The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-11
CLOSING DAY OF CONGRESS.
BOTH HOUSES To ADJOURN THIS
AFTERNOON.

The Contempt of Court Bill the
Bone Of Contention in the senate
Most of the Day YeSterday--A Conn
promise on the District Of Column
bia Bin-A Number of Bills Passed.
The House Backs Down on the
Sundry Civil Bill.
Washington. June 1O.-In spite Of the
fact that ii was generally believed that
this would be the last day OF the session,
there was a rather slim attendance In the
galleries. and the days proceedings We're
devoid Of interest or excitement There
was also a dearth Of senators present, and
whenever a call for quorum was made,
considerable time was spent in looking up
the requisite A. senators. There always
seemed TO be a feeling of doubt in the
chamber that such a number could be Sc
cured, and a feeling of relief was mani
Tested whenever the quorum was obtain
ed
The contempt of court bill was the bone
Of contention during the day, and it was
finally passed. Ii divides contempt of
court into two classes, direct, committed
in the presence Of the court. and all 9th
ers indirect Summary punishment is pro-
Vided for direct contempt. For indirect
contempt a reasonable opportunity Is Civ
en- the defendant TO purge himself Of such
contempt and a trial by jury. Writs Of
error will lie to the supreme court.
In advocating the passage Of the bill.
Mr.. Butler of North Carolina arraigued
the growing power of the supreme court
10 lnhuence legislation. After speaking of
the Instances IN which the supreme court
mad upset legislation demanded by the
people, referring especially TO the in
los b. N.H
as the third legislative House elected
by nobody representing nobody account
able to nobody, Inconsistency arrOgatng
70 itself the authority and power 10 de-
eide that congress did not know what il
was doing, and which had decided that
the income tax was bad legislation, as
well as unconstitutional. Ii must have
been an oversight in the bill, he SAID,
which increased the power of these courts
beyond that conferred by the COnstitu-
ton. He referred To the summary treat
ment of Debs, the Chicago labor leader.
who was sent to prison for contempt of
court IN not respecting the injunction is
sued by the courts to prevent the strikers
from interfering with the movement of
trains. Such power vested in the judi
ciary was relic of old world barbarism
ana tyranny as protest TO which this
government was constituted. Yet, after
only little over one hundred years eX-
istence the government was sinking into
this groove of tyranny.
VI me TWO appropriation bills on which
the differences between the two houses
blocked the way to adjournment, the
District of Columbia was compromised by
continuing the appropriation to sectarian
charities. but declaring that no further
appropriations for this purpose shall be
made after June 30 1897.
The conferees on the sundry civil bill re-
ported further disagreement, but just be-
fore recess was taken, an agreement was
reported, the House receding from its dis
agreement to the Senate amendment pro-
Viding for the erection Of buildings a Boise
CITY Idaho; Cheyenne, Wyoming: Salt
Lake City, Utah, and Helena, Montana.
The following bills We're passed. In
creasing the pay of letter carriers; to pre-
vent the transportation of spirituous IL
QuOrs under false names.
The bill increasing the pension of Fran
els F. Hoover was passed over the Presi-
dents veto
The latter part Of the days session was
occupied by speeches by Mr.. Stewart. pop.
carolina, arraigning generally congress
and the administration
concurrent resolution for final ad-
JOurnInent tomorrow at o'clock was
agreed to, and at $40 o'clock the Senate
took a recess until $3.50 o'clock this even
ing.
The first ripple on the placid current
or lnaction at the night session was caus-
ed by motion entered by Mr. Hale. rem.
or Maine, TO reconsider the vote bV which
the Senate to-day passed a bill to Increase
the pay of letter carriers.
Just before II o'clock the sundrv civil
bill and several minor bills Were received
from the House and Immediately signed
by the vice president.
The Senate then adjourned until to-
morrow morning.