Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-01
FROM THE CAPITOL.
SENATE EXPLANATIONS.
After a Short Open Session the
Doors Are Closed.
THE FORTIFICATION BILL
Under Consideration in the
House This Afternoon,
THE SENATE.

THE SENATE.
The experiment of an II O'Clock meeting Of
! the Senate is not proving success. After
prayer by the chaplain there was call of Sen
| ators when only twenty answered to their
names. A second call resulted in the attend
ance Of thirty-six Senators. Then a motion
was made by Mr.. Cockrell that the sergeant-at-
arms be ordered to request the attendance of
absentees.
Mr.. Plumb preferred to have recess taken
| till noon, when, by natural process, Senators
would be present
MIR. Butler gave it as his opinion that if the
presence of Mr.. Edmunds (on whose motion
the II O'Clock sessions were ordered) were Sc
| cured business might be proceeded with. He
then moved to adjourn, and while the vote was
being taken on that motion he announced his
pair with Mr.. Cameron, but said that as he was
convinced Mr. Cameron would vote aye he
tMr. Butier) would also vote AYE" The re-
suit OF the yea and nay vote showed the pres
ence OF forty-three Senators Ga quorum.)
EXPLANATIONS OF ABsESrEEs.
Then Mr.. Ingalls, accounted for his nom
attendance at the hour of meeting by saying
that he Gas well as all the other members O.
the judiciary committee, of which Mr.. Ed
munds Is chnirman), had been engaged on the
business of that committee. That statement
was supplemented by a remark from Mr.. Vest
to the effect that the judiciary committee had
met at 9 o'clock and had been at work till a
moment ago.
These statements were treated by Mr.. Plumb
rs reflection on other Senators, who (unless
they made explanations) might be presumed
not to have been attending to their business;
and the public mind Che sald) was very sensi-
tive on that point.
NIB. BUTLER APoLoGIZEs.
Mr.. Butler thought that he ought rather to
make an explanation as to why he was present
He had neglected good many important mat
ters which he would have liked to attend to be-
fore coming to the Capitol. He thought that
he ought to apologize for being present at II
o'clock.
The journal of yesterday was then read and
approved.
WHERE WAS THE MISTAKE MADE.
The bill which some days ago was recalled
from the President in order to have a verbal
inaccuracy corrected (giving land to the city Of
Colorado Springs for a water reservoir gave
rise to discussion involving some criticism of
the secretarys Office by Mr.. Ingalls,. who said
that such mistakes had become very frequent
He was informed by Mr.. Teller (who had charge
OF the bil) that the error occurred not
in the secretarys Office, but in the Gov
ernment Printing Office. This led to an in
came of the manuscript of bills passed by the
Senate, and he expressed astonishment at
learning that they were sent to the printing
Office and were not returned till some
indefinite day in the future; that bills were
thus engrossed without comparison or collation.
with the bills as they passed the Senate: and
that thus the legislation of Congress was at the
mercy of the public printer, who was not an
officer OF the Senate and had no more to do
with the regularity OF its proceedings than the
shah Of Persia
Finally the necessary correction was made
and the bill as corrected was sent to the House.
RESCUE OF MISSISSIPPI FLOOD VICTIMS.
House bill authorizing the Mississippi river
commission to purchase or hire such boats as
may be Immediately necessary to rescue inhab-
itants of the overfiowed districts and to use the
boats for that purpose was laid before the Sem
ate and was (on motion OF Mr.. George passed
Immediately.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
Among the bills reported from committees
and placed on the calendar were the follow
ing: Senate bill to prevent the summary cam
collation. of pension certificates and providing
for hearing in cases relating thereto.
Senate bill giving pension of 800 month
to the widow of Gen. John F. Hartranft.
House bill to amend the census law in re-
lation to Chinese residents.
BACK TO NOON.
MIR. Hale offered a resolution (Which went
over till tomorrow changing the daily hour of
meeting of the Senate to noon.
This was followed by motion by Mr.. Plumb
that the adjournment today shall be till l2
O'Clock tomorrow. The motion was rejected
yeas 25, nays %. All the democrats voted aye
and were reinforced by Senators Pierce. Plumb
and Walcott. All the rest Of the republicans
voted 10.
SECRET SESSION.
Then at 1890, on motion OF Mr.. Edmunds,
the Senate proceeded to executive business.
THE HOUSE.
In the House this morning the chaplain feel
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