The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-05-01
WORK OF CONGRESS

WORK OF CONGRESS
ereeeeafaHs In the senate ana House
ef Representatives.
Washington, April 10. - The debate
on the bond resolution proceeded in
the senate, Mr.. Hill continuing in op-
position, his speech, which is not vet
completed. Mr.. Hoar supported the
proposed bond Investigation. The de.
bate Is proving attractive to the pub.
lie. the galleries being crowded all
day. An exciting episode occurred late
In the day concerning Pacific railroad
affairs. Mr.. Gear, chairman of the
Pacific railroads committee, presented
n bill proposing an adjustment of the
railroads debt. This led Mr.. Allen
(Ncb) to criticise the committee for al
legged partiallty to "COllis p. Hunting
ton and his lobby" A bitter personal
alteration between Mr.. Gear and Mr.
Allen followed. during which Mr.. Allen
declared Mr.. Gear had uttered false
hood concerning Gen. Weaver of Iowa.
Mr.: Hoar called Mr.. Allen to order
md demanded that his words be taken
down. Mr.. Allen was obliged to take
his sent, but on n motion by Mr.. Faux
ner was allowed to proceed in order.
p The net result of five hours work
on the private calendar in the house
was the passage Of four pension bills.
one to pension the widow of Rear Ad-
miral FOote ut $50 per month, the re-
lection of bill to retire a hospital
steward as a second lieutenant of cav.
airy aud the passage of war claim
Of less than $500. The latter was the
first war claim brought before the
house for consideration, and natural
~ provoked Il general debate on the
policy of paying war claims. It drew
from Mr.. Mahon (Eep.. Pa.>, chairman
of the war claim committee, Mr..
Walker Rep., AFass.), Mr.. Mccall
Rep., Tenn.) and Mr.. Evans Clscp..
Ny). eloquent pleas for the payment
Of the finding of the court Of claims.
MIR. Mahon argued these claims should
be paid or the court abolished. Barring
the common claims he asserted that
S20,OOO.OOO would pay them, while Mr..
Ray Rep., N. W thought $3OOOOO.-
O00 would not meet them. Politics. of
course. were injected into the debate.
Washington, April %. - The house
hnseated James f. Cobb DENY, rep
resenting the Fifth Alabama district,
and voteil-121 to 45-to seat Albert
7. Goodwin Pop). but the point Of
no quorum being made. the house id
journed with the final vote still pend
ing. Five Republicans voted with the
Democrats to recommit the case with
instructions to the committee to per-
NIT the contestant to offer testimony
in rebuttal. Mr.. Cobb had sos ma.
jority on the face Of the returns. but
the majority found extensive frauds
in the three black counties of the dis
trict which caused Mr.. Cobb's vote
and gave the contestant 1880 major
ity. The minority claimed that no
opportunity was given to submit evil
dence in rebuttal and that fraud was
presumed, not proven. Mr.. Cobb has
been member of the Fiftieth. Fifty
first. Fifty-second and Fifty-third
congresses. He was unscated by the
Fifty-first house.
The senate spent the day on the
Indian appropriation hill but did not
complete it. The sectarian school
question was taken up late in the day
and brought out an animated debate
Senators Gallinger, Thurston and
Teller opposed and Senators Cray and
Pettigrew supported the amendment
offered by Mr.. COckrell, extending for
two years the time for the entire aban-
! document of sectarian Indian schools
Final action on the question was not
reached. Most of the day was given
to the contest against legal claims in
connection with the Western Cherokee
settlement, and the claims were liual.
ly agreed to.
Washington, April 24.-The senate
disposed Of the sectarian scnool ques.
ton by adopting compromise framed
by Senator Cockrell of Missouri The
Indian bill as 1t came from the house
provided "that no money herein ap.
propriated shall be paid for education
in sectarian schools" This provision
is struck out by the Cockrell amend
ment as adopted and it is declared to
be the settled policy of the government
to make no appropriations for Sec
tartan schools after July 1. 1898, thus
giving two years for the abandonment
of sectarian schools instead of an i'm
mediate abandonment. The amend
ment was adopted by the decisive vote
Of 80 to "a. The Indian bill was not
completed when the senate adjourned.
The house entered upon the consid-
Grafton Of the general pension bill re-
ported from the invalid pension CON-
mittee. 1t amends the existing pen
sion law in some very important re-
spects. Mr.. Picker, the chairman of
the committee, addressed the house
for three hours in support of it. Be-
fore the pension bill was taken up Mr..
Goodwin (Pop) was seated in place of
Mr. Cobb DENY from the Fifth Ala
bama district.
Washington, April 25.-Several mi
nor bills were passed at the opening Of
the senate. Prior to taking up the H.
dian appropriation bill Mr.. Call asked
for agreement by which the senate
2i.ollld AL IL.