The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-02-12
THE SEN ATE AND HOUSE.
WORK OF OUR NATIONAL LAW
MAKERS.

Proceedings of the Senate and House OF
Representatives = Important Measures
Discussed and Acted Upon-Gist of the
Business.
On the I'd and Sd the Senate accomplished
nothing of Importance. The fertilization
bill, contemplating coast defenses at Bos-
ton, New York, San Francisco, Hampton
Roads, and Washington, received some at
tention, as did also u measure proposing an
international conference upon the question
of the slave trade and the trade in gun
powder and liquors in Africa. In
both houses a bill was passed to amend
section los, Revised Statutes, so as to read:
"Vacancies lin the Cabinet) occasioned by
death or resignation shall not be temper
arily filled under the three preceding Sec
tions for longer period than thirty days.n
1.-THE present law limits the lime to ten
days, and the bill has special reference to
the appointment of a successor of the late
Secretary Windom.) The Senate hill was
passed by the House with an amendment
striking out the appropriation clause) pro-
viding for the erection of a public building
at st. Paul Mimi, at cost of $500, 0CG.
IN the Senate, among the bills reported
and placed on the calendar on the 4th were
the following: Senate bill, to provide for
the inspection of vessels carrying export
cattle from the United States to foreign
countries; Senate bill, to prevent adultera-
tions of food and drugs. Mr.. Blair pre-
Sented the credentials of his successor,
Jacob III. Gallinger. and they were placed on
file. After short executive session the doors
were reopened, and legislative business was
resumed In the House Mr.. Dingley of
Maine reported from the Silver Pool Com
mittee q resolution discharging j. A Owen
by from the custody of the Sergeant at
arms. Adopted. Mr. Mckinley asked
unanimous consent that during the remain
der of the session the House shall meet at
II o'clock a. M. Mr.. Rogers of Arkansas,
objected The House then went into execu-
tive committee of the whole on the diplo-
matte and consular appropriation bill.
In the House. on the 5th. it was ordered
that during the remainder of the session
the hour of meeting shall be at IL O'Clock
a. M Mr.. BoOthman, of Ohio, reported d
resolution for the printing of a digest of the
election cases decided by the Fifty-first
Congress, which was adopted, and the
House went into committee of the whole
on the sundry civil appropriation bill.
The Senate took up the pension
appropriation bill. 1t appropriates for.
pensions for the year S133, 175, 085;
for fees and expenses of examining sur
geons 81, 100000; for salaries of eighteen
pension agents, S72, 900; for clerk hire,
$500, 600. The latter item is increased by
an amendment Of the Committee on Appro-
priations to $4,000 Another amendment
reported from the committee strikes out the
proviso limiting to SO the compensation of
a provisO limiting snch compensation to S..
There was long discussion on the latter
amendment.
IN the House, on the 9th, Messrs. Flower.
Wilson, Vaux, and others pitched into,
Worlds Fair matters in a vicious way.
They denounced the whole managerial ma
chinery as extravaganza, cumbersome and
laundering, and attacked the constitutions
ality of any appropriation by Congress.
Mr.. VauX's performance was so amusing
that his time was extended two or three
minutes. The old gentleman was in
his quaintest mood. He told stories on
General Jackson, cracked jokes at the ex-
pense of the Farmers Alliance and for
fifteen minutes kept the House in
uproarious laughter Free coinage is,
believed to be killed by the decision of the
Speaker that no amendment of existing
laws can be made in appropriation bill.
In the Senate Mr.. Morrill, made a speech in
opposition to the eight-hour bill. He said
that he was convinced that the eight-hour
law of 1868 was wrong. and that it would
in1ict upon the class it was specially in
tended to benefit grave and possibly an
irreparable injury. The House passed the
Senate bill amending the land forfeiture
act of Sept. 90, 1890.
BUT little was done by Congress on the
18th, except to consider Worlds Fair mat
tiers. After long discussion concerning
salaries of officials, Col. Davis, Director
General, was awarded 1880 per year, and
his position was made a national one. The
President will be paid $1,000, Vice Presi-
dent 81, 900, the Secretary So, 600, and $4,000
will be devoted to clerk hire. These figures
are greatly reduced; but the action of the
House in recognizing the Director General as
q national officer is regarded by the Fair
officials as a great victory, as it stamps the
enterprise as a national and will give
assurance to foreign exhibitors that private
interests do not control it, President
Palmer regards the action of reducing
salaries with disfavor, but says he should
work as hard for nothing as he would for a
big figure; and he says the exhibit is to be
the grandest the world ever saw