The San Francisco call., 1896-05-14
RIVER AND HARBOR
BILL IS PASSED,
Only Nine Votes Against
the Measure in the
Senate.
AMENDMENTS KILLED.
German, Allen and Bate Are
Active Leaders of the
Minority.
FRYE OF MAINE GROWS ANGRY
And Declares the Nebraska Senator
Doesn't Know What He Is
Talking About.

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 13.-The
river and harbor bill was passed in
the Senate to-day, leaving only three of
the annual appropriation bills to be acted
on. These are the District of Columbia
bill, the fortifcation and the deficiency
bill, but before either of them is taken UP
the Delaware Senatorial election case will
have to be.dlsposed Of and to that case to,
morrow and Friday have been assigned.
The amendment which had been offered
to the river and harbor bill yesterday by
German of Maryland limiting expendi-
ture under the bill to $1O,000O00 a year
was to-day after long discussion laid on
the table by vote of 30 to %.
An amendment, in the same sense. linn
iting. expenditures under contracts to %
per cent was offered by Bate of Tennessee
and met like fate.
Allen (Pop.) of Nebraska said that he
was not at all surprised that Republican
Senators should support the bill and
should authorize the making of large con-
tracts for the expenditure of money, but
he was SURPRISED that the Democratic Sena-
tors should do SO.
The contracts provided for in the bill
would be made by a Republican Secretary
OF War if present prospects should by
realized, and they would doubtless be
made with a class of gentlemen who
would be willing 10 contribute very largely
to the support OF the Republican party in
this campaign.
The pending bill, Allen added, carried
appropriations for the Improvement of six
teen different creeks and of one mIllpond.
He did not recall any ditch, although he
believed there was one ditch in New York
provided for. As soon as they got through
estuaries and lagoons and bayous and
creeks and bitches, he supposed they
would provide for the millponds.
Frye declared angrily that the Senator
from Nebraska had been talking of q
thing he knew nothing about. The Sem
ator from Nebraska had better investigate
the bill before ne undertook to talk about
bayous and creeks and millponds.
In response to the criticisms passed
upon the bill Frye stated some facts in
Illustration of the immense growth of the
railroad, river and lake commerce OF the
United States. The railroad freight, he
said, had been cut down within the last
twenty wears from 80 cents ton a mile
to about three-quarters of a cent ton a
mile, and yet the people wanted cheaper
freights.
That requirement could only be met by
improving water facilities, and for that
reason the intelligent people of the United
States were everywhere asking for river
and harbor Improvements.
A vote was then taken and the river and
harbor bill was passed by vote of 81 to
81, as follows:
Ayes-Aldrich, Allison, Bacon, Baker, Berry
Blackburn, Burrows, Butler, Caffery, Cam
eron, Cannon, Carter, Chandler, Cockren, Gull
lon, Davis, Dubois Elkins, Faulkner, Frye,
Gallinger, Gear, George, Gray, Hansbrough
Hawley, Jones of Nevada, Lindsay, Lodge, Nc
Bride, Mantle, Martin, Mills, Mitchell of Oregon
Mitchell of Wisconsin. Nelson, Pasco PETER
Perkins, Platt, Pugh, Quay, Roche, Sewell,
Sherman, Shoup, Squire Stewart, Teller, Thurs
ton, ,Turpie, Vest, Walthall, Warren, Wetmore,
White and Wilson-57.
Noes-AIlen, Bate. Brown, Chiffon, Harris
Hill, Kyle, Smith and Yilas-9.
On motion of Frye the Senate insisted
upon the amendments, and the following
conferrees were appointed: Frye, Quay
and Vest.
The following bills were taken from the
calendar and passed: Authorizing the con-
struction of a bridge over the Mississippi
River to the city of st. Louis; amending
an act granting pensions to the survivors
of the Indian wars from 1882 to 1842, so as
to include remnant of old and decrepit
men who served in these early Indian
wars, not yet on the pension-rolls; amend
ing the acts relating to the United States
courts in Indian Territory.
Mitchell (R.) of Oregon modified his
previous notice by stating that he would
cali up the resolution for an amendment
TO the Constitution providing for the elec.
ton of United States Senators by popular
vote, after the conclusion of all appropria-
ton bills, save the general deficiency.
Hill gave notice that as soon as that
order was disposed of he would call up the
contempt OF court bill recently reported
from the Committee on Judiciary.
The unobjected House bills on the calen-
dar were taken up and the following,
among others, were passed: Fixing at 10
cents the maximum price for uncertified
printed copies of specifications and draw
lngs of patents; permitting the Secretary
OF the Navy to accept certified checks in
lieu of the bond now required of the con-
tractors for naval supplies; making one
years residence in Territory prerequi-
site to obtaining a divorce there with
amendments).
AT P. NJ. the Senate adjourned until to.
morrow.