Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-04
NOT MUCH BUSINESS TRANSACTED
Bills Struggle for Precedence in
the Senate.
o n z p f n ION Bill L
Was Passed by the House Before
1t Adjourned.
SENATE.

Inc LUXURY TcCtrs VI SoIStcrr ~ uooh
today, and at that hour the session Of the SEN
ate was opened with prayer by the chaplain,
special reference being made therein to the
dangerous illness of Senator Kenna Of West
Virginia and the trust expressed that his useful
life may be spared.
| The certificates Of the election of presiden-
tial electors from the states Of Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, Mississippi. Iowa. Nevada, Yer
mont, Idaho, Virginia, Massachusetts and West
Virginia were presented by the Vice President
and were placed on file.
| EPIDEMIC DISEASES AND IMMIGRATION.
| After the introduction and reference Of
sundry bills and resolutions Mr.. Chandler
| On. q. moved order that on Friday next
after the routine morning business
and Saturday Gf necessary the
| two bills the calendar reported
by the committees on epidemic diseases and
| on immigration. having relation to the danger
| Of introduction of cholera into the United
| States, shall be the special orders and have
! exclusive consideration those days, with
out otherwise displaying the present ''un-
| finished business" 1t seemed TO him Che said)
that if any bills entitled to preference, they
| were. They were urgent i'll their character
| They represented different methods Of dealing
\ with the apprehended cholera-one total
suspension Of immigration for one year and the
| other increased quarantine powers to the exec
utive branch Of the government. He under
stood that the executive even without additional
legislative authority proposed to issue, within
| few days. regulations concerning quarantine
that would have an important bearing on the
! subject. He tMr. Chapdler) was willing that
| the quarantine bill should be first considered
| and disposed Of.
Mr.. Harris Glenn. J. who had reported the
quarantine bill, quite agreed with the Senator
| from New Hampshire that those two questions
| were OF the highest importance and that
ton should be taken upon them at the earliest
day possible.
| PLEA FOR THE ANTI-oPTION BILL.
Mr.. Washburn (Minn.) recognized the i'm
portance Of the measures referred to, but
thought that the anti-option bill was still more
| important
| At the close of the morning hour the anti
option bill was taken up for consideration.
HOUSE.
Although there was great deal Of noise and
hustle in the hall of the House this morn
| ing before the hour of noon it was
| caused mainly by members-elect and Wis
| itors, there being but few present MEM
| bers in attendance. Prominent among the
latter was Mr.. McCreary (Ky.), who was cor
daily greeted by his associates and who ran the
| gauntlet Of questions as to the doings Of the
monetary commission of which he was a MEM
DeI. WIN MS pleaedht efHttt he ftspoHHSQ 70
| the interrogatories, but his answers were rather
non-committal.
At IL o'clock the Speaker in a clear voice,
called the House to order, and the chaplain Of
fered PRAYER.
On motion Of Mr.. Wilson (rep., washingtonl,
Senate bill was passed authorizing the construc-
ton of bridge across the Columbia river,
Washington.
On motion of Mr.. English (dem., New Jer-
sey). Saturday. February H. was set apart for
the consideration Of resolutions relative to the
death Of Mr.. Edward Mcdonald of New Jer-
sey.
PUBLIC BUILDING RESOLUTION.
Mr.. Scott {nl.) asked consent for the con-
sideration of a resolution setting forth that the
Fifty-frst Congress provided for the construc-
| ton or extension Of IS public buildings
| that AZ have not yet been con-
| tracted for, and calling on the Secre-
| tary Of the Treasury for information as to the
reason why so many of these public works have
not been begun and why more than IS, 600 600
remain unexpended during the last two years
while the public service suffers.
Mr.. Dingey Me- objected. and the resolu-
/ ton referred.
On motion of Mr.. Long (dem.. Tex bill
was passed extending for five years the time
| within which a private company may complete
the deep-water harbor at Padre Island, on the
Gulf OF Mexico.
| On motion Of Mr.. Hoar dem. Mass. a bill
| was passed admitting free of duty the wreckage
| of the L. s. S. Trenton and Vandalia.
| PRIVATE PENSION BILLS.
| Mr.. Martin (dem., Ind. called up the pri-
vate pension bills on the calendar of unfinished
business.
Mr.. Bland (Mo.) became a stumbling block
| to the speedy passage of the measures He
| made TO set speech against them, but said
| that in view OF the fact that the laws per-
mitted almost any one to secure pension it
was time for Congress to call halt in the
| enactment Of special legislation.
The treasury was in a depleted condition
| mainly account of extraordinary squander-
| ing on account Of pensions by Congress. Con-
| gress should make halt and take a step back
| ward. The disability pension act should be
amended and the pensioners under it should be
compelled to show not only disability, but des-
titution.
One bill was passed and then the House at
| 2 o'clock adjourned without q quorum, being
able to muster but las votes.