The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-01-23
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.

expressions III favor OF salary system.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington, Jan. 21.-Chaplain Cou-
den in the house today invoked the divine
guidance for Clara Barton of the Red
Cross in the efforts of that organization
for the relief of the suffering Armenians.
A resolution reported by Mr. Bennett
of New York from the committee on in
| terstate and foreign commerce, calling on
| the secretary of the treasury to inform
the house whether there was adequate
provision of law for the safety of the pub
| lie in ocean going travel in the form of
| life boats, etc, and whether the provision
of law was being carried out
On motion of Mr.. Hiborne (Rep.) of
| California, a resolution was adopted call
ing ON the secretary of the treasury for
| information as to the cause of the delay
| in the prosecution of the work on the San
Francisco public building.
Mr. Crisp at this point arose to inquire
what had become of the report of the
committee on rules, which was under
consideration for week and which had
not yet been disposed of. He called at
tentiOn to the fact that certain amend
ments agreed to were being enforced be-
| fore the report as a whole had been
agreed to-. AT the proper time he gave
notice of his intention to offer a substi-
tute for the entire report.
Mr.. Dalzell explained that the matter
would be brought. up later after a further
meeting of the committee ON rules.
| The house then, at 1:2O, went into COM
mittee of the whole and took up the con-
slderatlon of the urgent deficiency bill.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the propria-
tions committee, made statement and
called especial attention to the enormous
deficit of $3,325, ,5S2 for the expenses of
| United States courts, which showed an
abnormal growth Of this branch of the
public service of more than 100 per cent
There was, he declared urgent necessity
for a reform: The system ought to be
abolished and fixed salaries provided for
United States district attorneys and
United States marshals.
Mr: Savers Dem) of Texas agreed
with Mr.. Cannon as to the pressing neces-
sity for reform. Unless the present sys-
tenn was changed the expenses of United
| States marshals and United States COM
mlssloners would increase year by year
| to an enormous extent
Mr.. Henderson Repl of Iowa said that
| IN the last congress the Stone bill had
| been prepared but had fallen, he had
been Informed, of its own weight. it hav-
ing been found on examination that the
salaries provided in it would exceed the
| expenses under the present system.
Mr. Haines (Rep) of Nebraska chal-
lenged Mr.. Henderson's statements as
to the Stone BILL That bill, he said,
would produce considerable reduction
OF expenditures. 1t had been re-intro-
duced and would be pressed at this ses-
sion.
proposition in the bill to buy the pres
ent site of the United States legation at
Toxic, Japan, for $4,000, was.criticised
by Mr.. Mercer (ReD) of Nebraska as OK
horbitant.
An amendment by Mr. McRae Dem.)
OF Arkansas to allow Il surveyor to each
commission appointed under the act of
the last congress to segregate mineral
from agricultural lands in Montana and
IdahO was ruled out on point of or
der by Mr.. Cannon.
Some of Comptroller BOwler's rulings
were made the basis of criticism in con
nectl0n with an amendment offered by
Mr. Dinsmore Dem.) of Arkansas, who
resigned as United States attorney for
the Indian Territory last July. and l.. L.
Stowe, deceased, who died while serving
as United States marshal.
Neither of these officers had been con-
hrmed by the senate and under the anom-
alous rulings of the comptroller would
therefore not have been entitled to their
salaries.
Mr.. Lacey (Rep.) of Iowa required to
the abuses that had resulted in the piling
up of the expenses of the United States
courts, argued that the fee system was
responsible for the bringing of many friv-
olous suits. He cited an instance where
one man in the Western district of Ar
kansas held the position of clerk of the
United States district court clerk of the
circuit court and clerk to the United
States commissioner and drew over S12.-
600 in fees. He declared that the whole
system was honeycombed with fraud.
As amended the bill was passed
Then, at 4.15, the house adjourned un-
til tomorrow.