The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-03-15
FlFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
THE SUNDRY CIVIL BILL BEFORE.
THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Morse Wants to Cut the Interstate,
Commission Off From Its Lad.
der-About That Defective
Armor Plate.
THE HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, March 10. - The
house today began the considerations
of the bill making appropriations for
the sundry civil expenses of the gov
nment aud fair progress WAS madev
Only three amendments Of any impor-
lance wers adopted; one appropriating
$43 500 for lighting Hay Lake channel,
another for $64 900 for the public
building at Buffalo, and another for
$780, GOO for repairing the postotfice at
New York. The latter was fought by
the appropriation committee. The
only other amendment of Importance
was one made by Mr.. Morse, Massar~
chusetts, to cut off the appropriation a
for the Interstate commerce commits. .
sion. The manner in which that por-
ton OF the appropriation for counsel
fees (Slo4 000) was used led To rather g.
spirited debate in which Mr.. Canton
Of Illinois, rather broadly intimated
that this appropriation had been
placed under the direction of the COM
mission instead of the department of
justice as heretofore, because of the
criticism against Attorney-GeneraL
Olney from certain quarters that he
was in sympathy with corporations.
The Morse amendment precipitated
a rather bitter attack from Mr.. Wise,
OF Virginia, who had read an anony,
nous letter charging Mr.. Morse with
opposing the law from purely selfish.
reasons in the interest of the stove,
polish concern OF which he was the
nrnnrInfnr N Of
house was tested upon by the Morse
defeated by Mr. Hailes, of New York,
who made the point OF no quorum.
Just before adjournment Mr.. Cum
mings presented as a privileged re-
port from the committee on naval af-
fairs, his resolution calling for infor.
nation from the secretary of the navy
regarding the violation OF the amor
plate contracts by Carnegie, Phipps'
u Co., which had gone to that COM.
mittee in the early part of the session.
on Mr. Stones objection. The latter
explained that he had no personal
knowledge regarding the matter dealt
with by the resolution, but he object
ed to it in the absence of Mr.. Dalzell
until he could communicate with
Pittsburg. This he had done by tele--
graph and learned that there was no.
objection to the passage of the resClu.
ton by Carnegie, Phipps & Co. He
lad seen many statements in the
newspapers rejecting upon that com.
pany in connection with these con-
tracts, and while he knew nothing
personally about the matter from &C..
quaintance with Mr.. Carnegie and
Mr.. Pbipps he felt sure that full in
vestigation would exonorate them
from the charges that they had made
any attempt to defraud the govern
ment. If defective plates had been
delivered 1t was without their knowl-
edge. The resolution was agreed to
and the house then adjourned at 5:10s-.
THE SENATE.
WASHINGTON, March 13.-The pro-
ceedings in the senate today were,
of an extremely embarrassing Char
acter. Without the Intervention of
any morning business except the
presentation of few petitions and the
the introduction of some unimportant.
bills, the senate took up the discus
sion of the seignor1 ge bill. Senators
Stewart and Lindsay spoke in favor.
and Mr.. Dolph spoke in opposition
holding it's passage would destroy the
existing equality between gold and
silver ana the two new senators,
Mr.. McLaurin of Mississippi and Mr..
Blanchard of Louisiana received their
committee appointments.
TREATY RATIFIED.
LONDON, March 13,-A dispatch to
The Times from 81. Petersburg, says:
"The state council has ratified the
treaty of commerce with Germany