The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-02-25
WORK OF CONGRESS.
Condensed Proceedings OF the M
tf0nal Law Mill

tionnl Law Mill.
Washington, Feb. Ii Senator Chan
oilers speech in the senate in advocacy
of bimetallism was one of the notable
efforts Of the present session, not only
for the scholarly care with which the
senator presented the question from
his standpoint, but for the bitter sar-
casm addressed to Senator Palmer and 4
the Indianapolis conventions; the ar
,raignment Of silver Republicans who
bolted the st. Louis convention, and
for the dramatic personal exchange be-
tween Mr.. Chandler and Mr.. Pettigrew,
the latter being one of the boilers from
oilers speech lasted three hours and
was replete with incident. 1t was an
argument against the single standard
of either gold Oh silver and a warning
against a policy of monometallism. The
Indian appropriation bill was then
taken up but without action, and at
$3.50 the senate went into executive ses-
sion. The executive session was brief
and the open session was resumed at
4:15. The bankruptcy bill was taken
up and Mr.. Hoar spoke in favor of the
bill.
Last nights pension night having
practically failed of it's purpose, owing
to the difficulty in securing quorum,
the house vacated the order for
night session tonight and devoted the
day, after the routine business had
been disposed of, to the consideration
of private pension bills. A bill was
passed to define the jurisdiction OF
United States courts in cases for in
fringement of letters patent.
+ . IS & E +, n, NJ
Washington, Feb. 1S.-The immigra-
ton bill now goes to the president, the
last legislative step having been taken
in the senate by an agreement to the
conference report on the bill. Strong
opposition was made to the report, but
on the final report the friends Of the
measure rallied small majority, the
vote being 81 to 81 The bill as passed
extends the immigration restrictions
against "all persons physically capable
and over 16 years Of age who cannot
read and write the English language
or some other language, but a person
who is not able to read and write who
7 is over so years Of age and is the
parent or grandparent Of a qualified
Immigrant over twenty-one years of
age and capable of supporting such
parent or grandparent, may accompa-
ny such immigrant, and wife or
minor child not so able to read and
write may accompany or be sent for
and come to join the husband or par
ents, similarly qualified and capable"
For the purpose of testing the immi-
grants literacy he is compelled to read
and write from twenty to twenty-five
words of the United States constitu-
ton. Aside from these extensions Of
the present law the bill inaugurates a
new system Of restricting immigration
from border countries and designed to
apply principally to immigration from
Canada HI
A resolution by Mr.. Pettigrew was
agreed to requesting the secretary of
state for copy of any reply that may
have been received to the letter Of Sec
rotary Gresham to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, British ambassador, in January,
1896, calling the attention of the Brit
ish government to the utter failure to
protect the fur seals under the award
of the Paris court Of arbitration.
WA The holse after a tWo-hours,. debate
passed bill of considerable impor-
tance to the arid regions of the West.
1t opens to use and occupation under
the right of way act of M'rch 3, 1891,
all the reservoir sites reserved by the
geological survey. The conference re-
port on the legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation bill was adopted.
Washington, Feb. 19.-The open ses-
sion of the senate session lasted only
twenty minutes, during which minor
business was transacted, the rest Of
the day being spent in executive ses-
sion
The house, by vote of 1877 to 81, re-
Iversed the finding of a majority Of the
elections committee and decided the
contested election case Of N. T. Hop
kins VS.. ]. M. Kendall, from the Tenth
kentucky district, in favor of the Re
publican contestant. Eleven Repub-
licans and three Populists voted with
the Democrats against unseating Ken
dail. The conference reports on the
EDllis to pension Maj. Gen. julius H.
Stahel at $75 and the widow of Mai.
TGen. Stoneman at $50 were adopted.
Washington, Feb. 2O.-The open SEES.
sion OF the senate to-day lasted only
thirty minutes, the PROCEEDINGS being
largely formal The rest of the day
was given to the arbitration treaty in
s executive session.
68 A very spirited debate on the general
subject of the payment of claims found
to be due against the United States
was INDUCED in by the house during
the consideration of the general de-
ficiency appropriation bill Mr.. Rich
lardson Of Tennessee had called atten-
tion to the Inconsistency Of an item to
pay the costs of defending suits and
the fact that the bill contained no item
ito pay the judgments. This furnished
Mr.. Walker of Massachusetts text
I for lively speech against the 'snig-
gardly" and dishonest policy Of the
government, and severe arraignment
of the committee on rules for the
tyranny it was said to exercise over
the proceedings of the house.
Mr.. Grosvenor came to the defense
of the committee, warmly declaring
that the house had made the rules and
lshould abide by them. Mr.. Mabon Of
pennsylvania, chairman Of the war.
tclalms committee, made the statement
that the house had been frightened by
q "bogie man. and that the just
claims against the government instead
of aggregating hundreds of millions,
fas was frequently stated, could be dis
charged with ten millions The con-
Esideration Of the bill was not COM