The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-11

penses of reclamation was adopted and
II bill passed limiting mail which can be
franked to written and printed matter.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington, June 1.-THE house waited
twenty minutes again today for the APP
pearancc of quorum and Speaker Reed
admOniShcd the members to be i'll at
tendance promptly hereafter, as their
neglect in this regard caused the loss of
valuable time each day.
Under the special order adopted yester-
day the house then proceeded to consider
bills under suspension of the rules. The
bill which was under consideration when
the house adjourned on the last suspen-
sion day extending the jurisdiction of
United States courts in the Indian Ter
ritory, providing for the laying out OF
towns, the leasing of coal, timber, farm
ing and grazing lands, was passed.
Mr. Loud Rep9 of California, chair,
man of the postoffice committee, moved
to suspend the rules and pass the senate
bill to amend the law defining fourth
class mail matter. The amendment re-
lated solely to franked matter, combining
it to printed or written matter"
At present all "ofticial natter can be
frankcd.
Mr.. Loud explained that the mails
were gorgcd with all sorts of govern
mcnt supplies. Last year 1.25O,OOO
pounds went through the Washington
office.
Mr.. Cannon said he could see no rea-
son why government matter should not
be handled by the postOffice department
instead of the express companies.
Mr. Loud replied that this matter could
be handled by express companies for one
fourth of what it cost the government.
He volunteered the opinion that it cost
the government twice as much to trans
port the mails as it should.
Mr.. Kyle Dem.) of Mississippi advo-
Gated the passage of the bill.
The bill was passed-102 to 80.
Mr. Powers (Rep) of Vermont, chair
man of the Pacific railway committee,
moved to suspend the rules and pass
bill to define the rights of purchases
under mortgages on the Atlantic ana h.l
Pacific Railway company, authorized by
the act of April 20. 1871.
Mr.. Powers explained that the purpose
of the bill was to enable the bondholders
of the sections of this road to organize
themselves into corporation on the COM
pleton of the foreclosure proceedings
now pending.
Mr. Powers, in reply to question, de-
MED that the Atlantic and Pacific had
any relation to the Southern Pacific.
Mr.. Hopkins Rep.) of Illinois opposed
the bill on the ground that it conveyed
to the new company all the rights of the
old company in respect to the lands orig
inally granted to it.
Mr.. Terry Dem.) of Arkansas OPP
posed it on the same grounds. He
pointed out that in the case of the pro-
posed reorganization of the Northern
Pacific the right of the government and
of the people residing along the line had
been most carefully guarded. After
some further criticism of the bill, Mr..
Powers withdrew it.
The speaker then laid before the house
the presidents message vetoing the gem
eral deficiency bill. The veto was APP
plauded by that portion of the house
included many Republicans.
Chairman Cannon of the appropria-
tons committee arose after the reading
and said:
in my Judgment if the senate amend
ment covering 700 items and aggregat-
ing two millions had been fully under
stood the house would not have voted
for it. If we had known that it fastened
as leech under false pretenses the
Choteau claim. do not believe that any
member would have voted for it. If
any or the senate cldlHlS nau Deen plo-
posed in the house. Mr.. Cannon continu-
ed, they would have been stricken out
on point of order.
He gave notice that he would move to
pass. after vote on the veto, bill pre-
cisely similar to the one vetoed with the
omission of the claims put in by the
senate.
Mr.. Adams Rep.) of Pennsylvania
Suppose we should refuse to pass the
bill over the veto and then refuse two
thirds vote to suspend the rules?
To this Mr.. Cannon replied: 'If con-
gress refuses to pass bill appropriating
for the ordinary expenses of the govern
ment without 700 claims fastened on by
the Senate there is nothing but healthy.
wholesale public sentiment to fall back
on" (Applause.)
Mr.. Richardson Dem.) suggested that