Crawford avalanche., 1896-06-04
WORK OF CONGRESS.
A Comprehensive Digest Of the Pro-
ceedinGs In the Legislative Cham
bers 1t washington = Matters that
Concern the People.

ceedings In the Legislative Cham
bars at washington = Matters that
Concsrn the People.
Lawuakers st Labor.
: The House Tuesday by vote OF lOo to
90 pa ssed the bill for the repeal or Sec
tion (31 of the present tariff law providing
for a rebate on alcohol used IN the arts
or medicinal compounds. An amendment
was attached providing for joint COM
mission to consist Of three members from
each house to examine and report on all
questions relating to free alcohol ut the
next session The Senate amendment 10
the general deficiency bill, excepting the
French spoliation claims and claims under
the Bowman act, were disagreed TO ana
the bill sent to conference. Another par.
tial report on the Indian appropriation Dill
which left only the question OF sectarian
schools and the old settlers claims stiii IN
dispute, was adopted. Tariff and finance
each came In for share of consideration
In the Senate. Early In the day Mr.
Sherman succeeded in having the nlied
cheese bill taken up, whereupon MI. Dn-
bois offered an amendment adding 20
cents a barrel to the tax on beer On tne
question of adopting the amendment tne
debate became general, Senators Mills
and Gray supporting and Nelson. Aadrich
and Villas opposing it, The bill was dis
placed by the bond bill, which was advo-
Gated by Mr. Pritchard and opposed by
Mr.. Lindsay. A bill was passed to pen
sion, at SO a month, the widow OF zen:
George X. Spencer, at one time Uniteu
States Senator from Alabama.
The Senate Wednesday defeated the
proposition to increase the beer tax 20
cents per barrel by the vote OF "a to ~.
The House spent almost the entire day
discussing the Senate amendment to the
general deficiency bill appropriating 81
$4,000 for the payment Of about 1OO
French spoliation claims, $54S, 900 for 80
war claims, found to be due under the
Bowman act; $174, 900 for the payment OF
what is known as the Chautauqua claim
for the construction of an ironclad steam
battery in 1864, and about $1O,OOO Tor
Indian supplies furnished in 1873 and
1874. The vote was close, but the friends
of the claims carried the day-lll to W.
All interest in the House proceedings
was overshadowed by the st. Louis hor-
ror. A resolution was passed directing
the Secretary of War to place at the dis
posal Of the Mayors OF the stricken CITIES
a sufficient number of tents to provide for
the temporary necessities Of the homeless
and to render such aid as might be in his
power. Mr. Barthold, Of ST. Louis, who
saw Secretary Lamont, said there were
eight or ten boats used in the Mississippi
river improvement which might be able to
render assistance, and these will be or
dered to the scene of the disaster IL neces-
sary. When the House resolution was
received in the Senate authorizing the
Secretary of War to loan tents and rem
der aid to the Mayors of st. Louis and
East st. Louis Mr.. Palmer, Of Illinois,
asked immediate consideration. Mr.. Vest,
of Missouri, interposed the suggestion
that while it might seem ungracious for
him to interpose objection, yet, in view
Of late reports showing the usual exag
geration attending the first hours Of ca
lamity he did not consider this action
necessary. The people Of st. Louis, he
said, could take care Of themselves, and,
although the resolution could do no harm,
yet he deprecated the tendency to rush
impulsively to Federal sources for relief.
Mr.. Harris, Of Tennessee, said he fully
sympathized with this view, although the
resolution, being here, it should be acted
on, and made joint instead of concurrent.
Mr.. Cullon, of Illinois, said he felt from
the latest reports that there was no occa-
sion for the passage Of the relief resolu-
tion, and that the respective States would
be able to take care Of their people on both
sides Of the river. Yet, as the House
had acted, Mr.. Cullom urged that the Sen
ate should give its assent. He added that
he was still in doubt and worried over
the situation on the Illinois side. The
resolution was amended to be joint instead
of concurrent, thus requiring presentation
to the President, and was then adopted.
The House later agreed to the Senate
amendment, which makes the resolution
joint instead of concurrent. The Joy res
olution for the relief of the st. Louis
sufferers reached the President at B
o'clock and was signed by him ten minutes
later.
In the Senate Friday the bills repeating
the law relating to rebates on alcohol
used in the arts, and amending the law
concerning the distilling Of brandy from
fruits were passed. The latter author.
lies the exemption of distllers of brandy
made from fruits from the provisions re-
lating to the manufacture Of spirits, ex-
cept as to the tax thereon. The House
spent almost the entire day debating the
Johnston-Stokes contested election case
from the Seventh South Carolina district.
The Republicans were badly divided.
Those who favored seating the contest
ant, Johnston, who ran on Populist-Re-
publican ticket, finding themselves slight
ly in the minority when the voting began,
inaugurated filibuster which lasted until
the conference report on the naval appro-
priation bill came to the rescue. and the
House recessed before final action was
taken. Johnston's partisans were outvot-
ed-1O5 to 95, and 103 to 99-the first vote
being on the minority resolution declaring
Johnston entitled to a seat, the second on
the majority resolution declaring him not
entitled to It, An effort will be made to
reconsider.
Largest Sailing Ships AfiOat.
The British full-rigged ship SOmali.