The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-28
The House Refuses to Go Into
it's Consideration.
A LIVELY FIGHT RESULTS
An Attempt to Make a False
Showing of Economy
ON PART OF THE REPUBLICANS
Democrats Denounce the Scheme and
Intimate that Similar Methods
Will be Followed in Some
Other Bills.

Other Bills.
Washington, March 27-Ihe Appro-
priations committee attempted to take
up the Sundry Civil Appropriation
bill to-day but the members who were
interested in bills on the private cal
endar defeated them by vote Of 142
to ~.
The members of the Appropriations
committee do not view their defeat as
the result of opposition to the appro-
priation bill. Members from the North
who are interested in pension legisla-
ton, and those from the South who are
interested in war claims, have been
chafing for some time over the inabili-
ty to proceed with the work on the pri-
vate calendar. Those in control have
kept the nose of the House to the
grind stone of appropriation bills and
many of the members were rebell1ous.
Last Friday, motion was made to
proceed with the private calendar, but
it was defeated To-day, by sort of
combination, the appropriation were
defeated. The victory however, was
completely barren so far as the South
ern men were concerned, as, after the
House went into committee, the Repub-
leans forced a motion to pass over all
claims on the calendar The Southern
men retaliated by flibustering against
the pension bills so that the net result
to-day was less than half dozen bills
passed
1T developed during the day that a
lively fight would be precipitated on
Monday when the Sundry Civil bill is
called up on account of the fact that
the bill carries appropriation for con-
tinuing contracts on river and harbor
work and public buildings for only
eight months of the next fiscal year.
That would carry the appropriation up
to March /, 1897.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the APP
preparations committee, explains and
justifies the section by saying in the
last Congress the full amount required
for river and harbor work. under the
continuing contract system, was not
appropriated for in several instances
and the deficiencies were provided for
at the subsequent session in the Def
cheney bill. In the case of Galveston
harbor, a deficiency of 100000 was
provided for. He explains that these
appropriations for continuing con-
tracts become Immediately available
and as the next Sundry Civil bill must
become law before the expiration of
the short session, which expires March
4, 1897, money viii be provided as soon
as the appropriations in the present
bill are expended and the public works
cannot suffer.
The Democrats of the committee, on
the other hand, maintain that this
change constitutes a complete and un-
| precedented innovation and say it is
/ designed to make an ostensible show
/ ing of economy in the grand total of
appropriations for the present session
/ of Congress. They denounce it as a
| false pretense and intimate that the
same methods will be followed in the
case of the Fortifications bill.
Mr.. Savers (Dem., Texas, who was
chairman OF the Appropriations com
: mittee last Congress, will on Monday,
attack the methods of the Appropria-
tions committee. He will point out
the foregoing facts and make the
further point that in trying to keep
down the total of regular appropria-
tions the committee placed in the Gen
eral Deficiency bin appropriations
aggregating 100000, or 100000 for the
Congressional library and 100000 for
the printing of the agricultural re-
port, both of which appropriations
were for deficiencies and property be-
longing in the Sundry Civil bill.
The Appropriations committee guf-
fered another reverse just before the
House took recess tonight. 1t was
Mr.. Cannon's intention to force the
House to sit tomorrow and proceed
with the Sundry Civil bill, but the
members were Overwhelmingly in fa-
vor Of taking holiday and big MAJ
iority voted to adjourn until Monday.
1t was decided by the Foreign Affairs
committee to-day, after consultation
with Speaker Reed, not to call up the
conference report on the Cuban resolu-
tions until the Sundry Civil Appropria-
tion bin had passed. 1T was thought
the adoption Of the conference report
could be accomplished when the OPP
portunity should offer for its consider
alton, and as there was no urgency
which necessitatcd immediate action,
the House having already gone on re-
cord, it was deemed not advisable to
displace an appropriation bill.