The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
IN CONGRESSIONAL Halls
Business Transacted b, the National
Lawmakers.
THE hARB0R BILLS PASSED
Warm W ord Encounters Upon the Meas
ure-Vote on the Bili-Mr. Hill
Aims Bill at ,Aiicus-Other
Washington Topics.

Washington May la~-rhe river and
harbor bill was passed in the senate
today. leaving only three OF the annual
appl opriation bills to he acted on. These
are the District Of Columbia bill. the
fortificatton bill and the deficiency bill.
But before either OF them is taken up
the Delaware senatorial election case
will have To be disposed CT, and IL that
case tomorrow and Friday have been
assigned
The amendment which had been Of
tered to the river and harhor bill yes
terday by Mr.. German lDem,, Md
limiting expenditures under the bill to
ten millions year. WAS today, after
long discussion. laid on the table by Il
vote of Az to IS. An amendment IN the
same sense limiting the expenditures
under contracts to 20 per cent. was Of
fered ny Mr.. Bate ,Dcm.. Tenny and
met the same fate with u vote OF 81 10
Is ana then, after somewhat bitter
encounter Of words between Mr.. Allen
Pop. NebJ and the chairman of the
committee ON commerce, Mr.. Frye
,kep,, Mel The latter made the clos
Ing speech in advocacy of the bill ana IN
response to criticism of It, Mr.. Frye
stated sorne facts in Illustration OF the
immense growth OF the railroad, river
and lake commerce of the United States.
The railroad freights. he said. had been
cut down within the last twenty years
from 3ia cents a ton mile to about;$4 Of
cent II ten mile; and yet the people
wanted cheaper freigths. That re-
quirement could only be met by imprOv-
ing water facilities and for the reason
the Intelligent people of the United
STATES Were everywhere asking for
river and harbor improvements.
The v(o1t. the. MASSAGE uf the hill
was: Yeas 81. nays 9--the senators
who voted In the negative being Messrs
Allen (Pop., Neb), Bate (Dem., Tenn.),
| Brown (Rep., Utah). Chiffon (Dem.,
TeXas). Harris Dem., Tenn, Hill
tDem.. n. y, Kyle Pop, 5. d., Smith
CDem,, n. j. and Villas CDem,, Wis.,
AMOUNT or APPROPRIATION.
The bill as it passed the house ap-
piopriatrd $lO,5947lS and authorized
contracts for 81 projects involving an
aggregate liability OF 5l.72l,2l0. As II
| WAS reported to the senate the amount
appropriated was S12.Sl4.650 That sum
was increased by various items put on
| In the senate including the provision
| for the deep sea harbor In Southern
| California.
A SHOT AT ALIENS.
| In the senate today Mr.. Hill intro
duced bill which provides that no per-
son, not "a citizen Of the United States
| shall be employed upon or In Connec-
ton with any public building OF public
works under the control Of or conducted
by the United States Its territories OF
the District OF Columbia. All contracts
hereafter entered into are required to
contain II provision that this law is to
| be carried into effect. Violations are to
| be deemed as misdemeanOrs punishable
| byu fine Of from $3.50 to $500, imprisOn-
ment not exceeding one year on both.
From the committee On agriculture
Senator Proctor today reported a bill t.
provide for director in chief Of the
scientific bureaus and investigations IN
the department of agriculture. This
official to be appointed by the president
and confirmed by the senate, at salary
TEN this work has been confided 10 al
assistant secretary. but for some year.
| there has been felt the need Of Il per
mauent officer of wide scientific attain
ments who should have charge of al
this work.
INVESTIGATE LIQUOR TRAFFIC
Mr.. Morse lRep., Miass) from tn
committee ON alcoholic liquor traffic, re
pUFlSu lu tie HouSe loudN' With tu
recOmine ndatiCn that it pass, a bill pro
viding for the appointment by the pres
ident of Il commission of five persons
whose duty II shall be to Investigate
the alcoholic liGuor traffic, its relation
to revenue and taxation, and its gen
eral economic, criminal, moral ant
scientific aspects in connection witt
pauperism crime, social vice, the pub
lie health and general welfare OF tn
people; and also 10 inquire into ant
take testimony as to the practical re
suits OF license and prohibitUry Iegis
lation for thep revention of intemper
ance. An APPROPRIATION Of $4,000 |
made to defray the expenses OF the III
uuiry
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS
The house VAS mainly occupied toda
| In The consideration Of the Riuukel