The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-23
WORK OF THE HOUSE.
The Conference Report on the River
and HarbOr Bill Agreed To.

Inc conference report on the RIVER
and HarbOr Bill Agreed To.
Washington, May 22.-The labor COM
mission bill, discussion of which was be-
gun in the House yesterday, has appar-
emily failed this session. The rule pro-
vidng for the consideration of the bill
excepted conference reports on appropria-
ton bills from its operation, and to-day s
session was exhausted by measures of
this character.
The first was the report of the partial
agreement on the river and harbor APP
preparation bill. 1t met the vigorous OPP
position of Mr.. Dockery, dem, of Mis-
souri,. and Mr.. Hepburn, rep, of Iowa
of the iniquity of the bill, the report was
agreed 10 by a vote of 1888 to So. Friends
of the bill endeavored to prevent a vote
by yeas ana nays, but Mr.. Hepburn was
able to muster sufficient strength to eff
tectively second his demand.
Next came the sundry civil appropria-
ton bill and upon the plea made by Mr..
Bartlett, dem, of New York, the House
voted-l5O TO 59-not 10 agree to the con-
ference report. His objection was to an
item appropriatlng $1,000 10 pay Gen.
James D. Mcbride for $500 sets of his
historical publication, which, he said,
Were merely charts, cheap, poor, i'm,
insist upon its disagreement to all the
Senate amendments, except those relating
TO public buildings, and upon these sep
arate votes were taken. As to all that
were reached before the House, under the
rules, took a recess until s o'clock *
voted to insist upon its disagreement.
These were public buildings at Boise City,
Idaho; Camden, \. j.; Cheyenne, Wyo.
Helena, WyO.; Kansas City, Mo. Little
Rock Ark, and the postotice at Fortress
A conference report was agreed to fix
ing the pension voted 10 Brig. Gen. Jo-
seph r. West formerly United States
senator from Louisiana, at SIS a month.
At the evening session, Mr. Erdman.
dem, of Pennsylvania, submitted to the
House a series of tables showing in detail
the work of the committee on pensions
and invalid pensions al this session of
congress. From this it appeared that the
committee had reported bills to pension
the number given of each of the follow
ing grades of officers, or their widows
as stated: Major generals Qncludng foul
rear-admirals) %; brigadier generals. Gn-
Guiding two commOdores of the navy
Is; colonies, 25; lieutenant colonies, 4: ma
jors, 49,; captains, A; first Heutenants, 10;
second lieutenants, ..
The average annual pensions granted to
these ranged from S3l2 for the first lieu
tenats, 10 SS2S for major generals; the gen
eral average being $l6l.
Bills had been reported to pension other
on-priVates as follows. NOn-commission-
ed officers 80; teamsters, 3; Photographers
!; non-enlisted men, g; nurses, 6; spy, J.
The average annual pension for these
was SO. Besides bills had been reported
to pension 27l privates at an annual av-
erage of $3.50.
Among. the bills considered was one ia
pension Col Silas Adams of Kentucky
1t transpired that Col. Adams had died
since the bill was introduced. The name
of his widow, Eliza c., was inserted IN the
bill and an effort made, but unaVailingly
to increase the amount of the pension
from $50 10 so a month.
Fifteen bills We're acted upon during the
the House.
At 1890 o'clock the House adjourned
until tomorrow.