The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-23
Cuban Affairs Give Way
to Pacific Railroad.
Large Number of Spectators
We're Disappointed.
Information Asked Regarding KILL
ing OF an American.
washington, Dec. as.-The senate was

washington. Dec 23-The senate was
Unexpectedly diverted yesterday from
Cuba to the Pacific railroads. An un-
usually large crowd was in the CALLER
les, anticipating that Mr.. Vest would
continue his speech begun Monday on
the altitude OF Mr.. Olney toward the
Cameron resolution. The interest this
had awakened was shown by the pres
ence Ia the diplomatic gallery OF First
Assistant Secretary OF State Rockhill,
who is next in rank to Mr. Olney in state
affairs, and who has had special charge
of the reports coming from consuls in
Cuba. The foreign delegation also was
Wei represented.
The large audience In the senate gal
leries was consireably disappointed
yesterday over the failure of Senator
Vest to make a speech on the presidents
prerogative ON Cuban recognition. and
the consequent failure of Senator Hill
to reply TO him.
Il don't know, said Senator Vest, show
the impression got out that L would
speak today. I never said that would"
Il certainly can't reply TO Senator Vest
II he does not speak," said Senator Hill.
: The senate became aware of this con-
galleries remained in ignorance during
great part OF the session. many retain
ing their seats in the belief that they
would be regaled with such a debate as
the present session has not witnessed.
The diplomatic and private galleries of
the senate were both well filed.
The senate opponentss of the Cuban
resolution assert that the Missouri sem
ator's failure 10 talk is due TO the fact
that he has been induced TO look into
authorities which do not sustain his view
of the question. and that he has con-
cluded TO investigate further before
speaking. The question is one requiring
close attention TO precedents and TO con-
'stitutional points, and all recognize that
II is necessary to proceed with care.
Soon after the session opened Mr..
Pettigrew Of South Dakota called up his
resolution relative TO the trust notes OF
the Pacific railroad The senator
made a savage onslaught on the Pa
cific railroad system in general, charg-
Ing that a combination of private in
tsrests was seeking 10 absorb the roads
and close out the government.
This opened the entire question, and
Mr., Morgan of Alabama followed with
a bitter arraignment of the Pacific rail-
roads, charging them with fraud and
crime on gigantic scale. The speech
lasted until shortly before 2 o'clock
when the morning hour expired. thus
sendinE over the Cuban question until
after the holidays
Mr. Call secured the adoption of a
resolution asking the secretary OF state
for information relative TO the killing
of Charles Gavin. an American citizen,
by the Spanish forces in Cuba. Further
than this, the session was uneventful,
and the senate adjourned for the holi-
day recess, lasting until Jan. 8.
The house yesterday passed the legis-
lative. executive and judicial appro-
priatfon bill and then adjourned for the
holiday recess. This is the first time in
the history OF congress that the legls-
lative bill has been passed before the
holidays. The day was devoted to the
annual debate of the civil service law
and as usual the attempt to strike out
the provision for the commission was
overwhelmingly defeated. There was
a good deal OF threshing over old straw
and sparring for political points. Mr..
Brosius. chairman of the civil service
committee. defended the law. Others
who participated I'm the debate were
Messrs Baker (Rep., N. HI, Walker
Rep., Mass.). Williams (Dem., Mlss),
Bowers tRep., CALI. and Neil CDem,
Ark.). Mr.. Settle (Rep., n. CD made the
motion to strike out the paragraph re-
lating TO the civil service which was de-
feated. 20 to 81 The bin, as passed,
carries s21, ,669.369. or $36 379 more than
the current bill During the morning
hour a bill was passed authorizing the
railroads of the Indian Territory to
change their alignments.