The Washington times., 1894-08-14
SENATE KILLS The PROJECT
No Addition to the Printing Office to
Be Made This Session.
SENATOR sHERMAN'S MOTION
He Settled the Matter by Moving That the
Senate Recede from Its Amendment to
the sundry Civil Bill-0thers Advocated
Prompt Action-Senator Vests Appeal.

By its action in receding, by vote OF 26 to
10, from its own amendment to the sundry
civil bill, providing for the acquisition of the
Malone lot with the S25O,OOO appropriated
for that purpose In 1880, the Senate killed the
project for an addition to the Government
Printing Office this session, and thus endan-
gered the lives OF hundreds Of people for six
months more at least.
When the sundry civil bill came up in the
Senate yesterday, the House amendment was
read and then Senator Sherman, after stating
his opinion that an appropriation bill was no
place for such legislation as this, moved that
the Senate recede from its amendment and
thus settle the matter. In view Of the fact
that the Malone site had been approved by a
large majority In the Senate and disagreed to
by the House, he thought this action the
wfsest. He was glad, he said, that $4,000
had been appropriated for putting the pres
ent building In a safer and better condition.
Senator Cockrell, who followed Senator
Sherman, suggested that the large majority
for the Malone lot, when the amendment was
adopted in the Senate, was no criterion OF
what might and ought to be done, and added
that the Senate often changed its course
of action. The same was true OF the
House. In the Fifuieth Congress the Senate
proposed an addition on the present site
and the House had been opposed to it. How
the position was reversed. He urged action
on the question now and the adoption of the
House amendments.
Senator Vest was another advocate of prompt
action. He wanted the House amendment
adopted at once. Then he discussed the at
tempted legislation on the question at this
session OF Congress and said: The question
now is whether the matter is to remain open
for ten years longer or whether an addition
shall be erected on a site where the govern
ment already has building and owns
ground" After severely criticsing Senator
Sherman for his objections, Senator Vest
closed with a strong appeal for action. 'Shall
Congress" he said, "have another horrible
scandal on its hands. in which our public off,
GERS are to be indicted for murder, due to
criminal negligence? The present Govern
ment Printing House Is standing scam
dal and a reproach to Congress. /, for one,
am not willing to gee hundreds of people in
danger of their lives day and night.
Senators Harris and Gallinger made some
brief remarks, after which a misunderstand-
ing having arisen over some OF the amend
ments, a motion was made by Senator Lind
say that the Senate agree to the House
amendment This motion was lost by vote
of 20 to %, when Senator Aldrch moved that
the Senate recede from its amendments for
the Malone site without further action, thus
killing the measure. The vote on this propo-
sition was 26 to 10, and as a result through
the refusal of the Senate to make any conces-
sion in the matter, the lives of hundreds Of
employees are to be subjected to great risks.