The San Francisco call., 1897-03-21
House Passes Appropriation
Bills Carrying Over
$7o,ooo,ooo.
Dingley's Tariff Measure Re.
ported and Order of Discus.
sion Adopted.
Members Look Out for Their Mile ag
and Altogether Quite Rec
orc Is Ma1e.

WASHINGTON. D. c., March 20.-The
first week of the extraordinary session OF
the Fifty-fifth Congress closed with to-
nights session of the House of Represen-
tatives. The record is extraordinary. The
tariff bill has been reported and an order
regulating its discussion adopted. Four
appropriation bills which failed to become
laws in the Fifity-fourth Congress, neces-
sary for the prosecution OF important
parts OF the public service, carrying a
total OF over $40, 600. 900, have been passed.
with the exception OF one paragraph. as
they were finally agreed upon by the last
House. Two of these, the agricultural
and Indian, were considered and disposed
of to-day. The former, appropriating
S. 1s2, $50, was passed, as had been the
sundry civil and general deficiency bills
yesterday, without charge.
The time allowed for debate on these bills
permitted Champ Clark CD of Missouri to
make characteristic speech upon the
subject of rules. He withdrew all previ-
God that it still remained deiiberative
bly,. The action of the House yes
terday and to-day he termed the most
amazing and astounding performances
ever witnessed on the continent.
One feature of the Indian bill provoked
much opposition and was practically
stricken out by unanimous consent before
the bill passed. This was the paragraph
opening the gilsonite or asphalt lands in
the Uncompahgre reservation, Utah, to
entry under the mineral laws, which the
Senate had added to the bill.
Cannon (R.) OF Illinois urged the pass
age OF this bill as it stood.
Sherman asked unanimous consent to
strike out the paragraph opening the gill
sopite lands on the Uncom pahgre reser-
vation in Utah to entry under the mineral
laws and that Bartholdt (R.) of Missouri,
who had previously objected, be permitted
to make statement.
Permission was given and Bartholdt
characterized it as criminal neglect or
crime that these lands, which not bird
or beast could live on. had not been here
tofore opened to civilization. The last
Congress had passed bill containing
similar provision, the Democratic Presi-
dent had signed it, and Bartholdt ex-
pressed the opinion that the Secretary of
the Interior should be impeached for his
failure to carry out the law. The opening
of the gilsonite mines would give EN- ploy-
ment to many thousands of workingmen.
Something had been said, BarthoIdt
continued, about private enterprise.
What" he asked, "would be the aspect
and condition of the country were it not
for private enterprise and private invest
ment?"
1t was true, he said, that some st. Louis
gentlemen are working a mine in the
neighborhood of the reservation, but all
they wanted, he assured the House. was
that the reservation might be opened, so
that railroad could be built to their
property, and thus enable them to get
into competition with the corporation con-
trolling the Southern product.
Bartholdt withdrew his objection, the
paragraph was stricken out and the bill
passed.
In the course OF discussion on resolu-
ton by Cannon to make the appropria-
ton for mileage, etc, Immediately avail
able, Holman objected. declaring that it
was the intention of the resolution to pay
double mileage fo- the extra session as
we'll as for the regular session.
Gront (R) of Vermont asked Holman if
he had taken the mileage voted by the
Fifty-third Congress for each of its three
sessions.
Holman's reply could only be heard a
few feet. Being asked to repeat it, Hol-
man, raising his voice. said: ''The gen.
tleman from Indiana declines to answer
the i'm pertinent question of the gentleman
from Vermont" [Great laughter.
Cannon responded to Holman. He said
that under the law mem bers of Congress
were entitled to mileage for every regular
session of Congress, and being so entitled
it was the best thing. the most manly, to
60 up and take it. [Applause.
The joint resolution was passed-192 to
80. Its opponents were not able to muster
votes enough to secure the ayes and noes.
Another joint resolution was offered by
Cannon and agreed 10, making imme-
diately available the appropriation for the
payment of the session employees of Con-
gress
On motion OF Evans (R.) Of Kentucky,