Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-04-25
FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, April 25.
SENATE.


Chandler called attention to the alb
sence of a quorum. A call of the Sem
ate then took place, when only 43
Senators-two less than quorum
responded. The Sergeant-at-arms was
ordered to request the attendance of the
absent members, and soon afterwards
the requisite number was obtained and
the Secretary proceeded to read the
journal of yesterday.
A protest of the American Women's
Citizens, League, of Massachusetts,
against the acceptance of the Pere
Marquette statue was presented by MIR.
Gallinger.
Mr.. Sherman asked unanimous con-
sent to take up the House bill concern
ing the distilling of brandy from fruits,
with the finance committee amend
ment repeating the section of the tariff
law which provides rebate Of the tax
on alcohol used in the arts and in med
icine.
Mr.. PETER objected. Thereupon Mr..
Sherman made the formal motion to
take it up. He said that it was of the
highest Importance that action on the
matter should be taken at this session:
but he was willing to wait until after
the sundry civil appropriation bill
should be out of the way, if there could
be an understanding to that effect.
Mr.. Chandler said that there was an
understanding, for some days, that no
business calculated to take time would
| be brought before the Senate until the
appropriation bills were disposed OF.
That had been the understanding of
Senators on both sides of the chamber.
The Senator from Ohio, he said, must
be aware that in interfering tariff
bill which had been said to be as dead
as julius Cesar, he was postponing in.
definitely the consideration of sppro-
priation bills.
Mr.. Sherman again spoke of the i'm
portance to the revenue of the repeal
of the alcohol rebate provision, which,
he reminded the Senate, had got into
the tariff act by inadvertence.
Mr.. Platt opposed Mr.. Sherman's
motion, stating that the bill would give
rise to much debate, and that for him
self he would oppose the repeal of the
rebate section of existing law. If the
Senate were to go into the tariff ques-
ton at all it should correct the greatest
mistake of all, repeal the Wilson act
and re-enact the Mckinley law.
The vote was taken on Mr.. Sherman's
motion and the motion was defeated
yeas, %; nays, u.
Only three republican Senator'S
Messrs. Allison, Teller and Wolcott-
voted with Mr.. Sherman. The three
populists who voted-Messrs. Allen,
Butler and Peiler-voted against the
motion. All the democrats voted for it
except Messrs. Bacon, Tillman and
Turpie.
The consideration of the sundry civil
appropriation bill was then proceeded
with.
Among the amendments adopted was
one appropriating $4,000 for post.
office building at Fortress Monroe, Va,
and one appropriating S250,000 for an
additional building for the National
Museum, at Washington.
BoUsE.
Mr.. Bingham submitted the report
of the conferees on the legislative, ex-
ecutive and judicial appropriation bill.
It made the following settlement Of
disputed points Salary assistant comp
troller of the Treasury, $4,000; the Sec
rotary of the Navy to select employees
in the Office of the naval records of the
rebellion; board of ten examiners of
surveys at 200 each to be appointed
in the general land office; the appro-
priation Of $4,000 for a classification
division of the patent Office is stricken
out; the increase of $66,500 made by
the Senate over the House provision
for salaries of district attorneys was re-
duced to 500, 900, and the increase of
ST. 800 in marshals' salaries was re-
duced to 1850. Several subjects were
still in disagreement, including provision
for Senator'S personal clerks, and as to
these q further conference was asked.
| The report was agreed to and the adj
ditional conference ordered.
A bit of presidential politics was un-
expectedly injected into the discussion
by all apparently innocent inquiry by
Mr.. Grosvenor. He wanted to know
if there were anything in the bill re-
lating to the capital of Oklahoma in
tended to prevent the people of that
territory from expressing an opinion as
to its location.
Mr.. Bingham replied that provis-
ion forbiding the Legislature to enter
tain q proposition to change the loca-
ton of the capital had been agreed
upon at the first conference and was
not now before the House.
Mr.. Grosvenor-It Is q proposition
that ought to destroy any man who was
a party to it.
Mr.. Flynn said that probably he was
responsible as much as any one for the
insertion of the provision in the bill.
"If the gentleman from Ohio" be con-
tinued, ''were not ranking under other
matters, he would not have made this
onslaught. That provision, or a similar
one, has been in every bill since the es-
tablishment of Oklahoma as territory.
The people of the territory do not want
the disgraceful scenes attending the first
meeting of the territorial legislature re-
peated. No man in the territory is op.
posed to the provision, unless he de-
sires to be member of the legislature
and wants to sell his vote.
Mr.. Grosvenor responded to Mr..
Flynn, saying he was not ranking
under things" aud did not know what |
the enormously distinguished gentle