The San Francisco call., 1896-03-07
PASSAGE OF THE BILL.
Important Changes Made in the
Amendments Relating to
Fees and Salaries.
FEDERAL COMMISSIONERS GO.
One Provision That May Tie Up Pro.
ceedings Pending in Many Sec.
tions of the Country.

lions OF the CouutIys
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 6.-After
seven days consideration, four OF which
were devoted to the fee and salary amend
ment, the House to-day passed the legis-
lative, executive and judicial appropria-
ton bill. Before disposing OF the fee and
salary amendment it was changed so as to
forbid the beginning of prosecution
under the internal revenue law upon the
complaint of private citizen except by
the written approval OF the District At
torney, and further to forbid the appoint
ment of any Federal court officer, includ-
ing United States Commissioners, as re-
ceiver in any case before Federal court.
Bartlett and Quigg made an unsuccessful
effort to secure the exemption OF the
Southern district of New York from the
operation of that section of the law which
gives the Judges OF the District Court
the appointment of United States Com
missioners, all the present Commissioners
being legislated out of Office on the Goth OF
June next. Bartlett said that the bill was
seriously defective in that 1T failed to
make provision for validating or continu-
ing the proceedings which will be pending
before the hundreds of Commissioners
when they go out OF office.
The postoffice appropriation bill was
next taken up and discussed until the hour
of recess.
Besides discussing these two bills the
House passed the House bill requiring
pension agents to make all payments by
check, and agreed to the Senate amend
ments to the House bill making seven
years continued and unexplained absence
sufficient proof of a soldiers death in
cases of application for pensions.
Hull (R.) of Iowa unsuccessfully en-
deavored to gain consideration of bill to
relieve General w. P. Carlin of liability on
account of the expenditure of $11S0, made
by quartermaster officer i'll the fall OF
1893 in searching for party of students
who were showed in in a canyon in the
Bitter Root Mountains, and who, without
the aid of the regular army, would have
perishee.
Wilson (R.) of Idaho asked if this was
the party consisting CT General Carlin's
son and some other young men who de-
serted a citizen of Idaho and left him to
die.
Hull responded that there was nothing
in the record to show that fact. The bill
went over.
The House then proceeded in committee
of the whole to the further consideration
of the fee and salary amendment to the
legislative, executive and Judicial appro-
priation bill.
An amendment was agreed to prohib-
iting the beginning Of any prosecution
under the internal revenue laws upon
complaint of private citizen, except by
the written approval of the District At
torney.
An amendment was agreed to on motion
of Adams (R.) Of Pennsylvania giving to
clerks of courts as well as commissioners
authority to administer oaths.
Bartlett CD of Georgia offered an
mendment, which was adopted. forbid
ding the appointment of any Federal
officer or commissioner as receiver in any
suit in the Federal courts.
Upon the motion of the committee and
at the suggestion of the Department oi
Justice the bill was amended SO as to raise
the per diem of United States Commits
sioners from So to So so day, with re-
striction of one per diem allowance for
any one day.
At ESQ p NJ. the House passed the legis-
lative, executive and judicial appropria-
ton bill and then took up the postofhce
appropriation BILL
Loud (R.) of California, explaining the
provisions of the bill, said that the esti.
mates on which the bill was based
amounted to $94, ,S17,900 The bill recon-
mends an appropriation Of SOL ,943,757, OF
1854, ,142 less than the estimates and
s., 397, 760 more than the bill for the cur.
rent fiscal year. The estimated postal
revenue for the fiscal year 1897, in the
opinion of the Postmaster General. will be
$50, 1853, 120, or $3.50, 322 less than the ap-
preparation recommended by the commit
tee. To meet whatever deficiency may oc-
cur in the several appropriations made by
the bill sum equal to such deficiency OF
the revenues Of the Postoffice Department
is to be appropriated from the treasury.
In the preparation of the bill Loud said
the committee had segregated certain
items from the general appropriation for
free-delivery service, believing that to be
a better plan. In the accounts OF the office
of the Second Assistant Postmaster-Gen-
eral, Loud said the committee had found
that $3.50, 900 OF the approximation for the
star route service had been diverted to
other purposes, and the appropriation for
that service was reduced by that sum,
which was appropriated to wagon service.
When the accounts Of the office OF the
Fourth Assistant ostmaster-General were
reached in the course Of Loud's explana-
ton, Quigg (R.) of New York asked IT the
increase of $32, 900 made in the appropria-
ton for inspectors would permit continu-
ance of what has become known to III
fame as the 'spy system"
Loud answered that in bis opinion 1t
would not, but in further answer to
Quigg's questions went into the subject
somewhat at length.
In conclusion Loud gave it as his opinion
that unless conditions IN the Postoffice
Department and postal service were
changed by Congress the annual de-
ficiency, which had increased from about
$5,0oO,OOO in 1888 to $1O,Ooo,000 in 1880,
would increase in the future even more
rapidlv