The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-01-20
MILLS DENOUNCES REED.
THE SPEAKER CHARGED WITH PER-
PETRATING A FRAUD.
The Texan and Kerr of Iowa Exchange
Epithets--Thc House In Tumult of
Disorder and the Sergcant.a Arms
Called Upon to Qucll the Tumult.


In the Senate this morning, on motion
of Mr.. Spooner, the vote agreeing (somc
duys sncc) to the conference report on
the bill for public building in Mankato
Mimi, was rcconsidered, and the report
was withdrawn on account of the duplica-
ton of clause in the bill. A correct re-
port was substituted and agreed to- The
limit of cost Is 800 600, but no appropria-
ticn IL made in the bill, that being left "a,
n ether such bills to the Committee Oh
Appropriations and that fact, was. com.
mcntcd upon by Mr. Cockrcll, who as.
sumed that the Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds was avoiding its
share of responsibility. This was repealed
by his colleague, Mr.. Vest, who intiinated
that the tendency of the Committee on
Appropriations was to increase its powers.
The chairman of that committee, Mr.,
Allison, contradicted that intimaton and
stated that the trouble about appropri-
ations for public buildings came from the
other house.
In the further course Of the colloquy
Mr.. Vest stated that appropriations had
got to be made for many of the buildings
authorized in the bills of the last and
present sessions, and that his estimate of
the amount that would be required for
such bills was about &, 225, 600.
He also referred to the great necessity
of additional Government buildings in
Washington, and stated that the rent for
private buildings occupied by the Govern
ment in this city was about $4,000, the
owners receiving from Is to 20 per cent.
interest on their value of the property.
Mr.. Butler expressed his inability to
understand why with the number of
public buildings completed within the
last ten years. the rent account should be
30 large.
Mr.. Vest stated some of the items of
ls.,t x,.N al .,,,..
that for the Census Bureau alone it
amounted TO $4,000. He spoke of the
purchase by the Government some years
since of the Freedmen's Bank Building
and adjacent lot--a property which was
now worth double the amount
paid for it-and he regretted
that there was not bought at the same
tary Blaine, which could have been got
for $4,000, but could not be got now for
less than $4,000. He mentioned these
facts to show that, while the city of
Washington was in its infancy and the
Government was only commencing its
phenomenal career, Congress was refus-
ing to conduct the business OF the Govern
ment as business men would conduct theirs
and was allowing property to go up year by
year, without availing itself of the oppor-
tunity to save money to the people. He
mentioned the fact that the Maltby build
ing had been offered to the Government
for Sl25,000--a splendid investment-as
the structure had cost 500, 900, and that,
by obtaining that building and expanding
some $4,000 in changes, rents to the
amount OF some 100000 year now paid
for the accommodation of various boards
and bureaus), could be saved.
There ought to be- he said no hcsita-
ton about such an investment. The Com
mittee on Public Buildings and Grounds
xvnul1 nj an, aurlu 1ay nak tho Spuatp IN
consider u bill to purchase that prop.
crty, and he hoped that it would
meet with no serious opposition
and that that would be the initiatory
step toward inaugurating new policy
In regard TO public buildings in the Dis
of Columbia. After further discussion
in which the Butler Building was re.
ferred to as another piece of property
which should be acquired by the Govern
ment, the morning business was pro-
eeeded with.
Mr.. Dawes presented a petition signed
by ten eX-Governors of Massachusetts and
many other distinguished citizens of that
eral Banks may be placed on the retired
list of the Army. Referred to the Com
mittec on Military Affairs.
The resolution offered yesterday by Mr..
Mitchell, calling on the Secretary of War
for statistics and information as to a site
for q gun factory. on the Pacific coast,
was taken up and discussed.
Mr.. Allison asked that the resolution
should go over till tomorrow, intimating
that the location Of an additional gun
factory should not be restricted to the
Pacific Coast, but that the interior of the
country should be considered in the
matter.
Mr.. Mitchell assented and asked unani-
nous consent that it should come up to-
morrow as unfinished business. Agreed to.
All morning business being disposed of
Mr.. Aldrich, at 1:50, moved that the
Senate proceed to the consideration of the
resolution to change the rules submitted
by him on the Goth of December last.
The motion was agreed to without contest
on the Democratic side.
Mr. Harris rose to a question of order
and quoted rule 40, which provides that
no motion to modify, amend or suspend
rule or part thereof shall be in order eX-
ccpt on one days notice in writing
specifying precisely the rule or part pro
posed to be suspended, modified OF
amended and the parts thereof.
The notice given did not, he said, call
attention to the part of any rule proposed
to be modified, but simply left the Chair
and each Senator to find it out for him
self. He therefore argued that the notice
was not sufficiently specific.
The discussion was progressing when
at II. H.. tnc NlCc-I ItSlutlil ltlu DtLOIt
the Senate as the unfinished business the
Elections bill, and Mr.. George took the
floor to continue his speech against 1t.
The point of order was made by Mr.
Edmunds that the question of a change
of rules was q privileged question: which
superseded all other business.
This point was contested by, Mr.. Black
burn.
Mr.. George however, claimed the foo
and declined to yield to anybody. ii,
was yielding man, and had yielded him
self nearly out of court. lie then wen
on with his speech.
The cloture resolution will come up il
the morning hour tomorrow as uniinishe'
business, and can hold the Senate durln,
that time to the exclusion of everything
else.
1t is claimed that the Vice President viii
rule Mr.. Edmunds' point of order wei
taken and that the resolution is privilege
and that will take Mr.. George or anybod
else who happens to he talking on tn
Elections bill of the floor.
HOUSE.
Pandemonium broke loose in the Hous
this afternoon. No such scene has bee
witnessed in that body since the days u
reconstruction. The excitement follow
ing the adoption of the Reed rules n
the last session was but gentle zephy
compared with the whirlwind this after
neon.
II was o'clock when the clerk flnishc
the reading of the journal. Instant
Major Mckinley jumped to his feet an,
moved the approval of the journal, an
the Speaker put the question.
At this Mr.. Mills arose and said that tn
previous question ON the approval of tn
journal should first have been dcmande
and therefore made motion to that enC
and demanded right to be heard. Th
Speaker paid no attention whatever
Mr.. Mills and ordered the roll called o
MIR. McKinlcy's motion.
Tho Clerk began to call the, roll an