The sun., 1894-03-15
WORK OF CONGRESS.
RESUME OF PRosEEDINGS OF THN
SENATE AND HOUSE.
Condensed Record OF the Important
TranAnctiOna of Our National Law
makerS-The Work Done in Both
Branches.

Washington, March. THE debate on
the pension appropriation bill was con-
tinucd to-day il the house, the feature of
the day being Gen. Sickles' speech crit
icizing the action of Commissioner J4och-
rem An agreement was reached where
by the debate on the bill will close to-
morrow. Before the debate began to-
day the resolution for the investigation
of Judge Jenkins writ of injunction
against the Northern Pacific railway en-
plcyes was taken up and passed.
A somewhat amusing episode cnlivened
the senate proceedings to-day, inaugur-
ated by Senator Berry's personal ex-
PLANTATION. A New York newspaper had
included him in a group IF portraits of
nine Democratic senators whom it
charged with being 'obstructionists" to
the tariff bill. Mr.. Berry denied that he
had ever been anything but an earnest
advocate of the bill, and on Pll occasions
had urged its speedy report to the senate
without modification. His explanation
was followed by explanations from SEN
ators Faulkner. Call, McLaurin and
Morgan, which led to much amusement
in the senate chamber. The main inter-
est of the day centered about the dis
cEssion as to the disposal of the Bland
bill. Mr.. Stewart gave notice that to-
morrow he would move to take it up
and make it the business before the SEN
ate until disposed of Mr.. Teller also
spoke ON the same subject.
Washington, Marth S.-After five days
of debate the pension appropriation bill.
carrying $151, 100000, passed the house
without division. Throughout the debate
there had been no criticism of the amount
csrried by the bill, debate being on the
Cne hand confined to an assault on the
manner in which the present commission
er of pensions had administered the Of
fee and his alleged unauthorized sIspen-
sion of pensions, and on the other to a
defense of the attempt of the commits
sioner to purge the rolls of those who
were not entitled to place upon them.
Yesterday there were several very spir-
tied speeches, those by Gen. Henderson
of Iowa, Mr.. O'Neill in closing the de-
bate and ex-Speaker Grow. All the
amendments to the bill, save one that of
Mr.. Pickler to make the reports of the
! examining surgeons open to the inspec-
tion of the applicant OF his attorneys,
were defeated They all fell under points
of order that they were not germane.
The one which attracted most attention
was that of Mr.. Enloe to repeal a por-
ton of the provision included in the
act of last December to prevent the sus-
pension of any pension except on thirty
days nOtic- as to permit the suspension
in case of plain prime facie evidence
that the pensioner had procured his pen
sion by forgery. perjury or other palpable
| fraud. This amendment was offered at
the suggestion of Commissioner LOchren
himself, who, under the opinion of the at
torney general, declared that if the act of
last December stood over $500, COO would
have to be paid out to suspended PEN
sioners who were proven beyond all ques-
tion not to be longer entitled to the pen
sions they had been drawing. Mr.. Outh-
waite, the chairman of the committee of
| the whole however, ruled the amend
ment out on Mr.. Martins point of order
| that it was not germane.
An exciting and Interesting debate was
precipitated in the senate yesterday by
Mr.. Harris motion for the second read
ing of the seigniorage bill. This was op-
posed by Mr.. Sherman, who moved its
| reference to the finance committee, and
in tie course of strong speech in OPP
position to the bill said that its object
was to divert trust fund from its lea
| gitimate purpose--a thing which in Ohio
would be penitentia!y Offense. His mo-
ton was defeated and the bill taken up
as unfinished business, and almost before
any one was aware of what had hap
pened it passed it's third reading and was
ON the point of passing the senate. Then
its opponents recovered from their sur
prise and endeavored to prevent it's pass
age, and on request of Senator Sherman
it went over until tomorrow.