The San Francisco call., 1896-03-04
DISCUSSED APPROPRIATIONS.
The House Struggled WITH the Question
of Fees aud SALARIES,

The House Struggled With the Question
of Fees and SALARIES.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 3.-To-
days session of the House was almost
wholly devoted to a discussion of the
amendment proposed to the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation bill
TO make the offices of district attorney and
United States marshal salaried ones in
stead of paying the incumbents with fee.
1t was supported by several members, and
opposed by none. But Hartman (R.) of
Montana and Gardner (R.) of New Jersey
attacked the inequalities in the bill, which
they asserted Disseminated uniustly
against the officials named in those States.
The matter will be further considered to-
morrow under the five-minute rule, when
amendments will be in order.
A mistake having been made in the mes
sage conveying the Cuban resolutions
passed yesterday in the Senate, whereby
they were described as House concurrent
resolutions, instead of substitute for the
Senate resolution, resolution was
adopted on motion by Hit (R.) OF Illinois
asking return of them in order ~ make
necessary corrections. They were shortly
returned in accordance with the request.
Senate amendments to the House bill
regulating anchorage of vessels in st.
Mary's channel were agreed to.
The House in committee of the whole re-
newed consid Grafton of the fee and salary
amendment to the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill.
Updegraff (R.) OF Iowa, who reported
the amendment as an independent meas
ure, further explained its provisions and
the reasons actuating the Committee on
the judiciary in coming to the conclusion
expressed in the bill. The bill, he said,
had no partisanship in it, and had re-
ceived the earnest support of Attorney
General Harmon and the Department OF
Justice.
The amendment was further advocated
by Swanson CD of Virginia, McRae (D.)
of Arkansas, Brown (R.) Of Tenne ssee and
Burton (R.) of Missouri.
The discussion was interrupted by Hit
(R.) of Illinois. chairman of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, who asked the adop-
ton of resolution asking the Senate to
return the Cuban resolutions agreed to
yesterday. They were reported to the
Senate as House concurrent resolutions
lutions, and they were brought back to be
resolution was agreed to.
The debate on the fee and salary amend
ment was resumed. Most of the speakers
expressed regret that the bill did not go
further and put United States Commits
sioners in the list Of salaried officers, be-
lieving that that step would do more to
discourage and prevent frivolous and un-
warranted prosecution than any other, but
they were willing to take the amendment as
the best thing that could be obtained at
present.
Hartman {R.) of Montana, while giving
his approval to the purpose and principle
OF the amendment, attacked the inequaIi-
ties of salaries carried in the measure.
These inequalities, he asserted, affected
the officials in Montana most seriously.
OF fourteen States Montana returned the
largest net amount of fees to the treasury,
but the salaries provided in the bill for the
attorney and marshal for that State were
lower than those of all the other thirteen
save two. He gave notice that he would
move series of amendments intended to
correct these faults.
w Wuiie Udiuner was speaking the cuban
resolutions were returned to the House
from the Senate in response to the request
made some time previously.
General debate on the amendment was
closed by Connolly (R.) of Illinois, who
advocated its adoption. He would vel
come. he said, the day when the entire
system would be wiped off the statute
books.
At 5:45 o'clock the committee rose and
at 80 o'clock the House adjourned.