Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-05-13
FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, May 10.
SENATE.

Agriculture was reported and placed
on the calendar.
Mr.. Vest stated on behalf of himself
and Senators Walthall, Harris, Jones
and White, that the bill reported yes
terday by Mr.. Sherman from the Il.
nance committee as to "flled cheese"
was a majority report and that they
| would file the views of the minority.
Senate bill for the appointment of
committee or guardian for pensioners in
the District of Columbia, who squander
their pensions in drinking or by vicious
habits, was passed.
The river and harbor bill was taken
up, the pending question being on the
| amendment offered yesterday by Mr..
German to restrict the annual expen-
diture under the bill and under former
river and harbor bills to S10,0O0,0OO.
Mr.. Vest confessed his astonishment
at the result of the motion made by
him yesterday to lay that amendment
on the table, and he hoped that the
Senate would reconsider that vote.
The amendment was exceedingly far
| reaching and would have an effect
which he thought the Senator from
Maryland hardly intended. Under it the
| Secretary of War would absolutely con.
troll the apportionment of the expendi-
lures. He would not give to any cabinet
officer such power. 1t was an invasion
of the autonomy of the government to
put such autocratic power in the hands
of any cabinet officer. If the amend
ment was adopted the Secretary of War
might nullify any provision of the bill.
Mr.. German reminded Mr.. Vest, I'M
der the continuing contracts, Congress
had given to the Secretary of War and
the engineer corps the power to de-
termine how much should be expended.
Mr.. Vest denied that that suggestion
touched the case at all.
Mr.. German defended his amend.
| ment. One reason for it, he said, was
| that for the first time in the history OF
the government they had gone into the
wholesale business of contracts; and it
was only because of the condition OF
of the Treasury that he offered the
amendment. Without his amendment
the Secretary of War would have the
absolute power as to what amount OF
| money shall be expended in the next
fiscal year. The bill, with the direct
appropriations and with its contract
provisions, would allow practically the
expenditure of s2O,O0O,OO0 for the first
year and $50, 100000 for the following
year.
Mr.. Villas suggested to Mr.. German
modification of his amendment so as to
except from its operation the hsrbor OF
refuge at Delaware Bay, the harbors of
Duluth and Superior and the Mississippi
river.
"What is the matter with Texas? ?"
Mr.. Mills exclaimed; and many other
Senators Joined in the demonstration
against Mr.. Vilas's proposition.
At the close of long discussion Mr..
Vest renewed his motion of yesterday
to lay Mr.. Germans amendment on the
table, and that motion was agreed to,
yeas 40, nays 90, among the latter be-
ing Mr.. Martin, of Virginia.
HOUSE.
Proceedings in the House to-day be-
gan with the airing of something like q
personal difficulty between Messrs. Pit
ney and Evans over the passage of
bill introduced by the former donating
condemned cannon to G.. A. r. post
in New Jersey. Mr.. Evans said that
one day last week Mr.. Pitney objected
to the consideration of bill introduced
by him to pay Samuel Mckee 81 us
for expenses incurred in defending a
contested election case in the 10th Con-
gress. When Mr.. Pitney asked con-
sideration of his cannon bill Mr.. Evans
objected, because of Mr.. Pitney's atti-
tude towards his own bill. Later in
the day when he had objected to
Mr.. Pitney's bill and in his Evans)
absence Mr.. Pitney induced colleague
to ask consideration of bill and, get.
ting it, substituted Mr.. Pitney's bill for
the one he had called up, and it was
passed. Learning this he entered
motion to reconsider the vote by which |
the bill was passed, in order to call the
attention of the House to the proceed
ing. Mr.. Pitney defended his action
and repealed the ntimation that entire
frankness was not observed by his col
league (Mr. Loudenslager) in the pro-
ceedings relating to the bill in question.
Mr.. Evans withdrew the motion to
reconsider, and the episode ended.
This was followed by the introduc.
tion of resolution by Mr.. Wheeler d.
recting that the matter inserted in the
Record of yesterday by Mr.. Payne in
his speech criticising the gentleman
from Alabama regarding the unauthor-
lied insertion of several pages of tables
in the Record be stricken out. On a
point of order made by Mr.. Dingley
Speaker Reed held that the resolution
was privileged, and Mr.. Wheeler
began to address the House upon it.
He found great difficulty, however, in
proceeding in order, and finally was
permitted, by unanimous consent, to
do SO. At the conclusion of that period,
he withdrew the resolution.
The House then required to the con-
sideration of the Rinaker.Downing
contested election case and Mr.. Cooke
resumed his argument in favor of Rina-
ker.