. An amendment was adopted pro-
vding for two steel cruisers of 800
20 1900 tons displacement, to cost
not more in the aggregate than
800 900; one steel cruiser of about 1000
tons, to cost not more than $4,000, and a
ram for harbor defense. Chandler moved to
strike out of tho paragraph for the building
of an armored vessel tho words whichidentify
Representative Thomas as its designer, and
pending action on this motion the senate ad-
journed.
The house insisted on its view of the direct
tax bill and ordered conference. After the
question of consideration had been raised
against it without avail the Smalls- Elliott
bated for the remainder of the day without
action, and the house at $40 T. III. adjourned.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. l3.--The senate
had flve-minutes executive session yester-
day after the morning business was concluded,
and then resumed consideration of the naval
appropriation bill. The pending amendment
was to strike out Of the paragraph appropri-
ating for an armored cruiser all reference to
Congressman Thomas of Illinois rs the de-
signer, and it was adopted, tho proposed de-
sign being identified in such manner as to
avoid the mention of Thomas name. The
bill was thon passed, and after debate us to
consideration the Texas bulldozing case was
taken up, and the debate was pending when
the senate adjourned.
The house sent the bill appropriating money
to protect American interests in Panama to
the foreign affairs committee and then pro-
ceeded with the debate on tho Smalls-Eliott
election case, the contestant among others
speaking on the question, but no action was
taken and ut 80 the house adjuorned.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. 1.-THE senate yes
terday passed the joint resolution authorizing
the heirs of Rear Admiral Baldwin TO receivea
snuff-box set with diamonds from the car of
Russia. The conference report on the diplo-
matic bin was agreed to, and the house bill
granting the ST. Paul. Minneapolis, az Mani
toba railway right-of-way through the White
Earth Indian reservation was passed. At
l2:55 the senate repaired to the hall of the
house to witness the count OF the electoral
vote, and upon returning, resumed considera-
ton of the Texas bulldozing resolution, and
Evarts spoke, making statement of the
homicides which brought about the investiga-
ton Coke then obtained the floor, the senate
went into executive session, and when the
open session was resumed, adjourned.
Several pension vetocs were received 10y the
house. The proposed bill to amend the ma
turalization laws was reported. At 1865 the
senate was announced and tho two houses
went into joint session to count the electoral
votes, and that finished the Smalls- Elliott
contested election case WINS resumed and after
an acrimonious debate vote was reached
and Elliott was declared entitled to the seat
by party vote of t43 to l2G, except that
Wilson of Minnesota, and Russell Of Mas
sachusetts voted with tho Republicans.
There was n good deal of interest in the
formal count OF tho electoral vote and the
house chamber was crowded both on the floor
ond I'm the galleries, except the presidents