The herald., 1896-02-13
THE F|FIY-FOuRTH congress
The Tariff Bill Fails to Ma
terialize
DEFICIENCY BILL DEBATE
Brings Out Sharp Criticism OF the Fee
System
The House Spends Another Day and Night
Session In Discussion OF the
Silver Bond Bill
DEFICIENCY BILL DEBATE
Associated Press special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-ft was expected
that the tariff fight would come up in the
senate today, Morrill,, chairman of the
finance committee, having given notice of
motion to that effect. But the subject
was not mentioned during the day and the
entire session was given to routine busi-
ness. Considerable progress was made on
the deficiency bill and the item of federal
court expenses brought out strong criti-
cisms from Mr.. Chandler, Mr.. Tillman and
Mr.. Vest against the fee system.
A resolution introduced by Mr.. PETER
calls for an investigation of recent bond
sales, all dealings with syndicates and in
dividuals. The resolution is so compre-
heIsive as to cover every possible phase of
the negotiations on the bond issues of the
last three years.
There was an unusually full attendance
on the Republican side of the chamber to-
day, as Morrill,, chairman of the finance
committee, had given notice of motion
10 take up the tariff bill. The deficiency
appropriation bill held its place as unfin-
ished business and there was no disposition
to displace it.
Vest secured the adoption of resolution
report what recent changes had been made
in quarantine lines against cattle coming
north from Texas. Vest explained that a
recent publication stated that the secre-
tary had issued proclamation making
radical changes to the detriment of parties
in interest.
PETER came forward with lengthy res
olution proposing a senate investigation of
circumstances of all recent bond issues.
The resolution proposed a special commit
q l<r,xvx
svs directions as to the scope of the ia
quiry, dealings with syndicates, effect of
such dealings and explicit information as
te purchasers of bonds, rates. and all at
tendant circumstances. Morrill, asked
that the resolution go to tho finance COM
mittee, but it went over by tb rules until
tomorrow. Among the fave rable reports
presented was one on Hale's bill, making
February 18th Uincoln's birthday a
national holiday.
The project for memorisl bridge across
the Potomac river connecting Washington
and the old Arlington property, in Vir-
ginia, was passed.
The consideration of tho urgent deficien-
cy bill was then resumed. The item of
$210.000 for salaries of judges and officers
of the federal courts in the Indian territory
brought out protest from Chandler. Two
of the judges. Springer and Kilgore, are
ex-members of congress and had gone to
Indian territory with all the extravagant
notions engendered by life in Washington
and membership in billion dollar con-
gress. Chandler said he was not yet pre-
pared to make charges, but he believed
from letters received that all is not as it
should be in the administration of the In
dian courts.
Chandler also criticized the growing ex-
penditures under the department of JUS
tice. These had trebled in ten years, with
little increase in business. The senator
pointed out that the last congress, Demo-
cratic in both branches and with a Demo-
cratic president. had appropriated $685.
900 for the United States marshals.
Chandler declared that the fee system was
responsible for the growing extravaganza
of the Federal court officers. He spoke of
couspiracies in Alabama, South Carolina
and elsewhere to get up fraudulent prose-
cutions to swell fees of officers.
This brought Tillman, Democrat, of
South Carolina, to his feet for character
istic speech. He agreed with Chandler
that the fee system was wrong. A supreme
court Judge had recently pointed out that
the courts of the United States were en-
couraged to get up fictitious prosecutions
There is class of habitual witnesses in
the south. They do nothing but earn wit
ness fees, going around ''bamboozling
negroes and getting whole teams of me-
groes to prosecute fictitious criminals.
The thing TO do was to reform the law.
Sherman spoke of the en- ormous cost of
part from the complication of appropria-
ten bills. Sherman urged that the budget
system in use in England was far simpler
than that of America and could be prolita-
bly, adopted.
Vest spoke of the ''robbery and plunder''
practiced by United States marshals in or
der to obtain fees. There were coteries
and rings of these marshas vino made it a
trade to go around arresting men and
dragging them hundreds of miles-not for
purposes of justice, but to swell marshals'
fees.
The deficiency bill was laid aside at
4:1O p. m.
Hale called up the bill making February
18th (Lincoln's birthday, a national holi-
day.
Hill, Democrat of New York, said he had
intended to offer an amen3ment making
the birthday of Andrew jackson legal
holiday, but in order not to interfere with
this measure he would submit his bill sepa-
rately.
Hawley objected to the immediate con-
sideration of the bill and this prevented ac-
ton.
The senate at 10 p. m. adjourned IN
til tomorrow.
In THE HOUSE