Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-02-15
NEWS SUMMARY.
CONGRESSIONAL.

CONGRESSIONAL.
| FEBRUARY Z, SENATE.-Mr. Sherman pre-
sentcd the conference report on the bill TO
incorporate the maritime canal company of
Nicaragua. IL was agreed to- The bill
now goes 10 the president for his approval.
The senate resumed consideration of the
| Legislative appropriation bill, the pending
question being on Mr.. Hawleys amend
| ment TO give an additional clerk of class 3
10 tho civil service commission. After a
prolonged debate, the amendment was
agreed 10. Another long discussion took
place as 10 whether the board of pension
appeals fixed in the bill at three members
should be increased 10 six. The change
was made and the bill went over till to
} morrow.
HoUsE-The senate bin providing that
the public lands now subject TO private en-
| try shall be disposed of according 10 the
homestead laws only, was taken up, and
| the following amendments to il adopted
! Striking out the words which exempt Mis-
sour from the provisions of the bill; re-
pealing the Communication clause of the
| homestead law. Allowing persons who
have abandoned or relipquished their home
stead entries 10 make another entry. The
| bill as amended was then passed. The house
then went into committee of the whole on
| the army appropriation bill. An amend.
ment was agreed to appropriating 81 300 for
a riding and training master al West Point
A paragraph was inserted appropriating
| $50 600 for officers quarters at the Column
| bus, o., post. Mr.. Randall raised point
of order on the proposed amendment to
appropriate 100000 TO purchase movable
submarine torpedoes, and the question was
debated at some length by Mr.. Townsend
OF Illinois, MIR. Spinola Of New York, and
| Mr. Cutcheon OF Michigan. Pending de-
cision a conference was ordered on the Dis
trict OF Columbia appropriation Dill
FEBRUARY s,SENATE-The naval and forti
| tcation appropriation bills were reported
and placed on the calendar The house bill
10 quiet title of settlers on the Des Moines
river lands in Iowa was taken up. Mr..
Evarts opposed the bill. He said il had
been before congress for many years. but
bad passed the two houses but once CAST
congressI, when il was vetoed by the Presi-
dent i'm message that was brief and terse,
and presenting precisely the legal and con
stituuonal questions involved. Mr.. Wilson
of Iowa defended the bill, and without fur
Their debate the bill was passed. The legis-
lative appropriation bill was then taken up.
The amendment TO increase the cler-
ical force Of the civil service commission
Union Pacific refunding bill was taken up;
the pending question being Mr.. Mitchell :
motion 20 recommit the bill, with iustruc-
tons 10 include in its provisions the Central
Pacific railroad MIR Mitchell made "a
speech in support of his motion, at the con.
action. The disagrceing conference report
on the South Dakota admission bill was
presented and "A new conference ordered.
y message from the President on Samoan
| affairs was read, and after the passage of a
number of private pension bills the senate
at $50 ad.ourned.
HoUsE,-The army appropriation bill
was taken up, and an amendment offered
appropriating $50 0OJ for the purchase Of
muslfets was adopted. The committee the n
rose and the bill was passed. The agricul-
tural appropriation bill was then taken up
for consideration, and Mr.. Enloe of Ten
pessee made an attack upon the system o I
distributing seeds. His remark, however,
had no effect, and a motion made by him 10
strike out the clause was voted down. The
bill was then passed. At the evening SEES .
sion - pension bills were passed.
FEBRUARY Q, SENATE.-The senate passed
the senate bill for the establishment OF "a
court in Indian Territory, and also The for
thcation appropriation bill. A resolution
Of Mr.. Stewart, calling on the commission
or Of fish and fisheries for information con-
corning the salmon fisheries OF Alaska, was
adopted. y conference on the direct tax
bill was ordered and conferrees on the part
of the senate appointed. The fortihcation
appropriation bill was passed with the com
mittee amendments, and paragraph insert
ed at the suggestion of Mr.. Henderson, ap-
propriating 500, 900 TO purchase sub marine
torpCdoes impelled and controlled at will by
power from shore stations. The senate
then, at . 40, resumed consideration of the
Union Pacific refunding bill-the question
being on Mr.. Nit ,helps bill 10 recommit
with instructions TO the committee TO report
bill applying also to the Central Pacific.
Without action the senate adjourned
HOUsE.-A number OF small measures
were passed and the postofiice appropria-
ton bill was discussed.