Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-12-12
FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IL.
SENATE.

SENATE.
The Senate was called to order by
President pro TEN. Harris.
House bill was passed to enable set
tiers who had forfeited their claims to
take M land under the homestead law.
On motion of Mr.. Quay the Senate
bill granting an American register to
the steamer Empress, under the name
of Laurada, was passed.
A resolution was agreed to providing
for the printing of 5000 copies of the
special report on the "slums of cities. !"
Mr.. Platt addressed the Senate on
the bill to create the territory of Idian-
ola out of portion of the Indian Tetri-
tory. For himself, he preferred gov
eminent by commission, as is now
dope in the District of Columbia:
but he supposed, however, that it
would be open to the objection that
such method was contrary to the
American doctrine of selfgovernment.
Mr.. Platt stated that the white In
dians" had usurped the best and great
er part of the territory. Instead of be-
ing Indian republics, they were now
white oligarchies, and he asserted that
there was no such landlordism any
where in the world as found in the
Indian territory.
Mr.. Pugh presented the credentials
of Mr.. Morgan as Senator-elect from
Alabama for the term beginning March
next, which were read.
Among The pension bills passed were
those granting pensions to the widow
of Gen. N. P. Banks and to Mrs.
Katnerine ToddiCrittenden; also placing
Mai. Gen. John A McClernand on the
pension roll at 500 month.
The Nicaragua canal bill was then
taken up; and Mr.. Gray took the floor.
But he expressed preference for TAX
ing up and acting upon Immediately the
bills for free coal, free iron ore.
and for imposing fiat duty of 40 per-
cent. on all sugars, dong away with
the differentials oils and Ito cent.
He moved to take up the sugar bill.
Mr.. Morgan made slight protest
against the displacement of the Mica.
ragua bill.
The motion made by Mr.. Gray was
defeated by vote of yeas, %; nays, 81.
A motion to take from the calendar
and consider Mr.. Vests cloture rule
was also defeated yeas, "a; nays; 81.
HOUSE.
Among the executive documents laid
before the House to-day was one from
the Secretary of War transmitting the
report of the board of officers appoint
ed under the river and harbor bill to
investigate the most feasible route for
| the construction of the Delaware and
Chesapeake canal.
Mr.. Breckenridge moved that the
House resolve itself into committee OF
whole to take up the urgent deficiency
bill reported yesterday, and asked
unanimous consent that committees
having reports to make be permitted to
hand them to the clerk.
Mr.. English, who has been unable to
secure consideration of his bill to ap-
propriate 100000 to enlarge the public
building at Newark, N. j., promptly
objected.
Committees were called for reports.
Mr.. Breckiuridge's motion was
dStS W, etuu Ill SilOiI WAS uduC W
agree upon limitation of general de-
bate. The opponents of the item ap-
propriating money to make the income
tax law effective, and of the item in
creasing the appropriation for payment
of special pension agents and Mr..
Breckenridge could not not come to
terms, however, and the discussion was
be gun under the III es.
Gen. Henderson antagonized the
item of $3.50, 900 to pay special pension
examiners, and moved to reduce the
appropriation to $4,000. Mr.. Hen
derson said the policy of the pension
bureau had changed so as to direct
special agents from the purpose origi-
nally intended and that their investi-
cations were now directed to prevent
ing the issue of pensions to persons
lntitloI RI rooaiua thop,