The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-12-23
Congressional Proceedings.

WEDNESDAY Dec 16.-In the Senate five
| bills, authorizing officers of the Uuiied
| States to accept medals from foreign govern
ments were reported by Mr.. Sherman, Re
| publican, of OHIO, who asked unanimous
| consent to have them considered and
| passed. Obj ction was made by Mr.. Al len,
of Nebraska and the bills were placed on
| the calendar. The pension appropriation
| bill was taken up, and Mr.. Gallinger OF
| New Hampshire, chairman of the commit
| tee on pensions, expressed his appreciation
| OF the present administration OF the pension
| bureau, and said that the man at the head
OF that great department Of the govern
ment was desious not only of administering
| the pension laws generously and justly, but
| that his sympathies were with the men and
women seeking The recognition OF the gov
eminent. He had been very much sur
prised in listening to the reading of the
Presidents message that that high official
had not yet disabused his mind of the idea
that pensioners were men of rascally tend
encies, He read some extracts from the
Presidents message and from newspaper
criticisms OF them, and said that in his
judgment these continued attacks of the ex-
ecutive on the pensioners of the govern
ment and the Presidents continued asser-
tions that the roll of pensioners was not a
roll OF honor should cease He was sure
that Congress would never indorse such
sentiments as he had read from the Presi.
dents message, but would grant to the
men WIN ndu lOuRub lot IHe govern
ment all that the government had sol
EMMY pledged to them. Mr.. CALM
gers remarks produced q decided sensa-
tion. - The House went into committee
OF the whole on the army appropriation
bills. The provision extending from twenty
to Thirty days the period In which the pay
master general may examine paymasters' &C.
counts recommended by the committee was
stricken out on point of order that it was
new legislation. The same point was made
by Mr.. Little, of Arkansas against the pro-
vision abandoning and transferring the Hot
Springs army hospital to the interior de-
partmeDt, and the point was sustained.
When vote was necessary, on a preceding
amendment, the speaker declared there
was no quorum present and the House ad-
| journed.
THURsDAY.-The first act of the Senate
was to vote to adjourn until Monday. The
| House amendments to the Senate bill as to
the lands of the Atlantic and Pacific Rail-
road Company were laid before the Senate
and were, on motion of Mr.. Hill of New
York, non-concurred in and conference
asked, Senators Hill, Platt and Clark being
appointed conf frees on the part of the SEN
ate. After a long discussion Mr.. Morgans
amendment to the immigration bill, mod
| fled so as to read The act shall not apply
| to persons arriving in the United States
from any port or place in the island Of
Cuba during the continuance of the present
| disorders there, provided that such persons
have heretofore been inhabitants of that
island" was agreed to by vote Of At to 6.
| In executive session the Senate confirmed
the following nominations: MacCrane Coke
of New York, Minister to Guatemala and
! Honduras; Charles A. Prouty of Vermont,
Interstate Commerce Commissioner; United
States Consuls - Isaac NJ. Elliot of New
! York at LaGuayra Venezuela Jose phi l..
Hance of New York at Cardenas, Cuba; G.
Max Manning of Georgia, Secretary of Lee
CATION at Monrovia, Liberia John Redge-
ley Carter Of Maryland, Second Secretary
of Embassy at London; William H. Cooper,
Collector of Customs of Delaware. - In
the House the legislative, ext cutive and jul
dical appropriation bill was taken up in
committee of the whole. Mr.. Bingham of
Pennsylvania stated that the bill followed,
80 far as possible, the language of the law
for the present year. Wherever change or
promotion was provided for thu committee
had been as economical as possible. The
most important new legislation proposed
related to the transfer of the congressional
library to tue new building and the n, ces-
sary consequent increase of the force.
There was also a new provision empowering
the accounting officers of the treasury to ex-
anime and inspect the books and papers OF
the District of Columbia. Thirty. one pages
of the bill were considered and passed. Mr.
Burton Of Ohio offered resolution dire CT
ing the President to enter into negotiations
with Great Britain to secure, il possible
the abrogation of the section of the treaty
of 1917, wbichlprovides the building of wal
vessels at ship yards located on the great
lakes.
FRIDAY.-The Senate was not in session
The Senate committee on foreign relations
by practically unanimous vote, ordered 3
favorable report to be made to the Senate
Monday on the Cameron resolution, recog
nizing the independence of the republic
of Cuba. Some slight verbal changes were
made in the original text Of the resolution
- The House trans acted no business Of
public importance. At the opening of the
session there was an interesting by-play
growing out Of the presentation of a reso
luton for some additional employees. The
House was in a state OF confusion, and Mr.
Dingley, the leader of the majority, was
catechizing Mr. Odell as to the necessity fol
the increase. When they finished their dia
logue, Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee com
planned that he had not been able to heal
what had been said, and he inquired sug
gestively if the Distinguished leader o.
he House " had officially announced thai
The increase was necessary because OF the
approaching extra session. Mr.. Dingley
parted the thrust, and replied blandy thai
he was sorry the confusion had rendered i
impossible for the gentleman from Tennes
see to understand what he had said