Omaha daily bee., 1892-02-10
SETTLED DOWN TO BUSINESS
First Really Hard Days Work Of the Session
for the House.
MILITARY ACADEMY APPROPRIATION
Discussion of the Bill in the Housc-Na-
tional Bank Failures to BE Investigated
Yesterdays Work of tho Sem
ate and the House.

WAsnINGToN d. c., Feb. 9-The houso
today entered actively upon the legislative
work of the session, and la the brief space OF
five hours more practical business was
transacted than In any previous day OF the
congress. The presidents message, with Its
various suggestions and recommendations
legislation was referred Is the vvrious ap
propriate committees without a single con-
test over the questions OF jurisdiction, and
material progress was made in the considera-
tion OF the military academy appropriation
bill.
Mr.. Mutchler's resolution directing inquiry
as to the failure of the keystone and Spring
Garden banks of Philadelphia and the Nav
erick National bank of Boston was adopted.
A resolution was introduced directing the
committee on judiciary to iuquire into the
right of the secretary of the treasury to en-
ploy slOO, 200 of the gold reserve for cur
rent expenditures. Refecred.
Mr.. Hatch's bill. placing the secretary Of
agriculture IN line of presidential succession
after the secretary Of the interior, was
passed
Tue house then went into committee of the
whole on the military academp appropriation
bill. 1t approprates S465,+19, which is
larger than last years appropriation, but
Sll4,612 less than the average amount OF the
appropriations for the past three years.
the appropriation for the increased gas plant
had been included in the estimates of the
war department.
MI. Wheeler replied that though 1t had not
been included in the estimates, because at
the time the estimates were sent tho depart
ment was doubtful whether the plant should
be enlarged or an electric light substituted,
since that time the secretary of war had
asked hat the appropriation be made, and in
his letter to the committee he had referred to
the inefcienrV of the DfeSeut, Dlaut. In
cuson Mr.. Wheeler sold that the people de-
mandcd economy, out that they did not de-
mand and would not tolerate cheese pairing
in appropriations tor the support of the great
military academy
Efforts to Reduce Appropriations.
Mr.. Wheeler of Alabama briefly explained
the oill's provisions, bearing testimony at
the same time to the efforts of the COM
mittee on military affairs to reduce the ap-
preparations as far as 1t was consistent with
the well being of the academy. The dill, he
said, appropriated S465, 795. which was
SIS, ,525 less than the estimates of the depart
ment While it carried larger appropria-
tion than the bill of last year, 1T was Sll4,-
2l1 less than the average amount of appro-
priations for the academy for the past three
years. The reason for the increase over the
expenditures of the present fiscal year was
the necessity for certain permanent improve
ments, including the enlargement of the gas
plant, improving the sewage Of the post and
tHc uCW KY no pICoChU
gas plant was put IN thlrty-hve years ago
aud, owing to tho deterioration of the pipes,
was menace to the health OF the cadets.
Extravagant Democrats.
Mr.. Dockery of Missouri said that every
man on the democratic side joined in a de-
nuncation of the appropriations made by the
billion dollar congress. He did not believe
there was democrat on the floor who en-
dorsed the mighty aggregate of appropria-
tions of the last congress. And yet tho first
appropriation bill to come from the demo-
Gratis carried $4,000 more than the similar
DILL caused by the Fifty-iirst congress. The
question with the democrats was, whether
they intended to keep their pledge Of econ
omy or approve this bill, which added s84, 900
to the burdens of the taxpayers of the
appropriations, not only because they
were not estimated for by the
secretary of the treasury, but be-
cause the condition of tho treasury
did not justify them. On the first of the
calendar year the expenditures of the gov
ernment had exceeded the revenues more
than 100000. He proceeded to critzise the
appropriations made by the last congress.
and ended with an appeal to the democrats
who had been elected on the platform of re
form, to strike from the pending bill every
provision which was not absolutely essential
TO the support of the academy.
Confronted by a Deficiency.
MIR. Bount of Georgia said this house had
come into power with a deficiency confront
| ing it, and with the declaration of the treas
| u"y that there should be no more contrlbu.
tons to the sinking fund.
Mr.. Sayer of Texas opposed many of the
| provisions of the bill as being extravagant.
Mr. Dingley of Maine, defended the ap-
propriations made by the last congress,
| characterizing the charges of extravagance
as mere clap-trap. The Fiftieth congress had
| increased the expenditures made by the
| F'orty-ninth congress Just as much as the
| F'ifty-first congress had increased the ordin-
airy expenditures of its predecessor. The
| increase in appropriations was only com
mensurate with the growth of the country
| he depisted glowing terms, and his preor-
alton in which he ouloGized the heroes who
| had graduated from West Point, was warmly
| applauded
The committee then rose and the house ad
| journed.