The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-07-04
DOINGS OF CONGRESS
What National Lawmakers
Have Been Doing the
Past Week.

The silver bill passed the sen,,te by vote
of34 to %.
Senator Platt called up the bill for the ad.
mi mission Of Wyoming, and that now becomes
the unfinished business of tine senate. The
admission OF Idaho will speedily follow.
HOUSE.
The bill to limit the hours Of work Of clerks
employed in first. second and third class post
Offices: us amended by the committee, the
amendments being given heretofore, was IA
vorably reported.
Tho second conference on the antitrust bill
has reached an agreement. by tho terms Of
which the bill ia stripped OF all amendments
added by the scnate and house, and remains
as IT originally passed the senate
The snndry civil appropriation bill was
passed. The amendment making specific
III lieu of an indetinate appropriation for the
payment of back pay was deeatcd. lie.
entatives Hall aud Dunncll secured an
interpolation for an object. they were
greatly interested in. The sum of $2,4OO
WIS appropriated for signal station ut Red
Wing. ut the south end OF Lake Pepin.
Mr.. Morrill,, from tho finance committee
reported back the tariff bill. nn,l said that it
was not expected that it would he brought
up for consideration earlier than week.
On motion OF MIR. Henderson, the house
bill extending the time of payment to pur-
rhnsers of land of the Omaha tribe OF In.
dians in Nebraska WAS taken from the calen
dur and passed with amendments).
The senate then proceeded to the consider
ation of the legislative. executive and judi
| cial appropriation bill. An amendment was
| agreed to increasing the salnry OF 26 COM
Inttee clerks from 81 500 to $500 and the
salary ofclerks to senators from $1,5OO to
$500.
| As Secretary McCook announced the pas.
sage of the silver bill with sundry amend
merits. the Democratic side Of the house broke
out in IL loud applause, which was continued
Tor II minute.
The house went into committee Of the whole
on the Indian appropriation bill.
SENATE.
The senate committee on Indian affairs
has decided in favor of the appropriations
asked 10y several bills from time to time pre-
scnte,. Ia this congress Tor the aid OF the
Chippewa lndinns in Minnesota.
The senate committee on appropriations
has made several increases in the amounts
o. appropriations tor land office expenses
As reported in the legislative, executive
and Judicial bill. the amount given surveyor
general OF South Dakota is $13, 200 for sui
ary and clerks. an increase from g. 900: the
from $1,000 to $40. 500 for clerk hire. Mon
tam remains tine same ms originally reported.
SS.a00. North Dakota has an increase from
$4,000 to $4,000.
The chairman OF the house committee on
election of president. vice president and re-.
plesrntatives in congress submitted the re.
port of the committee upon the fedreal elec-
lion bill, dra ted in pursuance of the in.
strnctions of the Republican caucus.
The silver bill il now in the possession of
the clerk ofthc committee on coinage, weights
and measures. and lie hus no authority to
surrender it's custody except upon the order
OF the house or of the speaker. No such
order has been made by the house and the
speaker is not likely to recalli it.
SENATE.
The consular and diplomatic appropriation
hill was reported to the senate. A number
OF amendments are made in tho bill as it
passed the house. The committee incorpor-
nted i'll the bill the suggestions made by Sc
rr"tary l'lnine to enable the president to
carry into effect the recommendations of the
Pan-Americnn conference.
Senator Plumb received the postoffice ap.
preparation bill from the appropriation com.
mittee 1t appropri; is $72,4G1 ,699-an
Increase of s473.OOO over the amount ap.
propriated by the bill us it passed the house.
The house committee on postoffices and
post roads has postponed the further consid.
Grafton of the postal telegraph bill until
further consideration.
The mad rush of the free coinage men was
checked. There is considerable question Us
to how they will obtain the bill. which isnow
in the h,tntls of the committee on coinage
been considerable delay aud absent Republic
cans have heen coming in. Some Demo.
Gratis arrived during the day, but the longer
delay there il the more probable that conser-
vatives will win. The onslaught Of the Dem
ocrnts has teen not 80 much for free coinage
as to censure Speaker Reed md defeat him
md his party.
Senator Power introduced bill providing
or I he sale of public lands unfit for cult
vation, but valuable Tor the stone thereon.
The bill provides for their sale in blocks O.
100 acres. at the minimum price, $3.50 per
acre. Provisions are made that no mineral
lands or mining claim shall come under this
bill. md no rights heretofore acquired shall
be molestrd.
The Mormon bill passed. 1t provides that
all funds or property lately belonging to the
Mormon church shall be devoted to the use
and benefit OF common schools in Utah.
HOUSE.
The speaker made a statement concerning
his action in referring the silver bill to the
committee on coinage, weights nnd measures,
and the subsequent proceedings in the house
in regard to that action. In conclusion liz
| announced that the hill had been referred ac.
| ,ordng to the rules to the committee on
coinage. weights aud measures, and an up.
peal could be taken from tho reference.
SENATE.
Senator Plumb reported bill providing
tl,,k tl.l
1887, md January. 1889. on any improved
lands in the so.culled second indemnity belt
of tho Northern Paclfc's grant under the
homestead und presumption laws Of the
| lnited States may transfer their entries
rom this tract to any other government
lands. subject to entry under the homestead
! laws. rs they may select.
representative Comstock is far from
pleased with the amendment. The bill by
Mr.. Plumb is almost n new bill to such ON
extent has it been changed.
HOUSE
| Now that the houee committee on coin
ngc, weights and measures have the free
coinage bill in their possession by reference
of the speaker and sustained by the house.
| the question arises as to what they will do
With it. Should it he reported back amend.
ed SO as to provide for the purchase of
| four and n half million ounces OF bullion
per month, legal tender certificates to 10
issued for the same and free coinage when
371A grains worth n dollar. there is
doubt about the Eastern Republicans &c.
cepting it. They claim It is going too fur.
The conference report Oh the dependent
pension bill was taken up and Mr.. Berry
made a speech against it. The practical e.
feet OF it would be, he said, to put 90 per
cent of the Union soldiers into pension roll.
1t was really n service pension hill, and the
chairman of the committee on pensions (Mr.
Davis) could not deny that.
Mr.. Davis. chairman Of the committee on
pensions. replied to the arguments of Mr..
tinned by Senators Vest, Blair, Turpie,
Iinwlcy, Hale, Ingalls, and Teller. The con-
ference report was agreed to-34 to Is. Re-
pubicans voted in the affirmative The
house Insisted upon its disagreement to the
senate amendments.