The record-union., 1896-02-20

was SLI1CllE Oh DuSlDCSS IO-QdN, anu
in the five hours session disposed of
two important measures. The first was
the bill under consideration yesterday
to extend for ten years the time in
which the Government may institute
suits to annul land grants illegally or
enormously issued. Hepburn's amend
ment to restrict the law officers to
cases Of fraud was rejected, as was also
the amendment proposed by the Com
mittee on Public Lands to reopen Mex
lean and Spanish grants. An amend
ment proposed by Loud (Rep) of Cali
fornia was agreed to, restricting the
operations of the law to patents issued
under railroad and wagon road grants.
A substitute was offered by McRae
(Dem.) of Arkansas to repeal all legis-
lation on the subject, and was voted
down-149 to 72-which was a test vote
on the bill.
The army approx ration bf1i was
passed without much discussion, but
most of the new legislation proposed
by the Committee on Military Affairs
went out on points of order. Among the
propositions the House rejected was the
one TO compel the President to appoint
Paymasters from the line officers of the
army alone, shutting out civilians.
tee on Ways and Means against the
passage of the bill to regulate the issue
of liquor licenses was submitted by
Evans CRep) of Kentucky and ordered
printed.
The House then took up the bill un-
der consideration yesterday to extend
for ten years from March Sd next the
time within which suits may be brought
to vacate and annul patents illegally
or enormously issued upon public lands.
The Committee on Public Lands had
recommended that the distinctive words
railroad, Mexican, Spanish or other"
special grant be inserted. The Califor-
MIA Representatives objected to the re-
opening of the old Mexican and Spanish
grant controversies and Loud (Rep.) of
California offered an amendment to
substitute wagon road for Mexican,
Spanish or other as proposed by the
committee. Loud's substitute was
agreed to.
The bill extending for ten years from
March Sd next the time within which
suits may be brought to vacate and an
nul patents illegally or erroneously is
sued upon public lands was passed,
after being further amended so as to
require settlers on lards affected by the
Dill who mad purchased from the
grantee for less than the minimum
Government price for public lands to
pay to the Government the difference.
The House then went into Commit
tee Of the Whole to consider the army
appropriation bill
Hull CRep) of Iowa explained that the
bin carried S23, ,275, ,902, being So, 29O 64
more than Appropriated for the cur
rent fiscal year, and SS17, ,373 less than
the estimates.
Picl1ler Rep.) of South Dakota un-
successfully endeavored to secure an
amendment which would prevent the
practice Of detailing army officers to
act as Indian Agents. It was rejected
on point Of order
The provision in the bill reducing the
number of hospital stewards from H.
TO 100 was struck out on a point of or
der.
No further changes were made. The
committee recommended the passage of
the bill. and the House agreed to the
recommendation.
Cannon (Rep.) of Illinois reported the
agreement of conferrees upon the urgent
deficiency bill, and it was agreed to. AS
finally adopted the bill carries a total
al. sc. .305. .436, an increase of Sl,oS4,O3o
over the total as it passed the House
The House at 90 o'clock adjourned
until tomorrow.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 19.-The cru
sodars in the cause of temperance re-
form and Sunday rest laws were Sc
yerely criticised in the Senate to-day
nv Hill of New York in connection with
sheaf of petitions in printed form,
auanating from the Woman's CHRIST
ian Temperance Union against the sale
of beer to immigrants landing on Ellis
island. in New York harbor, and to the
men stationed on Bedloe's Island; ana
in connection with other petitions for
sunday. rest law in the District OF Co
lumbia.
Hill could not see how glass of beer
could be of great injury to the temper
a,ea cause. or have any serious effect
an the health and lives of the imni-
Grants. He thought, on the contrary,
fbst i was a, very welcome thing, and
referred to the efforts of the well-mean-
ing but misguided who flooded Con-
sress with such petitions as extreme
naternalism or extreme Rooseveltisln.
AS to the Sunday rest law for the Dis
trict of Columbia, he did not see what
interest people in New York could have
in it. unless to regulate the conduct or
their Senators and Representatives
A resolution for an investigation as
to the issue of bonds in 1874 1850 ana
1896 was offered by Lodge Of Massa-
chusetts, and went over till tomorrow.
Notice was given by Morgan uoefll.)
of Alabama that he would bring up the
Cuban resolution for consideration to-
morrow.
The diplomatic and consular appro-
priation bill was passed and the con-
ference report on the urgent deficiency
bill was agreed to.
When the Senate was opened to-day
Hill Dem.) of New York called atten-
tion to an accumulation of petitions on
the same printed form received by him
within the past ten days against the
sale of beer. on Ellis Island, in New York
harbor (where immigrants land). as
having a demoralizing effect on the inn
migrants, and on Bedloe's Island, as
injurious to the men stationed there.
After a few sarcastically humorous re-
marks, he suggested that the rule
should be changed so that petitions. in
stead of being presented in the morning
hour, shall be placed in a box kept for