The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-02-18
FIFTY SECOND CONGRESS.
AN APPROPRIATION FOR a DRY DOCK
AT ALGIERs, La, PASSED.
Bill to Appropriate Fifteen Millions for I'M
provement of the Mouth Of the Missis-
sippi River Placed on Calendar-The
Army Promotion Bill Called Up.
THE SENATE.

THE SENAlEs
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The at
tendance of senators at the opening of
today's session was more numerous
than usual. Senators Hill, Brien and
McCullom, however, were absent.
A bill appropriating $15,OOO,OOO for
the improvement of the Mississippi
river from it's passes to the mouth of
the Illinois river, was reported and
placed on the calendar.
A concurrent resolution instructing
the senate committee on immigration
and the house committee on immigra-
ton to investigate the admission to
the port of New York of Russian inn
migrants infected with the typhus
fever, was introduced by Senator
Chandler and was passed.
Senator Henderson from the COM
mittee on military affairs reported adj
versely four bills for an increase of the
infantry and artillery branches of. the
army, and reported in lieu thereof a
bill to reorganize the artillery and in
fantry branches of the army and in
crease the efficiency, which was
placed on the calendar.
The vice president presented rec
concentrations from the treasury de-
partment for urgent deficiency APP
"a; - hn
year as follows: "Fifty thousand dol
lars to continue the recoinage of I'M
current and worn subsidiary coins,
$40, 900 for salaries and expenses of the
United States court of appeals and
$4,000 for printing for the department
ofjustice. They were referred to the
committee on appropriations.
Senate bill appropriating $350,000
for dry dock on the government res
ervation near Algiers, La, the entire
cost to be $3.50 900, was taken from the
calendar and passed.
The senate then resumed considera-
ton of the bill providing for public
printing and binding and distribution
of public documents.
After long discussion, the bill was
reported to the senate and passed.
After brief executive session the
senate adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The House,
which today enters upon the eleventh
week of its labors, was called to order
by Clerk Kerr, who read commune
cation from the speaker designating
Mr.. McMillin of Tennessee as speaker
pro tenn.
Speaker Crisp;s absence is in obedi-
ence to his physisian's advice. He
suffered from a severe headache yes
terday, and thought it advisable to
remain at the hotel today. He hopes
to be able to WELD the gravel tomor-
row.
Mr.. Cultivate of Ohio, from the
committee on military affairs, moved
to suspend the rules and pass the bill
to establish lineal promotion in the
army. Agreed to, and the bill passed.
The bill provides that all promotions
in the several lines-artillery, cav
airy and infantry up to the grade of
colonel-be by seniority in the next
lower grade according to original en-
try into regular service as commits
stoned officer.
Mr.. Mansur of Missouri, from the
committee on territories, moved to
suspend the rules and pass the bill
extending the laws of Missouri rela-
tive to mines and mining over the In
dian territory. Second reading was
not ordered, and the House adjourned.
TIE TARIFF AND SILVER BILLS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The ways
and means committee will report
three tariff bills to the house during
the present week. This much was de-
termined upon at the meeting of the
democratic majority today. Measures
to be reported are the Springer free
wool bill, the Bryan free binding
Irvine bill and the Turner bill placing
cotton ties, cotton bagging and ma
chinery for making same upon the
free list. 1t is probable that there will
be an interesting struggle between
the tariff bills and the Bland free silver
coinage bill for precedence in order of
consideration in the house. In fact
the struggle has already begun.
With silver out of the way public at
tention will be concentrated on the
tariff bills and by keeping that ques-
ton before the public steadily it's
prominence will be much greater than
if the silver bill is sandwiched be-
tween them. In this view they are
by very considerable
of Ken who are in favor of
the tariff question paramount
to the silver issue and of this class of
some are on the ways and
means committee itself.
EFFECT OF M'KINLEY LAW.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The House
Of Representative of the Fifty-second
congress decreed that the first investi-
cation into the operations of the Nc
Kinley law should be conducted by
the committee on agriculture. This
has the informal sane
ton of the Democratic ways and
means committee, as the inquiry of
Chairman Hatch and his committee |
will be directed particularly to the
effect high tariff has had upon the
agricultural interests of the country.
1t is understood that later on
the committee on manufactures
will be authorized to conduct an
inquiry as to the effect of the tariff
law on manufacturers and skilled |
After some formal