Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-03-04
FINAL STRUGGLE.
House and Senate Have Trouble
in Agreeing.
FIGHT ON THE DEFICIENCY BILL,

The Conferrees Away Apart on the
French SpoIiation Claims and Other
items-What Was Done During the
Day and Night-The Sherman Amend
ment to the Copyright Bill Dropped;
Also the Hawaiian Cable Subsidy-A
Million Dollar Appropriation That
Causes Observation-Disclosures Notes.
WASHINGTON CITY, March 4-Interest
In the transactions of congress was at full
height yesterday, and there were full gal
leries in both chambers to watch the pro-
ceedings. a number of amendments ap-
proprlating money were agreed to, in the
senate especially, and it was safe to say
that in this way the amount of aggregate
appropriations would be very materially
increased before the gavel fell at noon to-
day. In the senate Plumb got in an
amendment to the general deficiency bill
giving $4,000 10 the destitute settlers in
oklahoma, and the French spoliation
claims were added to the amount of
81 $40 600. Edmunds opposed this amend
ment, and so did Sherman, the latter say.
ing that he had examined the question
when he first went to congress, and that
ne bad come to the conclusion that there
was neither legal nor moral obligation
for them on the part of tie United States.
He still entertained that opinion. Evarts
and Hoar both declared that no claims
even made stronger appeal to the honor
Of the country.
Piumb's Rad on Civil Service Reform
Plumb desired to have an amendment
offered and agreed 10 distributing among
the various departments of the govern
ment number of census Office CLERKS
whose employment is about to cease, but
Edmunds objected on the ground that it
was purely legislative subject, and that
it interfered with the operation of the
civil service rules, these clerks not having
had to go through the forms OF civil serv-
ice examination. The amendment pro-
viding for the payment of claims for serv-
ice by the Pacific railways was agreed to.
Another amendment gives California,
Oregon and Nevada 81, 45O, 800, 1924, 526
and SlO4, $40, respectively for monies ex-
pended by them in the suppression of the
rebellion, and 81, 500, 600 was put in for
advances made by New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Delaware and South Cerolina in
the war of 1912
Fight Over the Copyright Bill.
There was fight over the copyright
bill. The house was dead set against the
SHERMAN amendment, and the senate W as
dead set in favor thereof. Sherman said
If it was dropped he would not vote for
the bill. Finally the senate conferrees
receded, and reported to that effect.
Sherman said that, in other words, the
senate conferrees had surrendered what
had been twice voted for by decisive ma
Jorities of the senate. He mentioned the
fact that, contrary to parliamentary
usage, a majority of the senate conferrees
had been made up of senators opposed to
the action of the senate on the bill. That
was rather peculiar organization of
conference committee. The effect of the
proposition as it now stood was to make
copyright an exclusive monopoly. Ee
would vote against it. The report. how
ever, was adopted-27 to 49,
other Disagreements Settled.
The senate also agreed to the conference
report on IT." pension bill The bone of con-
tention having been the provision relating
to fees of pension attorneys, it was agreed
that 1t should not apply to valid existing
contracts, express or implied. The fee al
lowed in other cases is 81 The clause in
the diplomatic bill providing for a cable
to the Hawaiian islands WAS stricken from
the bill The senate also passed large
number of private pension bills during
the session, which lasted until the "wee
sma' hours"