The evening times., 1896-05-22
TICRLED his OPPONENTS
Mr. Duckery's Admission About
the Treasury.
IT'S IMPOVERISHED STATE
Republican Laughter and Applause
Greeted His Melodraniatic Out
burst-The Conference Report ON
River and Harbor Bill Under Fire
From Democrats.

Mr.. KEN was on his feet imme ediateIy Ger
the reading of the journal to demand the
regular order in the House today.
conference report recommending that
the pension OF Brig. Gen. Joseph r. West
of this city. formally United States Sen
ator from Louisiana, be fixed at $75 u
month was presented and agreed to.
Mr.. Hooker presented the conference re-
port on the river and harbor bill:
Mr.. Hooker presented statement from
the confcrces, making the following state
ment: The bill as it passed the House car
ried direct appropriations amounting to
S1O,453, $50, and authorized contracts to
the amount OF S5l ,721 ,21I. As IL passed
the Senate the direct appr opria tions
amounted to SI2.752 $50. and contracts
authorized TO 500, ,473.l22. In conference
the cash items had been reduced $2Ol 900
and the contracts $4,11O.S23- There
still remain unsettled by the conferees
three paragraphs, involving 100000 in
cash and S3,34l 900 in contracts.
RAISED A LAUGH.
Mr.. Dockery made a ten-mipute speech
against the bill, on the grounds OF It's ex-
travagance and the inadequate condition
of the Treasury TO respond 10 Its demands.
He said he knew that what he had to say
man from California 'Mr. Loud) had aptiy
observed, we are all i'll it
Mr.. Dockcry said he would appeal from
this forum 10 the laboring men OF the coun.
try who earn their livelihood by their
daily toll. ITO condemn this rintous, enorm-
Gus profiigate expe nditurc cut OF an al
ready impoverished treasury"
Republican laughter and applause fol-
lowed this admission that the Treasury is
Impoverished.
Mr.. Hooker said he would yield the gen
thcman any amount OF time he desired If
he would point out a single item in the bill
that had been approved by tie engineers.
Mr.. Duokery apparently accepted the
challenge, and was beginning a response,
but in the meantime Mr. Hepburn had oeca-
sion to claim the floor, and Mr.. Hooker re-
fused to permit Mr.. hockery To proceed.
That gentleman resumed his seat with the
remark. "all right, only you cut off my
answer"
Mr.. Hepburn was even more energetic
than Mr.. Dockcry in his criticism OF the
bill. He said he could tell, in n general
way, how much there was for district
in the bill by the degree of opposition the
representative from that district made to
criticism upon it, Nothing that he could
say, he conceded, would change in the
slightest degree the conviction of the
House.
PROJECTS IN THE BILL.
A demand was now made that there
should he named one or some OF the projects
in the bill deserving OF censure. Did the
friends OF tie measure want thatdOne when
they crowded IL through the House, with
absolutely no debate aud without permit
ting Il single section Of the bill to be read
or amended? Was anything like this ever
known? And they had the insnience now
to demand that the opponents should point
ont the iniquities contained.
The conference report on the river and
harhoT bill was agreed to by u vote of ls9
to sc