The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-09
THE SECOND DAY
in CONGRESS-
Republican Senatorial Caucus Attend
ed With Sensational Features.
BILLS PASSED BY THE HOUSE
Pension Bill Changes and Three New
Postal Regulations Passed-coun-
try Delivery System.

Special to the Astorian.
Washington. Dec. s.--The most no
ticeabIe feature Of the Republican sen
atoriaI caucus today. as seen from the
outside. was the absence OF the men
who bolted the nomination Of Mckinley
because Of the gold standard platform.
Those absent on this account were:
Dubois, Pettigrew, Mantle. Cannon,
Squire and Teller. All except Teller
were in the city and were invited to at
tend the caucus. That their absence
was intentional was clearly shown by
the following letter, read soon after the
caucus was called to order by Senator
Sherman:
Washington. December s.--To the
Hon. John Sherman, chairman OF the
caucus Of Republican senators-sIr: I
hereby respectfully present my resig-
nation as secretary OF the caucus OF
Republican senators. / also resign my
position as a member and secretary OF
the Republican advisory or steering
committee Of the senate. Csigned) Fred
T. Dubois"
Dubois resignation was received
without comment. Wilson, Of Wash
ington. was chosen secretary, and
Shoup was placed on the steering COM
mittee in the place vacated by his col
league. The caucus also declared for
an international agreement on silver by
agreeing to the following resolution In
troduced by WOIcott:
Resolved. That special COMMITTEES
Of five members OF this caucus be an
pointed to recommend some plan where
by legislation may be had I'm this ses-
sion Of congress looking to information
al conference with the leading CONNER
eial nations OF the world on the pro
motion Of bimetallism."
Washington. December S.-The house
without wasting time. proceeded to
business today. and before the session
closed had passed three bills of con-
siderable Importance and the first OF
the returning supply bills, that for PEN
sions. Three Of the bills related to pos
tai matters. One provided for the use
Of private mailing cards. Of the same
size and character as the pres
ent postal cards, when one cent stamps
are affixed. Another provided For a
limited indemnity Of $40 for the loss OF
registered mail matter. and the third
provided for private carrier service in
towns and villages where no free de-
livery exists. It provides that on ap-
of twenty persons receiving
heir mail at the same office, the post
master shall appoint such persons as
IRE willing to undertake the collection
md delivery Of mails; that the charge
S not to exceed one cent for each let
er and that the charge shall be paid
~ the beneficiaries.
The pension bill was passed without
actious opposition, but Mr. Grow took
occasion in the debate to submit some
'iews in favor of higher tariff duties
'ased on that portion of the presidents
Message relating to tariff. The pension
bill carries $141.263, $50, about $4,000
ess than the law for the current year.
Sotice was given by Thomas E. Wat
on of the contest against J. C. Black,
4 Georgia, who was elected at special
lection last spring, which was read to
he house and referred to the commit
ee on elections.
Washington, December s,-The action
I the Republican senatorial caucus in
eferring the Dingley tariff bill TO its
teering committee, and the circum-
tances under which this action was
AIKEN, are accepted in the senate as
ractically an end of the agitation in
he interest of the measure. The de-
ate in the caucus developed that there
as wide difference of opinion as to