Birmingham state herald., 1896-03-28
THE STUPID CONCRESSMEN
 - Did Nothing Yesterdayto AmuSe the Public. MIR. CANNON'S PLANS UPSET The House Unexpectedly Took Up Bills on the Private Calendar.
ANIMATED DEBATE IN THE SENATE
the Senate as It Passed the House, Putting Attosneys, Clerks and
 Marshals on Salaries.

Washington, March 27-Quite unex- pected1y the house of representatives to- day, by a vote of 142 to 77, refused to con- sider the sundry civil appropriation bill reported yesterday, adopting the motion of MT Hepburn, republican, of Iowa, to take up bills on the private calendar for the first time this session. The adoption of this motion exhausted an hour and an hour was spent in discussing a motion by MT. Picker, republican,. of South Dakota, that only pension and private relief bills reported from the committee on military affairs be considered. This was finally agreed to. Only three bills were consid- cred and they were reported to the house with a recommendation that they be passed. Before a vote could be taken on them MT. Hepburn, republican, of Iowa, moved that when the house adjourn to- night it be until Monday next, and despite the strenuous opposition of MT. Cannon, republican, of Illinois, chairman of the committee on appropriations, the motion was agreed to-103 to-25.
 The house then at o'clock was de- clared in recess until o'clock, the even- dng session to be devoted to the consider atlon or private pension bills.
 The evening session of the house de- yeloped family row among the republi- cans regarding pension legislation. The first bill on the calendar was that dis cussed last Friday night-a senate bill granting pension of $50 a. month to Charles b. Jones, a photographer, for injuries resulting from a wound received While taking picture of Longstreet's fortihcations at Suffolk. Va, Gen. John Peck commanding the division to which the photographers regiment, the Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, belong ed. MT. Connolly, republican, of Illinois. antagonized the bill. and in the course of his speech severely criticised the com mittee on invalid pensions for bringing in bills of this class of pension men, who were not enlisted men at all, while hun drsds of cases of bona fide soldiers re- mained in the committee room.
 MT. Pickler, republican. of South Da- keta, dema ndsd that the gentlemans words be taken down, but withdrew the demand and Mir Connolly concluded his remarks.
 He was followed by MT. Picker. who bitterly resented the criticisms of MT. Connolly, declaring that it was not fair, and that his assertions were a base slander upon the invalid pensions com mttee. That committee had reported but one other bill this session, he said, to pension civilian shot while in the ser vice of the government. The committee had recommended nothing for which 1t had not the precedents of many con gresses past. After amending the bill so as to give the man a questionable status and leaving to the pension bureau the determination of the amount to be paid, the bill was laid aside with favorable recommendation.
 Subsequently, MT. Mahon, republican, of Pennsylvania, laboring under sup pressed feeling, said that a statement had been made on the floor which ought not to go out until contradcted. When the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Connol- ly) had charged that a certain gentle man, whom he need not name but whom all the republicans recognized as their leader (applause), had interfered to sup press legislation in behalf of the old sol dier, he spoke without foundation. The speaker of the house, MT. Mahon assert ed, had always given preference, in granting recognition to members, to those having bills for the old soldier. The house had spent fifty-five hours this ses- sion in considering private pension bills, and had passed forty, giving an average of an hour and a half to each bill. If the members wanted to take up the time in making speeches, which was their right MT. Mahon conceded, they could do so, but they should not criticise others and charge that candidates for the presiden- cy were using the old soldiers as foot ball.
 Mr. Grosvenor, republican, of Ohio followed in a similar strain, advising MT Connolly before he undertook to arraign the republican majority to have more details to go on than he had at present. The pension committee was all right MT. Grosvenor said. but the evil was in the system of legislation and the politi- cal power that exists in the pension bu- reau. As to the speaker of the house. MT. Grosvenor said he spoke of that which he knew when he said that the old soldiers of the country had no better friend than he.
 MT. Connolly, responding, said that he had made no attack upon the speaker he had been most generously treated by him. What he had said was that with a great republican majority in the house republican quorum failed to appear at these. Friday night sessions, and that there were too many candidates for the presidency, and their friends in this con- gress engaged in promoting their inter- ests to do justice to the soldiers in the matter of pension legislation.
 The committee rose after having favor ably acted upon four bills, and at 10:30 o'clock adjourned until Monday next
 The Senate.
 The executive appropriation bill passed the senate after occupying the attention of that body every day during the present week. It appropriates in round numbers $25 0O0,O00 There was much debate upon it-first on Senator Sherman's motion to strike out all the sections relating to the compensation of United States district attorneys, clerks and marshals Quitting them on salary system instead of the present system of fees), and then on Senator Hills motion to strike out pro- vision changing the time of meeting of the legislative assembly of New Mexico.
 Mir. Sherman's motion was defeated yeas 1s nays S0-so that the bill remains Gin that respect) as 1t passed the house. MT T4fIIs motion developed a political controversy, and notice was given by MT. German, democrat. of Maryland, that the discussion could not be cut off, but would esWsSsA pretty large dimensions. With the object of avoiding this threatened political. debate MT. Cullom, republican,