The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-25
WORK OF THE HOUSE.
of the Bill to Remove Ger
tain Disn bilffies of Confedcrates.


WASHINGTON. March Ex-senator Hills
bin to remove the restrictions against the
appointment as officers of the army or navy
Of persons VINO he'd commissions in the rsgu-
lar army or navy before the rebellion and
who subsequently took part in the war on the
side OF the Confederacy. which passed the
Senate during the height Of tho excitement
over the Venezuela boundary question, passed
the House to-day after two hours debate,
with but one dissenting vote-that of Mr..
Boutelle. OF Maine. The Democrats except
Mr.. Cummings. of New York, VINO spoke,
- he said. las one of $4,000 Northern DEM
ocrats who fought in the Union army and
Mr.. Wilson, of South Carolina, who was
drawn into the debate by Mr.. Boutelle. re-
Trained entirely from participation. Mr.. Hull,
OF Iowa. chairman of the military committee,
who had charge of the bin. admitted that
8 would subserve no practical pupose and
was largely sentimental. Mr.. Boutelle. who
led the opposition singIe-handed, thought It
would furnish a bad object lesson for naval
and military cadets who were about entering
on careers IN the service of their country,
and when he got warmed up to his subject
called attention to the fact that many South
ern men IL Congress in the past had OBJ
structed legislation in the interest of Union
soldiers, dwelling particularly on the oppo-
sition TO the retirement of General Grant.
Mr.. Grosvenor- OF Ohio. and Mr.. Grow. of
Pennsylvania, however. supported the bill
ardently as a graceful and gracious. act to
the vanqu.shed. and when the vote was taken
Mr.. Boutelle alone voted against 1t.
Over a hundred members nave taken adj
vantage OF the fact that the House has no
important matters pending at this time to
s0 h0na anil the aftan7anoa Il oonca<rtap@
ly very slim.
The bill which was debated yesterday to
abolish the death penalty in certain cases
In which IL Is prescribed In the federal
statutes and allowing the jury to return a
verdict qualified without capital punish
ments in cases 81 rape and murder vas
Chairman Hit. of the foreign affairs
committee. called I'D the message OF the
m ssns's to aa the conferen 5Se Teport 5n d tne cs-
ban resolutions On his motion the House
insisted on its substitute for the Senate
resolution and agreed TO the further con-
ference asked for by the Senate.
Mr.. Boutelle. chairman of the naval COM
mittee, reported the naval appropriation
bill.
The Speaker appointed the following con-
ferees on the Cuban resolution: Mr.. Hit,
Mr.. Adams and Mr.. McCreary.
TO PROTECT LIQUOR DRINKERS.
There being no other business before the
House the committees were called. Mr..
Evans called up from the on
ways and means a bill to amend Section
$40 OF the internal revenue laws SO as to
make the sale OF spirituous liquors, except
under the brand by which they were known
to the trade. designating the kind and
quality. punishable by a fine of $500 and
imprisonment for six months and the for
fixture OF the liquors. Mr.. Evans explained
that the bin was urged by the Internal
Revenue Commissioner. The public. he
said. was being swindled by spurious liq-
uors and wines.
Mr.. Cummings made a humorous speech
In which he urged the passage OF the bill
mot only as protection 10 the revenue but
Is conducive TO the safety OF human lie.
II instanced a case where he had pur-
chased for a sick friend" a particularly
good quality OF brandy which the physi-
cianl on sampling. said would kill at forty
rods II consisted, he said, OF a compound
OF wood alcohol. whisky and strychnine.
Cheating the revenue vas bad enough, Mr..