Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-12-25
ACTION OF CONGRESS-.
MANAGEMENT OF THE UNION PA.
ciFIc DENOUNCED IN SENATE.

The House Passes Appropriation Bills and
Has q Lively Tiit over Civil Service.
rhrnshing over Old Political straw.
Proceedings Of the Past Week.
WASHINGTON. Dec. e8-The senate was
unexpectedly diverted from Cuba to the
Pacific railroada An unusually large
crowd was in the galleries, anticipating
that Mr.. Vest would continue his speech
on the attitude Of Mr. Olney toward the
Cameron resolution. The interest this had
awakened was shown by the presence in
the diplomatic gallery Of First Assistant
Secretary Of state Rockhill, who is next
In rank to Mr. Olney In state affairs and
who has had special charge Of the reports
coming from consuls In Cuba. The for
eign delegation also was well represented.
Soon after the session opened, Mr. Petit
grew of South Dakota Galley up his reso-
luton relative to the trust notes of the Pa
cifc railroad. The senator made a savage
onslaught on the Pacific railroad system
In general, charging that combination
Of private interests was seeking to absorb
the roads and close out the government
This opened the entire question, and Mr..
Morgan Of Alabama followed with bit
ter arraignment Of the Pacific roads, chare-
ing them with fraud and crime on gil
gantic scale
Mr.. Call secured the adoption Of reso-
luton asking the secretary Of state for in
formation relative to the killing of Charles
GOWN, an American citizen, by the Span
ish forces In Cuba
Mr. Pettigrew introduced bill in the
senate providing for a grant of land TO
the state Of South Dakota to aid in the
construction of the Dakota Pacific rail-
road from Sioux Falls to Granger, Wy.
The bill grants alternate sections Of land
for go miles on each side Of the proposed
road.
Mr. Butler Of North Carolina intro
duced resolution providing for special
committee OF three senators to inquire into
the feasibility Of applying the principle of
direct legislation through the initiative
and referendum to the legislation of the
federal government
The senate adjourned for the holiday re-
cess, lasting until Jan. 8.
Proceedings In the Honse.
The house passed the legislative, exec
utive and judicial appropriation bill and
then adjourned for the holiday recess
This is the first time in the history Of con-
8roSb bnhB bD6 Legislative Dill mas Deen
passed before the holidays. The session
was devoted to the annual debate of the
civil service law, and, as usual, the at
tempt to strike out the provision for the
commission was overwhelmingly defeated.
There was good deal of thrashing over
old straw and sparring for political points
Mr. Brosius, chairman of the OWL service
commission, defended the law. Others
who participated in the debate were Messrs
Baker (Rep.) of New Hampshire, Walker
(Rep.) Of Massachusetts,, Williams (Dem. }
Of Mississippi, Bowers (Rep.) of Califor-
mia and Neil (Dem. of Arkansas
Mr.. Settle (Rep) of North Carolina
made the motion to strike out the para
graph relating to the civil service, which
was defeated by a vote of 2y to SO. The
bill as passed carries $21, ,669, 369, or $780,
$40 more than the current bill
Mr. Wellington of Maryland introduced
a bill for the advancement of salaries of
government clerks receiving 81, 800 and
less at the rate Of 10 per cent in five years
until they reach 81, 800 per annum.
A bill to promote aerial navigation was
introduced by Mr.. Baker of New Hamp-
shire, which proposes to give $50, 900 to
Professor Langley Of the Smithsonian in
stitution, $50, 900 to James Selden Cow
den Of Virginia and $40, 600 to the war de-
partment for conducting experiments.