Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-18
Suspension Day in the House. More Money Appropriated.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL BILL
Discussed Pro and Con by Senators-Peffer Gets in His
 Usual Little Obje action.

WASHINGTON, Dec. l7.--This was sus- pension day under the rules of the house, and before the army appropriation bill was called up by MT. Outhwaite, chairman of the committees on military affairs, MT. Me Rae of Arkansas, chairman of the commit tee on public lands. succeeded in passing, under suspension of the rules, the bill to protect pubic forest reservations by vote Of 159 10 13 The bill as reported from the committee was amended go as to give free timber to miners and settlers on public lands.
 Mir. Springer, from the committee on banking and currency, reported the Car lisle bill, providing new system oi cur reucy, and gave notice that he would ask the house to begin general debate upon It tomorrow. The bill was accompanied by the views of the majority, prepared by MT. Springer, and of the minority, prepared by hir alker, republican, oi Massachusetts.
 The army appropriation bill, ending June 30, 1896, was passed, carrying total of S23 25y sos; also an urgent denciency bill of S1U0 ,000 to continue operations or the government printing office.
 In the morning hour the house passed the private pension bills, fifteen in num- Der, reported favorably by the committee of the whole al last Friday nights session. Chairman Savers of the appropriation committee, in reporting the slO0 ,00o den- ciency for the government printing ofhce, stated that ihe urgent deficiency bill passed last week carried similar appropriation, :, but that owing 10 danger of delay In the passage oi the bill through the Sc nate lt would be necessary to pass the blll, as the printing flee would otherwise be closed.
 MT. GoiGzier introduced a resolution providing for the appointment of com mittee to investigate the anti-toxlne treat ment of diphtheria.
 Mir. Outnwaite introduced joint resolu- ton to revive the grade of lieutenant-gen- eral in the army. The bill Is drawn to carry out the recommendation of Secre- tary Lamont to make General Scbofeld lieutenant general. When General Schoheld retires the grade is to pire. Adjourned.
 IN THE SENATE.
 The debate in the senate today on the Nicaraguan canal bill was Of an interesting character. Mir. Petfer, populIst, of Kan sas, d, clared himself in favor of the enter prise, but opposed to the financial feature of the bill lie questioned the ability of the government 10 pay In gold tle ponds provided for in the bill, ana sa1d mat the government was to arrange the outstand- ing bonds. He saw financial d fncultles, in which domt 5tic lnsurrectlon or lorelgn war, or both, were the logical possibilities. He was in favor of it if silver coinage were restored or a fresh issue of paper currency made with which to pay the expenses of construction of the canal, but he was op- posed to the further issue and sale Of bonds for any purpose.
 MT. SouiIes, republican, of Washington, put forward no such condlilohs' out aa- vocated the bill unquallfiedly, declaring that the work would be an enduring mon ument to the civilization of the age and or far more importance to the country than the SueZ canal was 10 the eastern country.
 The pending measure was handled by Hl vehement talk. He declared himself in favor of the canal. He did not regard the pending measure furnishing a means for it's accom- plish ment. He regarded 1t as one of the measures that would certainty lead 10 another failure, he thought, Of a similar conception. Besides he had grave doubts of its constitutionality, holding, as he did, that the government had no right to subsidize or 10 gauge the papers of any country. The only precedent tnat couid , road, and he said that the government se- curity for the payment of the immense sum due by this company was ample as com pared with the security which It had TOT the Nicaragua Canal company, all oi whose assets had been sold two years ago In New York under decree of the United States court for S2s7 ,000 and would not fetch S50 today in Lonuon or in Amsterdam. lie had not completed his speech when the St nate adjourned.
 SENATE NOTES.
 Vice President Stevenson presided over the senate today.
 The urgent military academy and fortifi- cations appropriation bills were received from the house and referred to the commit tee on appropriations.
 Senate bill to amend the act authorizing the construction of bridge across Con- tentnea creek at GrifteD, Lenoir county, N. C., was taken from lhe calendar and passed.
 The bill for the Michigan university was taken up and MT. Kyle, populist, of South Dakota, addressed the senate in its advo- cacy, and with the close of his speech the bui was again placed on the calendar.
 After some further unimportant business the canal bill came up and Mir. Turpie offered an additional amendment for the appointment of three competent engineers two of them army engineer officersl to make survey and estimate of the canal on the line proposed by MT. White of Cali fornia. At the conclusion of MT. Turpie's speech a short executive session was held and the senate adjourned.