The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-23

OSSO 1OOfO Y73 OOOsOOO CdC1ls au0 OAO vi
them to be built on the Pacific coast. SO
the senate actually reduced the amount
about So, 100000 from what the house
wanted.
Saved by Scratch.
This bill and the Indian, diplomatic,
sundry, civil and deficiency appropria-
ton bills were only saved by a scratch,
as Mr.. Cleveland signed them but a
little before noon on the 18th, and Sc
bills, which he was perfectly willing to
sign, failed to become laws by reaching
him too late. Most of them were bills
of only private and local interest, in
Guiding amendments to railroad char
tiers, especially the comprehensive rail-
way bill for this District, which was
championed by Senator HILL bills grant
ing pensions and correcting the military
records of individuals, and bills for ex-
ira sessions of courts in the new states
and territories. In a short talk on this
subject Representative Dockery, after
giving the sugar bounty a final and
vigorous blast, said, ''The outcome is
agrecably disappointing, and for that
we are largely indebted to the press,
which has fought the treasury raiders
vigorously and helped us so to win sew
eral important victories. Hon. Joseph
Cannon gives it as his opinion that the
real expense due to the late congress
will be very much larger than any one
now supposes, and that the expenses of
the national government will increase
rapidly for some years to come. Look
ing at it from the farmers standpoint,
this comparison is interesting. In the
administration of Franklin Pierce it
cost on an average 40, 900, 600 bushels Of
wheat per year to run the government,
the last year of the civil war it cost
about 700, 900, 900 bushels, last year
not less than no. 900, 900 bushels, and
for the year ending July 1, 1895, it can
not fall below 500, 600, 900 bushels
Bits of Criticism.
The failure of sc bills simply for want
of time raises the old question as to
whether the president is really COM
PEELED to sign them before congress
adjourns. To my mind the language of
the constitution is perfectly plain, and
the debates in the convention of 1887
prove that it was the intention for the
president to have ten days to consider
these bills the same as any other, the
only difference being that those he did
not sign would become laws ii congress
were in session and otherwise would
not, but I am sorry to add that so far
only one president has taken this view.
Mr.. Cleveland not only refused to go to
the capitol to sign bills, but sent iron
ical congratulations to congress on the
termination of their labors and was off
in few hours on a duck hunting expe-
dition, with all the hilarity of boy
just released from a long and hard term
of school.
In the hurry of the closing hours some
interesting history was made on other
subjects also, and now the great ques-
ton is, Has Mr.. Reed helped his case
any? So far as it comes to my ears, the
general verdict is that he has not No
doubt he felt justified in view of the
refusal of some Democrats to vote the
usual thanks to him as speaker at the
expiration of the Fifty first congress,
but when he and three others sat in
what seemed like sullen silence while
all the rest of the house rose to vote for
the resolution of thanks to Speaker
Crisp the thing certainly had very
bad look. and murmur of strong dis
approval ran around the galleries The
Republican members had intended that
he should make the speech on the reso-
luton complimenting Mr.. Crisp, but he
fatty declined, and the honor fell on
Mr.. Cannon, who did it we'll.
Made Him Redhot.
President making is so much a bust
ness here that hundreds of people were
discussing the possible effect of this act
within two minutes after the house ad-
journed, and many were hunting up the
record on the last financial vote 1t is
now charged, and with a good deal of
heat, by the supporters of the bill Mr.
Cleveland asked for authorizing him
to issue gold bonds that it was defeat
ed solely by the vacillation of Mr.
Reed. The Republicans say that when
the Reed amendment or substitute
was voted down the word was passed
among them to kill the bill, and that
many eastern members, relying on Mr..
Reeds leadership, voted against the bill
contrary to the sentiments Of their dis
tricts, if not their own private convic-
lions. Assuredly somebody blundered,
for after nearly all the Republicans
down to the letter r had voted against
the bill Mr.. Reed voted for it, and so
there were 43 Republicans for the bill
to 81 against it. MIR. Springer has been
quite redhot ON the subject and declares
alphabetically that Mr.. Reed could have
passed the bill if he had talked openly
as he voted.
In conclusion, / must say that my
feelings on leaving the press gallery un-
til the Fifty fourth congress assent les
are much like those of the dying Chris
tian in the old story. When they asked
him how he felt, he said his only emo
ton was an intense curiosity as to what
some people he knew would look when
he got there. I really do want to live