Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-03-03
Doings Of Congress.


The passage of the pension appropria-
ton bill in the Senate, the Indian appro-
priation bill and the car-coupler bill in the
house. and the inconvenience OF the
House in the Senste amendments to the
sundry civil bill, and the submission of the
bill to conference committee, aggregated
big DAYS work for Congress last Mon
day.
In the Senate but feeble objection was
10 ade to the enormous appropriation for
pensions The amount of this appropria-
lion is sl67. ZOO, 900. Senator German ad-
mitted that it was not worth while to at
tempt any revision of the pension system
At this late day, and especially after all the
propositions for reform had been defeated
10 the Democratic House by an immense
majority, the parties vieing with each
other as to which one could go. the farther
in extravagent pensions.
II is quite apparent. from the tone of the
Senate. that even If there had been ample
time Tor revision the vote would have
shown disposition in that body similar TO
that which impelled the House to defeat
all of the excellent, as well as the objee-
tiouabla, amendments to the bill proposed
by Mr.. Mutchler.
In the House the great struggle was over
the car-coupler bill. The sundry civil bill.
with little objection or delay, was sent to
conference committee. The news re-
ceived of the attitude of Messrs. Cleveland
and Carlisle, in formal letter from the
latter. had the effect to deter the oppon-
ents of the Sherman , per cent bonds
amendment from further delay IN sendIl
the bill to a conference, though the reason
for the sudden change of attitude was not
published on the floor of the House. 1t Is
Understood that the conferees on the part
of the House--Messrs. Holman, of Indiana,
Savers, of Texas, aud Eggswell, of Mass,
three members of the Committee on Ap-
propriations- will refuse to concur IN the
Senate Amendment, and that the Senate.
through its conferees, will recede from Its
position on the Sherman amendment.
Few are vet aware that the communication
from Mr.. Carlisle is the reason for the sud
den subsidence of the tempest excited over
the bill, and much wonder expressed to
day that the great silver warrior from Mis-
souri, should have so strangely "let-up" on
the Wall street sharks and their SUI erser-
yiceable tools in the Senate and House.
though anyone might have guessed that
Mr. Bland would not have succum6ed un-
less he felt that he Lad been given the as
surance that the wicked amendment would
be stricken from the bill.
AS In LQe CcUdLc, ~ III btC AloOoO-bAc
car coupler bill excited q tremendous an
tagonism, and bitter and insulting person
alities we frequentin the many briefspeech-
es which followed the success of the snp-
porters of the bill in defeating the filibus
tering and taking up the bill under a sus-
pension of the rules. The opposition to
the bill was led in the House, as in the
Senate, by Representatives of the South,
whose railroads claim to be poor, and by
those who are deeply interested as attor-
news for, or stockholder in, railroads which
would be heavily taxed if compelled to at
tach improved couplers and brakes to all
their cars and engines. Such an attitude by
such Congressman is,of course, as clearly
suggestive of a money consideration as
though they were paid for their votes, but
that irdirect sort OF bribery goes in all
legislatures, and especially in the National
Legislature.
In Tennessee there are railroads which
would be affected to considerable deGee
by this legislation, and Representatives
Richardson and Washington, of that State,
lashed themselves into. terrific fury in
their fight against the bill. Richardson
claimed, with a great flourish, that the
Switchmen's Aid Society was opposed to
the bill and that Frank Sweeney, fSwitch-
mems Union notoriety, was also against