Omaha daily bee., 1896-04-18
GETS A HEARING ON MONDAY
Transmississippi Bill a Special Order Before
tue Ways and Means COMMITTEES.
AlLIsoNS INTEREST JUST AROUSED
Chairman of the senate Committee
Gives Assurance of His willing
ness to Advocate n Greater
Appropriation.

WASHINGTON, April 17..--(speclal Tele.
gram)-Chairman Dingley Of the house ways
and means committee, after an extended con.
ference with President Wattles OF the
Transmlsslsspp and International Exposl-
tion assoc alton, has set apart Monday morn
ing for a hearing on the senate bill. This
result has not been accomplished without
considerable hard work on the part OF
Messrs. Wattles and Mercer, who have
rounded up matters to such an extent that
a favorable result Is almost certain. Before
holding his conference with Chairman Ding
ley the president OF the exposition had a
long conference with Chairman Allison Of
the senate appropriations committee, to
whom he explained in minute detail the
plans and purposes Of the exposition. He
showed Mr.. Allison that S25O,000 would have
to be appropriated by the United States be-
fore the exposition could realize any por-
tion Of the $4,000 appropriated by the Iowa
legislature for preliminary work on the Iowa
building. This was news to the senior sem
ator from Iowa, who had no conception Of
the magnitude which the exposition is as
suming. After going over the subject very
fully Mr.. Allison gave Mr.. Wattles assur-
ance that he would favor an amendment in
oreasing the amount of the appropriation to
S25O,OOO, suggesting that $4,000 be appro-
priated for buildings and S175000 for the
government exhibit and expenses attaching
thereto.
This strong show Of friendliness on the
part of Senator Allison for the bill acted as
tonic upon the spirits OF President Wat
ties, who for time was at loss to know
Just exactly what was best to be done in
view of the complicated situation. After this
conference with Allison 1t was comparatively
easy to make headway with Chairman Ding
ley, who finally agreed to make the senate
exposition bill special order before the
committee for Monday morning President
Wattles viii go before the full committee on
that OCCASION and will put before it the plan
and scope of the enterprise, which Is broader
and more comprehensive than the Atlanta
exposition He will fortify himself with the
Iowa bill appropriating the amount above
named and considerable other material for
which he has telegraphed. Chairman Ding
ley is not averse, according to Wattles, to
increasing the appropriation carried by the
bill. He still holds out, however, for
stipulated amount to be raised by the peo-
pie of Omaha and the west before the govern
ment appropriation becomes available, and
1t Is thought $250,000 will be named as the
sum to be raised by the exposition associa-
tion, to be passed upon by the secretary OF
the treasury. Thus the atmosphere has
cleared considerably In the last twenty-four
hours regarding the fate of the exposition
bill. President Wattles tonight is more
hopeful than at any time during his visit
here. Thurston is expected to arrive Mon
day and at once to put his shoulder to the
wheel.
Nebraska will be- represented in Washing
ton next week by number of its strongest
lawyers John NJ. Woolworth will be here
for the Omaha bridge cases will be reached
on Tuesday. Ex-senator Henderson will also
be here to argue the sugar bounty cases,
and there will be several lesser legal lights
present who will have business before the
supreme court and departments. Three
briefs have been filed in the Omaha bridge
cases, John Il. Dillon and John NJ. Thurston
for the appellants: j. NJ Woolworth files an
other as solicitor for the Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific, he having his associates
NJ A. Low and Robert Mather while George
r. Peck and Burton Hanson have presented
a brief for the Milwaukee. BY agreement
of counsel, both cases will be argued and
submitted as one.
A general court martial is appointed to meet
at West Point tomorrow for the trial of
prisoners. Captain William F. Spurgin,
Twenty-frst infantry, is president of the
board
Captain John L. Tiernan, Twenty-third ar
tillery. and Philip G. Wales, assistant sur
geon are detailed as members of examining
board, convened at Fort Monroe, Va.
Leave Of absence for two months is granted
Captain Thomas G. Townsend, Sixth infantry.
The secretary Of war today notified Con-
greseman Perkins of Iowa rnat the military
cadet from the Ele, ,anth district will gradu
ate in June 1897, and asked him to name
successor Perkins has sent notice that
the examination will be held at Cherokee on