The record-union., 1896-05-15
DOINGS IN CONGRESS.
BILL TO RESTRICT FOREIGN I'M
MIGRATION.
The Question of the Application of the
IlliteraCy Test Debated in the
Senate.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE Senate
bill to restrict immigration by the appli-
cation of the illiteracy test was to-day
the occasion of the delivery of two
speeches, one against and one for the
bill. Gibson of Maryland spoke in op-
position and Nelson of Minnesota in
advocacy.
Gibson attributed the instigation of
the bill to the American Protective
Association, which he characterized as
a secret, oath-bound, red-lettered, left
handed, dark-lanterned organization.
The real purpose of the bill was he as
serted, the hostility to the Catholic
Church.
Nelson defended the bill on account of
the necessity of restricting immigra ton,
and denied that the A P A or hostil-
ity to the Catholic Church h2d anything
to do with it.
No action was taken on the bill il
having been taken up for the sole pur-
pose of having these two speeches de-
liyered.
The increase of bounties on sugar re-
Gently proposed in the German Reich
stag was noticed in the Senate to-day
by Caffery of Louisiana in some re-
crease of United States duties in that
and similar cases. The bill was re-
ferred to the Committee on Finance.
Caffery argued that its passage was
necessary in order to prevent the de-
struction of the sugar industry in the
United States.
The discussion of the question of Du-
points title to seat in the Senate from
State M
to-day. When it was suspended two
or three weeks ago it was with the un-
derstanding that it was to be taken UP
again after the passage of the river and
harbor bill, and that the final vote was
to be taken at o'clock of the second
day.
When German of Maryland referred
to-day to that unanimous consent
agreement, Mitchell of Oregon, in
charge of the resolution, admitted the
correctness of the statement, but added
suggestively that what the particular
vote would be on would be determined
tonight.
Platt of Connecticut made an argu-
ment in favor of. Dupont's right.
When Platt suspended his speech un-
til tomorrow the president an
Gray Oem) of Delaware and SewalI
(Rep.) of New Jersey as a Board of Ex
aminers at the West Point Military
Academy, and of Senators Blackburn
Oem) of Kentucky and Hale (RepD
of Maine to Annapolis
The Senate bill for monuments to the
revolutionary Generals, Francis Nash
and William Davisson of North Caro-
linp-N0
The pension bills on the calendar were
then taken up and were passed very
expeditiously to the number of sixty.
among which were the following: House
bill granting $50 a month to the widow
of Brigadier-General John Hough:
Senate bill granting $50 a month to the
widow of Rear Admiral Walter w.
Queen, and of S25 a month to the
daughter of Major General Phillip
kearney.
After short executive session the
Senate, at 5:55, adjourned
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS
WASHINGTON, May 14.-Under the
special order adopted last week the
House spent to-day's session in Com
mittee of the Whole considering pri-
vate pension bills. Fifty-three were
acted upon favorably and reported to
the House for passage, among the
beneficiaries being the widows of Col
onel Orlando M. Poe General John New
ton, rigadier-General Charles D.
Jameson and Brigadier- General and ex-
Senator George f. Spencer and Robert
Smalls, the famous colored pilot and ex-
Congressman.
The contested election cases of Henry
P. Cheatham (Rep) against Fred A.
Woodard (Dem.), from the Second Dis
trict of North Carolina, was disposed Of
by the adoption of a resolution reported
from the Elections Committee No. de-
claring Woodard entitled to the seat.
The river and harbor bill was re-
turned to the House from the Senate,
the amendments made by that body
disag greed to and conference ordered.
Later Hepburn (Rep) of Iowa en-
tered a motion to reconsider that. and
the matter went over until tomorrow.
At 5:35 the House adjourned.