Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-12-25
VACANT HALLS.
Capitol Building at Washington
Practically Deserted.
STATESMEN GO HOME FOR HOLIDAYS.
Senate and House Adjourn Until January
Ex-senator Vests Expected Speech
on Cuba Postponed-The
Proceedings.

Proceedings.
Washington, Dec. 23.-The spectators
who had assembled in large smbers in
the senate galleries Tuesday in eNpccta-
ton of Witnessing interesting scenes
and of listening to an exciting debate
in connection with the Cuban question,
were disappointed, the only thing that
came up having any relation to that
| subject at all being a resolution of in
quiry as to the circumstances attend
ing the death of an American citizen
said to have been "hacked to pieces by
| Spanish soldiers in the Island of Cuba.
In his opening prayer Chaplain Mil
burn spoke of "the happy prospect that,
between the governments of Great Brit
ain and our own country, there should
henceforth be peace, no appeal to the
| horrors and hell of war, but to the rule
of reason and right feelings" and add
ed: Grant that the example set by
| these nations may be initiated and fol-
] lowed by all the nations of the world,
| so that the time shall speedily come
when the sword should be beaten into
the plowshare and the spear into the
pruning hook"
Senator Vest (dem., MOI did not call
up, as he had given notice that he would,
his resolution for an inquiry as to the
constitutional question presented by
| the secretary of state in his press state
lnent touching the power of the presi-
dent to ignore a joint resolution of con-
gress directing him to recognize the
independence of the republic of Cuba
The morning hour, in which that
subject might have been discussed, was
occupied by Senator Morgan (dem.,
Ala.) in long speech against the Pa
cifc railroad funding bill and in favor
of the government taking possession Of
those roads which he contended it was
its right and duty t6do whenever de-
fault in payment of the bonds occurred.
The subject came up on resolution
CT Senator Pettigrew (rep., S. d. with
| reference to the six per cent. trust
notes of the Union Pacific Railroad
company, which he asserted were to be
used so as to injure and destroy the
security of the government for the debt
lue to it by the company. The resolu-
Pacific roads, whose chairman, Senator
Gear rep, Ia.) declared his purpose to
ask action on the funding bill imme-
diately after the holidays.
Senator Butler (pop., N. CO. offered a
resolution for committee of three sem
ators to inquire into the principle of
legislation through the initiative and
referendum. Referred to the commit
tee on contingent expenses.
A dozen private pension bills, one of
them for the 9o-year-old daughter of a
revolutionary soldier, were taken up
and passed. Also senate bill to pay
S497 to the legal representatives of Ed
win de Leon, late consul general to
Egypt, the amount due him on adjust
ment of his accounts.
The urgent deficiency bill was report
ed and passed with minor amendments.
1t carries $ss4,Ss6, the larger part OF
which is for the continuation of the
work of the navy department.
| At three p. m. the senate adjourned
until Tuesday, January S.
In the House.
Washington, Dec. 23.-At $40 o'clocl,
for the holiday recess, having then dis.
posed of the legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation bill, after four
days consideration. twas passed Just
cs reported from the committee on APP
preparations, with single exception
that the salary of the librarian of con.
: gress was reduced from 5000 to S. 1000
: and this after it had been antagonized
by the joint committee on library and
the opponents of the civil service law
in discussion running over three
, days. The bill carries a total appro
priation of 1,G6s $40, and provides fol
10,065 salaries.
. The session was devoted to q discus
sion of the appropriation for the civi
service commission. and under it the
law and the administration thereo-
/, were most vigorously attacked. The
i principal speakers were Messrs. Baker
! (rep, N. H., Gibson (rep.,. Tenn.) ani
: Williams (dem., Miss.) The law wa!
: upheld by Mr.. Brosius (rep., Pa) ant
t Walker (rep., Mass.). A motion tt
s strike out the appropriation failed-e!
!. to 62. This WAS the only vote counted
j. other propositions to amend the pro
: vision being settled in the negative
viva voce. The house agreed to til,
senate amendment to the urgent de
1iciency bill.
Centennial Exposition Bill Signed.
Washington, Dec. Ex-senator Bat,
|, and Representatives McMillin an,
Washington, of Tennessee, were at tn
). white house at ten o'clock Tuesda,
+ morning, to secure early presidentia
\ action on the Nashville centennial ex
position bill, which was sent to MI
v Cleveland Monday. The presiden
: asked few questions to satisfy bin
d self that the provisions of the bill ha,
q beenfullycomplied with, andupon bein,
"a answered. in the affirmative he signed tn
Il measure without further delay TIL
=. purpose of the exposition is to commem
J. crate the one hundredth anniversary O
the admission of Tennessee as a state
1t will open May /, 1897, and continu
uninterruptedly until the following Nc
&c vember.
n The Message In Spain.
e London, Dec. ga dispatch to tn
e Central News from Madrid says that
p meeting of the cabinet which was hel
n Monday discussed the Cuban section G
II President Clevelands message to cor
% .gress, an official copy of the messag
d having been received by Prime Minis
IS ter Canovas del Castillo a short tim
&c ago The matter was considered i'm n