Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-28
IN CONGRESS TODAY
a Joint Resolution for Relief to tho
St. Louis Sufferers.
THE BOND BILL UP AGAIN
Dissatisfaction With tho Work of
the Conferees Expressed.
MATTERS IN THE HOUSE

MATTERS IN THE HOUSE
The ST. Louis horror was the theme Of a
touching and eloquent prayer by Rev. DR..
| Milburn. the blind chaplain Of the Senate.
at the opening Of the session today. "Oh,
| God" he prayed. I'VE stand aghast at the
| awful tokens of thy power and majesty.
| The earth is shaken and trembles and the
! foundations of the hills are shaken"
Divine mercy invoked for the
stricken city Of St Louis, succor for the
manned and afflicted. strength and aid to
| those ministering relief and protection from
| another visitation of divine wrath.
| When the bill relating to alcohol used in
| the arts &c. was received from the House
/ Mr.. Harris CTenn) announced that the
| finance committee had anticipated Its
| ception and had acted favorably on 1t. and
| that later today he would ask considera-
| ton for the measure.
| The House Tent Resolution.
When the House resolution was received
| authorizing the Secretary Of War to loan
| tents and render aid to the mayors of st.
| Louis and East ST Louis Mr.. Palmer of
| Illinois asked immediate consideration.
Mr.. Vest tMo) interposed the suggestion
that while ii might seem ungraciuus for
|
of late reports showing the usual exagger-
| alton attending the first hours of calam-
| ity he did not consider this action neces-
sary. The people Of st. Louis. he said.
| could take care OF themselves, and al
| though the resolution could do no harm.
! yet he deprecated the tendency to rush
impulsively to federal sources for relief.
Mr.. Harris Tenn) said he fully SYM
| pathiZed with this view. although the res
olution being here. it should be acted on.
and made joint instead OF concurrent
Mr.. Cullom UIl) said he felt from the
latest reports that there was no occa-
sion for the passage Of the relief resolu-
| ton and that the respective states would
| be able 10 take care Of their people on
| both Sides OF the river. Yet. as the House
| had acted. Mr.. Cul]om urged that the Sen
ate should give It's assent He added that
| he was still in doubt and worried over the
situation on tho Illinois side. The resoiu-
ton was amended to be joint instead Of
| concurrent, thus requiring prssent dtion to
| the President and was then adopted.
Conferees Criticized.
part of the conference report on the
Indian appropriation bill occasioned heat
| ed controversy. Mr.. Hale said the con-
| ferees had injected great body Of new
law. concerning Indian citizenship. into the
| conference, and he protested against the
| breach of a sacred rule Of conference.
| The criticism Of the conferees became
/ general. Mr.. Allison, chairman of the COM
mittee on appropriations. said never before
In tWenty-three years had new legislation
been put into a conference report. Mr..
Vest interDosed that 1T had oeen done in
the conference report on the tariff bill OF
SO
Mr. Teller one Of the conferees defend
ed their action.
The Bond Bill.
The bond bill was taken up at o'clock,
| the Indian conference report being dis
| placed without action. Mr.. Daniel (Va.)
| resumed his speech supporting the bill
| and arguing for the free coinage Of silver.
THE HOUSE.
Almost the sole topic Of converse ton
among the members of the House today
was the ST. Louis tornado. Members stood
about in groups and discussed the horrible
details of the disaster before the House
met. The st. Louis members. Messrs. Cobb,
Bartholdt and JOY and Mr.. Murphy OF
Illinois, who lives in East st. Louis, were
almost frantic with anxiety. They had no
news of their families and friends except
such as came to them through the Asso-
ciated Press dispatches. In the death lists
they recognized many whom they knew.
Mr.. Bartholdt. whose family reside within
block of COncordia Hall, in South St.
Louis, which was RACED to the ground, was
especially solicitous for news from his
family. Chaplain Couden, in his 1nvoca-
ton. referred feelingly to the sorrow and
suffering in the grief-Stricken district.
Resolution for Tents.
AS soon the journal had been read, Mr..
Bartholdt MOI asked unanimous consent
for the consideration of a resolution d.
recting the Secretary Of War to place at
the disposal Of the mayors of st. Louis and
East St. Louis a sufficient number of tents
n }ef To
in those Cities and to give such other re-
lief as might be proper. etc.
Mr.. Bartholdt explained that he and his
colleague. Mr.. Hubbard, had called on the
Secretary of War this morning and had
been informed that if Congress would give
the authority, eight or ten boats used near
st. Louis in the Mississippi river improve
rent could be sent to the mound city to
render assistance and relief. The resolu-
ton was unanimously adopted.
Amendments Concurred In.
The House concurred in the Senate
amendments to the sundry civil appropria-
ton hill increasing the appropriation for
the st. Paul public building from 10000 to
sl25,OO0; appropriating $4,000 for altera-
tons to the public building at New York,
and $4,000 for the public building at Lit
tie Rock.
The sundry civil appropriation bill was
sent back to conference on the remaining
amendments. Mr.. Trowther MOI and Mr.
Blue (kan) opposed the conference report
on the bill to pension the widow of Cen O.
NJ. Poe at $40 month on the ground that
the rate was excessive. The House fixed
the rate at $50. The report was disagreed
to and the bill sent to further conference
The St Louis tornado resolution with
the Senate amendment was returned to he
House and the amendment was Immediate
ly agreed to.
The House agreed to the conference re-
port on the bill to lease the Fort Omaha
military reservation to Nebraska for edu-
cational purposes.
Mr.. Gillette (Mass), chairman of the COM
mlttee on reform IN the civil service, pre-
sented a favorable report on the eros
venor resolution calling the President
and the various abinet officers for com
piete list Of the changes in the personnel
OF the several departments since March g.
1873. but, under protest from Mr.. McMillin
and other democrats, it was withdrawn
MAY BE ANOTHER VETO,