New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-01
PRICE THREE CENTS!
THE SENATE SITS ON SUNDAY
sUNDRY CIVIL APPROPRIATION BILL
FINALLY PASSED
A BUSINESS SESSION. WITHOUT ANY URGENT
REASON FOR TT--MANY AMENDMENTS
tpY TELEGRAPH TO THE rsrBusEl

q
novelty perhaps Of improperly, attaching to the
transaction OF public business on a Sunday. to-
days session OF The Senate was strikIngly void
OF general interest. Yet the fact that one branch
OF Congress had decided TO sit on Sunday drew
an exceptional throng Of sightseers to the Cap
itol and gave an air OF excitement and conse-
quence to the days proceedings in the Senate
which otherwise would have been totally lack.
ing. Some comment was made by Senator Hin
during the afternoon on the good taste and ex-
pedency Of passing legislation on an accepted
religious holiday; and II Is understood that some
protest was also made by a local Sunday oh.
servance organization against opening the halls
OF Congress a legal day Of rest"
But the Senate only followed precedent and
custom In pressing into service the last sunday
of a crowded session to complete II possible It's
work on the great appropriation bills. Two years
ago. when NJ: German making his fight to
reduce the number OF new battle-ships authorized
by the Naval Appropriation bill from three to
two the passage Of that measure was so delayed
that Sunday session was necessary to clear the
Appropriation Committees oyercrowded calen-
dar. In previous Congresses, too, Sunday ses-
sons have been a common occurrence.
This year no great urgency has existed for exc
traordinary zeal and expedition with the money
bills, for only two of them. the Naval and Dis-
trict Of Columbia. remain to be acted on. with the
Sundry Civil bill out Of the way. Three full days
and half OF the session still left TO be given
to their consideration. and the Naval BILL at
least, carries this year no authorization about
which there is likely 10 be any serious dispute.
Even II one two appropriation bills do fail. an
extra session Of the LVth Congress is close at
hand and the next House and Senate can easily
make a god failure to act now. for no money
agcin int nnoya
ton until July I. 1897. There is little danger.
however, that either the Naval or District OF
Columbia bill will fail
business went on Just as il does on week days,
except that there was q noticeable absence OF
Cuban agitation. II WAS strictly business ses-
sion and consideration Of the Sundry Civil bill
was Immediately resumed. the question being
on those committee amendments which were
passed over without action last night The hrst
Of these appropriated Sl,OSJ,lJ6 10 pay the pro-
ducers OF sugar the balance Of their claims Tor
bounty under the Mckinley law. on this MI.
Vest dem. MOI demanded the yeas and maya
and it was agreed to-31 to II.
The next amendments were those making ap.
proprations for the great river and harbor I'm.
provements under contracts authorized by for
mer River and Harbor bills. the various amounts
being generally reduced by the committee ABOUT
- per cent from the figures fixed by the House.
Eight or nine pages OF these amendments were
disposed of without much debate, but the Item
appropriating 100000 to prevent the Missis-
sppi River from breaking into the Cache River,
near Cairo. Ill. provoks ID An extended discussion.
during which the whole subject of the improve.
ment of the Mississippi gone over.
Mr. German Dem. Md opposed the amend
ment to make this appropriation outright In
stead Of from the amount for the improvement
Of the Upper Mississippi the ground that II
would make this bill a river and harbor bill. lie
characterized the Sundry Civil bill as the most
extravagant ever considered by either House OF
Congress, carrying as IL did over soLVptV-
ST 100000 of which was for rivers and harDors
which was more than the condition or the
Treasury warranted And he warned the sem
ators not TO overload it further with amend
ments intimatng that II this were done IL "ouid
meet the veto of the President.
The amendment adopted.
An item relating to electric lighting in the Dis
trct OF Columbia TO which Mr.. Hill (Dem.. N.
W was opposed, gave that Senator an oppor-
tunity of expressing his views IN relation 10
Sunday session OF the Senate He SAID ne had
doubted the propri4ty Of the Senate meeting to-
day to enact legislation for the people OF the
United States His attention had been called
10 various petitions presented by Senators ask
ing for "a rest day for the District Of Column
ba and he had been disposed to acquiesce IN
the sentiment expressed in those petitions He
also remembered that the Senator from dicni-
gan CMr. McMnlan). who had suggested this
amendment lad introduced bill ITO protect
the first day of the week. commonly called Sum
dav. as n day Of rest and worship in the D.s-
trict OF Columbia" That bill. II il rad passed.
was broad enough TO prevent any legislation on
this day For these reasons he hesitated 70
engage in a general debate.
But now 10 be serious" he continued
Have not you been serious all the timeF q
Senator asked in a low tone.
THAT is a reflection en- the remarks which
have made" Mr. Hill replied, and then he went
on with his statement
The amendment was adopted
Mr. Pettigrew (Silyer. ;. ID opposed the item
Of 5000 for continuing the commission to In
vestigate the Alaska seal fisheries lie thought
IL would be better for the United States to Kill
every seal which landed on the Islands and SO
end the controversy, unless Great Britain would
co-operate with this Government i'm protecting
the seal herds. The effort to treat further with
England on these lines was National disgrace.
He rdculed the numerous commissions and
arbitration conventions which had been
vened and particularly that 20 determine the
14lst degree of longitude. and said he had no
doubt that II the present Administration re-
mained in office much longer a commission would
probably be appointed u arbitrate with Great
britain on the multiplication table.
Mr.. Perkins (Rep, CaL) supported the amend-
ment To adopt the suggestion of the Senator
iron, South Dakota would. he said be To per-
form the dog-in-t the-manger act, and say 10
Great BRITAIN that rather than let you Kill
thesc animals at sea- We will Kill them all
selves when they land for breeding purposes"
He suggested as a remedy that all females
should be branded. as this would destroy their
f,,r value. which led Mr.. Pettigrew To ask
whether was thought that the seals. before
being speared outside the limit. would come up
10 the boat of the hunters 10 exhibit their
brands
Mr. Morgan (Dem.. Ala) said that, as he had
been n member OF the Commission whose award
seemed TO have caused all the trouble he had
alvavs felt a decacy in iscussing the subject
ir the Senate. He reviewed the history OF the
question from the time the United states ac-
ouired Alaska-an act. he said. which excited the