The herald., 1894-03-21
HouaN PHnomws1ssas.
The Sundry Civil Bill PAssed-LeAres of
Absence Revoked

The Sundry CivH Bill PAssed-Leaves of
Absence Revoked.
WASHINGTON, March 20.-The sundry
civil appropriation bill was passed by
the house today without division. The
amendment to the appropriation for the
general land Office, amending the pro-
visions of the act OF 1891, repeating the
timber-cuiture and pre-emption acts,
which was adopted in the committee at
the suggestion OF Holman, and which
was bitterly opposed by the western
members, was defeated in the house.
The clauses which sought to require an
accounting by the disbursing officers of
the soldiers homes to the treasury de-
psrtment and annual reports by the
boards to the secretary of war, fell under
Blacks point of order.
The bill as passed carries $2l7 900
more than it did as reported from the
committee on appropriations.
The four appropriation bills passed bv
the house District of Columbia, PEN
sions, Notifications and sundYy' civil)
carry a reduction of $24 ,3l4.95S, as COM
pared with the same bill Tor the current
fiscal year.
In the house today. at their request.
Catchings of MisHissIppi and Beltz.
hoover (Dem.) of Penney lvania, were
relieved from further service on the Pa
cifc railroads COMMITTEES.
The house, after a call OF committees
for reports. went into committee OF the
whole and the consideration of the sun
dry civil bill was resumed. The pend
ing question was Blacks point of order
against two clauses in the paragraph re-
lating to the soldiers homes and requir-
ing the disbursing officers of the homes
to give bonds and make an accounting
to the treasury department and requir-
ing the board OF managers to make an
nual reports to the secretary of war.
Simpson (Pop.) of Kansas, speaking OF
the general merits of the resolutions,
detailed the correct state of affairs found
at the Leavenworth soldiers home. He
was not convinced that the policy of
placing the homes under the war de-
partment was good one, but he argued
that an investigation into the general
affairs of the homes should be made.
Black of Illinois replied to Ere
marks in regard to this matter. With
regard to the criticism upon the fact that
liquor was sold under the authorization
of the board ot managers at the homes,
he defended the action of the board.
Fifty years OF appetite, he said, could
not be broken, and the establishment OF
beer halls, which correspond to the can
teen system of the regular army, had
been deemed wise and humane.
The chair then sustained the point OF
order and the two paragraphs were
stricken from the bill. This disposed of
the last paragraph OF the bill, but by
an arrangement agreed upon yesterday,
several members were allowed to sub
NIT some remarks ON various subjects.
Hartman (Rep.) OF Montana and MIR.
McCleary OF Minnesota proceeded to
criticize the amendment to the appro-
priation to the general land office
adopted at the inHtigation OF Holman,
amending the timber culture and pre-
emption act of 1891.
Tawney (Rep.) of Minnesota and
Johnston (Rep.) of Indiana also criti-
cised the Holman amendment to the
timber culture repeal act Of 1891.
Holman made brief explanation in
defense of his amendment, and after
some further remarks by Bowers Of
California, Patterson and Wilson Of
Washington, the committee rose and re-