The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-05-21
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.
Condensed Record Of the Doings OF the
Nations Lawmakers-Senate.

| CON0hESStONAl NEWS.
Condensed Record of the Doings OF tn
Nations Senate.
Washington. May 14.-The animated
contest which has proceeded for the las
four days in the senate over the deep
water harbor on the southern coast O.
California was brought to close today
by compromise between the conflict
ing interests. The issue has been be
tween the ports of Santa Monica, thu
terminus of the Southern Pacific, ani
San Pedro. the locality urged by TIT
California senators. Frye, chairman
of the commerce committee, finally
harmOnized the differences by referrins
the determination as between SAINTS
Monica and San Pedro to commits
sion, to consist of three civil engineers
naval officer and an officer of the
coast geodetic survey. The compromise
was accepted by the California sena.
tors. and was unanimously passed.
Washington, May 15.-The river
and harbor appropriation bill was
passed by the senate today, after an
unusually stormy experience, lasting
many days As finally passed, the bill
makes direct appropriations of $12,.
200. 900, and authorizes continuous
contracts of $64, 100000. During the
debate today, the statement was made
that this was the largest aggregate for
a river and harbor bill in the history
of the government. Frye. chairman
of the commerce committee, closed the
debate on the bill. making a statement
showing the remarkable development
Of American commerce and the conse.
quent decreasing of freight rates. On
the final passage of the bill, nine SEN
ators voted in the negative. A mum.
Der of house bills were passed during
the Gay, including the bill requiring a
years. residence in any territory as a
requisite to divorces.
Washington, May 16.-The Dupont
case, involving the right of Henry A..
Dupont to seat in the senate from the
state of Delaware, was taken up in the
senate today, with view to conclud-
ing the debate and taking final vote.
A brief colloquy between German and
Mitchell developed that difference of
opinion existed as to the character of
the vote to be taken. When German
spoke of the unanimous agreement to
vote, Mitchell admitted the correctness
of the statement, but added significant
ly that the character of the vote would
be determined when the vote was
reached, which was open to the mean
ing that the case would be postponed
until next session. Platt spoke in sup
port of Mr.. Dupont's claim.
House.
Washington, May 14.-The house to-
day entered upon the contested election
case of Rinker VS.. Downing, from the
sixth Illinois district The debate was
very spirited. Moody joined with the
Democrats in asking the adoption of a
resolution for an official recount of the
ballots in dispute. Cook and Leonard
spoke for the contestants today and
Bartlett and Moody for the contestee.
Before the case was brought up Wheel
er was taken to task for abusing the
privileges of printing in the Record,
and some extensive interpretations in a
recent speech of his were expunged from
the permanent record by vote of IT'S
to IA. Evans, in obedience to the
instructions of the ways and means
committee. gave notice that he would
call up the ''free alcohol bill" at the
first oppportuni ty.
Washington, May 15.-The house,
after one of the hardest-fought parlia-
mentary battles Of the session. which
continued until almost o'clock to-
night, recommitted the contested cleo
ton case of Rinaker VS.. Downing,
from the sixth Illinois district, to the
committee on elections, with instruc-
tions to recount the ballots in dispute.
The vote stood 1874 to 35. The sup
porters of the majority report to unseat
Downing, Democrat, and seat the CON"
testant realized that the disaffection on
their side was so strong that the MINOR
ity report would probably be adopted,
and they inaugurated systematic fiji
clustering to gain time to rally their
forces. The first test of strength on a
motion to adjourn-96 to 139-con-
firmed their suspicious, but they
fought valiantly to the end and went
down in the last ditch after Shaving
off final action for four hours.
Washington, May 16.-The house
committee on coinage, weights and
measures today decided by a unani-
GUS vote to authorize favorable re-
port on the resolution introduced by
Representative G. W. Stone providing
that the president be authorized and
requested to invite an expression from
other principal commercial nations OF
the world as to the desirability and
feasibility of the adoption OF interna-
tional coins, to be current in all coun-
tries adopting them at uniform value,
and to be specially adopted for invoice
purposes. If expressions thus obtained
from other nations are such as, in the
Judgment of the president, render a
conference desirable, he is authorized
to invite it at time and place to be
designated by him to consider and re-
port plan for the adoption and use
of such coins. composed of either gold
or silver, or both. The president il
authorized to appoint three representa-
tives, subject to confirmation by the
| senate.
The Red Cross I'm Armenia.
] Constantinople, May 13.-The work
of the agents Of the American Red
Cross Society, under the direction OF
| "a