The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-18
HOT WEATHER SESSIONS
Congressional Tempers Rise with the
Temperature.
SENATE AND HOUSE DEBATES
MIR. Iliii Makes Stump Speeches Senators
Goars aud Alien C!ash- Old.Tims
Wrangi0 In the House
Over Wur Claims.

Washington, April l7.-Mr. Hill con-
tinued without concluding this after
noon the speech he commenced yester-
day against the passage of the PETER
resolution to investigate the bond sale
of the present administration. Mr.. Hill
saved his strength for prOtracted
fight by having read at the clerks desk
the various laws relative to the re-
demption of greenbacks and quotations
from President Cleveland's message on
the financial question. He still has
much material In reserve and will con-
tinue for two or three days, especially
If he secures the assistance he did this
afternoon.
As Mr.. Hill was about to yield to a
motion for an executive session. Mr..
Gear reported the bill for the refunding
of the Pacific bond aided railroads.
This led to an alteration between Mr..
Gear, chairman Of the committee and
Mr. Allen, the Populist senator from
Nebraska In which warm words We're
used on both sides. Mr.. Gears state
ments were characterized by Mr.. AL
len as false. Mr.. Allen was called to
order and his words read from the
clerks desk. after which he was per-
mitted to proceed In order. Mr. AL
lens. subsequent remarks consisted of
party for the presidency, James b.
Weaver, and a defense of the princi-
pies of the party which Gear had at
tackled. Mr.. Hoar (Rep., Mass.) who
expects to leave the city Immediately,
spoke briefly In favor OF the investigat-
ing resolutions and criticised the re-
marks Of Mr.. Hill as being more in
place on the stump than In the senate
chamber.
LIVELY DAY IN HOUSE.
This was an old fashioned field-day
I'm the house Of representatives, with
radical variations. 1t was private bill
day, under the rules. When bills to
pay claims arising out Of the war,
which in the past affored opportunity
and excuse for fighting the battles OF
the rebellion over again, were under
consideration. Today, however, the
contest was waged, largely by Repub-
lican members who advocated the pay
ment of the bills reported by the COM
mittee on war claims and those who
favored postponing action. and some
of the statements were startling In their
bitterness. Mr.. Mahon, of Pennsyl-
vania, chairman Of the committee, was
asked by Mr.. Dingley (Rep., Maine) If
the committee was satisfied of the Jus
tice and correctness of claim for the
payment of which a bill had been re-
ported. Replying. Mr.. Mahon reviewed
the action OF congress on these claims,
their reference to the court of claims
for examination and finding Of facts
and passionately declared that congress
either ought to pay thskclaims recon-
mended by the coert sr- abolish the
court, so that the people might know
what to expect. He declared that the
government was a great robber of it's
private citizens. and he asserted that
he would rather have a Dauper owe
him a thousand dollars than to be a
creditor Of the United States for that
amount.
Mr.. Walker (Rep.. Mass.) was almost
violent In his denunciation of the pol
Icy which prescribed the payment of
these claims. Dramatically he de-
clared that no robber baron has ever
equalled the government of the Uunited
States In its robbery Of honest credit
Ors. He attacked the leaders of the
house, charging them with purposely
preventing the consideration Of bills
for the payment Of just claims. assert
Ing that extraordinary rulings of the
chair lin committee of the whole) were
resorted to to aid in carrying that pol
icy.
Messrs. Mccall (Rep.. Tenn.) and Ev-
ans (Rep., Ky) appealed to the house
to pay the claims of loyal men from the
south, anf Mr.. Ray (Rep., N. "
charged that to enter upon the payment
Of them would compel the next admin
istration to issue bonds from beginning
to close.
Messrs. Dockery (Dem., Mo- and
Grosvenor (Rep., o. made political
speeches in connection with their com
mon opposition to the payment of the
claims. the former asserting that Re-
publican legislation in the past, and
the latter that Democratic administra-
tion was responsible for the present
condition of the treasury. The net re.
suit Of the days discussion was the re-
lection of one bill and the paseage OF
another. Mr.. Pickler' fRep.. s. d. re.
ported the general pension bill prepared
by the committee on invalid pensions
anu 1T WIS ru-CUITImtrrtd.