Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-07
SENATE

The first half hours session of the Senate
was consumed in the presentation of petitions
most CT them of the sereotypod character
from religious assoc atoms for the closing Of
the worlds fair on Sunday and from state
oranges on various subjects of proposed legis-
lation.
Among the bills reported from committees
and placed or the calendar were the following:
TO EXTEND THE FEEE-DELIvERY SYSTEM
Extending tho privileges Of free mail delivery
(now enjoyed by towns and cities with pop.
ulatiou of 10000 and with an annual gross
postal revenue of 100000 to towns and cities
with opulation of 5000 and postal revenue
OF 5000.
10 amend the articles OF war 70 10 to give
courts martial the same power to punish for
| contempt as is given to civil courts of criminal
jurisdiction in the state or territory where the
Court-martai sits.
Among tho bills introduced and referred
were the following:
BY Mr.. PETER (by request)-To allow the
United States to exchange its interest-b bearing
! debt for legal tender notes.
Also, to increase tho pensions OF the soldiers
of tho war of 1912 to s25 month.
| POSTAL TELEGRAPH SERVICE
BY Mr.. Sawyer-To authorize the establish
ment of postal telegraph service. 1t author
ICES the Postmaster General upon the advice
and approval of the Secretary of the Treasury
and the Attorney General TO contract with any
person, company or corporation owning or
| operating telegraph lines for the transmission
OF correspondence, press dispatches and postal
money orders. at such rates as may be agreed
! upon by the contracting parties not to exceed
| the rates now charged for similar messages.
1t also authorizes the Postmaster General to
conclude treaties or conventions with foreign
countries for the extension and connec ton of
| the postal telegraph service. The bill was re-
| ferred to the post Office committee.
BY Mr.. Perkins--For the encouragement Of
| industrial and academic education Of Indians
| in Oklahoma and the Indian territory:
Dir. Morgan offered resolution instructing
tho committee on privileges md elections to
take into consideration and to report with oil
! convenient dispatch upon resolutions (also
offered by him) establishing rules for the cleo
tion Of United States Senators. /: was laid over
till tomorrow.
THE IDAHO CONTEST AGAIN.
Mr.. Morgan then moved to reconsider the
| vote whereby Mr.. Dubois was declared enti-
| tied to retain his seat He said that Mr.. Du-
bois and the contestant, Mr.. Clagett, we're in
different to him both personally and politi-
cally. and that his sole purpose was that south
ern Senators, all Of whom were
excluded from the chamber when the act of
1866 was passed. should have right to say
something as to the proper construction Of that
| act under the Constitution.
After collcquy between Mr.. Morgan and
Mr. Teller. the motion was laid aside tenn
porari.y, as was also motion by MIR. Morgan
10 reconsider the vote by which MIR. Clagett's
claim was rejected.
On motion of Mr.. FELTON, House bill to set
apart tract OF land in California Ga little over
section) for the use Of the Lick observatory
of the astron0mical department of the Uni
endar and passed.
RAILROADS AND sFNAToRsHTpe
The resolutions heretofore offered by Mr.
Call in respect to railroad companies in Florida
influencing the senatorial election OF 1891 and
for the opening to settlement Of the railroad
land reservations in that state were taken up
and Mr.. Call addressed the Senate upon them.
THE PuRE FOOD BILL.
At the close of Mr.. Calls remarks the resolu-
ton as to the railroad lands in Florida were re-
| ferred to the committee on public lands and
the other resolution was allowed to remain on
the table. The pure food bill was then taken
up, and Mr.. Berry addressed the Senate.
HOUSE.
Notwithstanding the earnest efforts Of Col.
Ike Hill the whipper-in of the democrats, to
secure large attendance Of democratic men,
bers to vote upon the resolution setting apart
three days for the consideration of the silver
bill when the Speaker called the House to
order AZ noon he was confronted with a lnrge
array of empty seats. Col. Hill however. was
confident that it would not be many minutes
before the House would be well filed with the
advocates of silver and their opponents and
stated that the absentees would be about
equally divided between the two sides of the
question.
THE SILVER RESOLUTION.
Before the reading of the journal Mr.. Catch
Jugs of Mississippi called up the resolution and
the clerk proceeded to read. and upon its
adoption Mr.. Catchings demanded the previous
question.
Mr.. Tracey Of New York called attention to
the fact that the journal had not been read.
The Speaker declared that it was in order for
the gentleman from Mississippi to call up the
resolution.
The reading Of the resolution was concluded.
Mr.. DISaLKY's INQUIRY.
Mr.. Dingley-Has the chair ruled that this
report Of the committee on rules can DO con-
sidered before the journal has been read?
The Speaker-The chair has. That is the pro-
vision OF the rule.
Mr.. Dinsley-The Same provision of the
rules would confer the same privilege on con-
ference reports.
The Speaker-It does not confer the same
privilege on conference reports. The gentle
man is mistaken; there are express limitations
against conference reports.
Mr.. Dingley-Then the chair decides that
business can be done before the reading Of the
journal?
The speaker-The chair so decides.
AN APPEAL FROM THE CHAIR.
Nh. Tracey-I appeal from the decision Of
the chair. In advocacy OF his appeal he said
that it would be an unfortunate precedent to
make that the committee on rules. consisting
practically OF three members, could como into
the Hous. and force upon the 300 odd members