Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-02
House of Representatives.

There were not more than seventy-five mem.
bers in attendance when Speaker Carlisle
called the House to order at noon to-day. After
the reading Of the journal the Speaker pro-
ceeded to call the committees for reports, but
none were submitted.
LEAVES FOB PRINTING AND ENaRAvINo BUREAU
EMPLoYEs.
On motion of Mr.. Richardson (Tenn.) a bill
was passed granting an annual leave of absence
Of thirty days to employees Of the bureau Of en-
craving and printing. TAT present these en-
ployes are granted fifteen days leave.l
A PENs1oN-FEE PROHIBITION.
In the consideration morning hour Mr.. Mat
son Qnd), on behalf Of the committee on
invalid pensions, called up the bill introduced
by Mr.. Dockery, Of Missouri,) prohibiting any
agent or attorney from receiving a fee for
securing an increase Of pension on account of
sion was originally granted, or for securing Q
special act Of Congress in cases where the PEN
sion might be obtained under the general PEN
sion laws.
Mr.. Peters (Kan) offered an amendment
providing that the applicant for pension may
contract with any person in the state in which
the applicant lives to pay not exceeding % for
lowed.
Mr.. Thompson (Ohio) saw no necessity for
the adoption of the amendment, as the course
prescribed by the pension bureau for the secur-
ing Of an increase Of pension was one which
could be followed by the applicant without the
assistance Of an attorney.
Mr.. Cannon en- thought that the bill in its
present form might have the effect of denying
to worthy pensioners the increase Of pension
to which they were justly entitled by prohibit
an attorney to prosecute their claims.
Mr.. Adams (Mo.) thought that no fee should
special act of Congress, even though
the claim was such as was not allowable
under the general pension law, and he
Rejected.
Mr.. Peters amendment was adopted and the
bill was passed.
BILLS TO ADMIT IDAHO AND ARIZONA.
Mr.. Springer Qll.) introduced joint resolu-
ton for the admission of the states OF Arizona
and Idaho. Referred.
THE FoRrIFIcATIoNs BILL.
Mr.. Sayers (Tex. }, from the committee on ap-
propriations, reported the fortifcations
appropriation bill, and it was placed on the
calendar.
On motion Of Mr.; White On. y bill was was
passed providing that the omission by the
sender to place the lawful postage on letter
bearing a special delivery stamp shall not
hinder or delay the transmission and delivery
thereof, but the lawful postage shall be col
lected on delivery.
THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL
The House then went into committee of the
whole (Afr. McMillin, Of Tennessee, in the
chair) on the river and harbor appropriation
bill.
The clause appropriating $500, 900 for the
Improvement of Philadelphia harbor and pro-
shall be expended until the title to
certain islands in the harbor shall
be acquired by the United States, was, on mo-
ton OF Mr.. Blanchard, of Louisiana. amended
so as to exempt from the terms of the proviso
the $500, 900 appropriated in the river
and harbor bill of August last.
Mr.. Crisp (Ga. made an effort to have the
appropriation for Savannah harbor increased
from $50 900 to 5000 900, but his amendment
for this purpose was rejected.
Mr.. Sowden (Pa.) made an attack upon the
bill as being extravagant and wasteful, and di-
rected his criticism especially against the ap-
preparations for Improvements in Texas.