The San Francisco call., 1897-03-04
THE FFTY-FOURTH
CONGRESS CLOSES
Conference Reports Take Up
the Time of the
Senate.
Final Understandings Reached
on the Principal Appro-
priation Bills.
Hoar and Quay Engage in Angry
CollOQuy at One Stage of the
Session.

l6Sl udy ) SeSSiOA Ol Tue It SOh-
gress opened with drizzling rsinstorm.
In order to save time the reading of yes
terday's Senate journal was dispensed
with.
A further conference was ordered on the
sundry civil appropriation bill.
The conference report on the bill to
amend the laws of navigation was agreed
10. The bill contains a clause that moth
ing in it should be construed to repeal or
modify the act passed in 1850, which en-
acted that "flogging on board OF vessels OF
commerce is hereby prohibited"
Dubois (Siiver) of Idaho, chairman of
the Committee on Public Lands, pre-
sented the report of that committee in
the case of the inquiry into the issue of
pantents for lands in the Perrine grant
in Florida, and Pettigrew (Silver) of South
Dakota presented minority report. The
majority report justifes the action Of
the department, while the minority re-
port favors the annullment of the pat
ents and the opening OF the lands to
public settlement. Both reports were or
dered printed and went over without ac-
ton.
The conference report on the Postoffice
appropriation bill (hnaD was presen ted
and agreed to.
The partial conference report made on
the Indian appropriation bill was agreed
to. The points still left open are the SEN
ate amendments to contract schools to the
five civilized tribes; 10 the Uncompahgre
Indian reservation in Idaho, and to the
fees of the attorneys of the old settlers, or
Cherokee Indians 4 further conference
was ordered.
Consideration OF House bills on the CAL
endar unobiected to was resumed, and a
bill was passed TO set apart portion of
certain lands in the State of Washington,
now known as the Pacific forest reserve as
Il public park, to be known as the Wash
ington National Park.
Hale (R.) OF Maine presented a partial
conference report on the naval appropria-
Iion bill and made an explanation of it.
He said all the general items in dispute
had been arranged and that the contro-
verted matters which were still open were
as to the increase OF the navy by torpedo
boats and as to the price of steel armor for
ships.
Chandler (R) of New Hampshire, who
had offered the ucing the
price OF armor to $500 a ton, expressed his
regret that the House conferees had not
agreed TO it. He asked Hale whether the
conferees had had before them the offer
of the Illinois Steel Company to supply
the armor at $240 ton.
Hale announced that it bad not been be-
fore the Conference Committee in any for
NAL manner, but that it had been referred
to. Considering the question of whether
it would be possible 10 get armor at that
price, which he considered doubtful, the
attitude OF the Illinois Steel Company was
a fair consideration.
Chandler remarked that he had inquired
yesterday as to the time in which it would
be necessary for the builders of the battle
ship to have the armor-plates and learned
that it would be in about eight months
from this time. He had also been led to
believe that the new plant for the construc-
tion OF armor-pla tes could be put in opera
tion by that time.
German argued against Government
manufacturing establishment, declaring
that with it the plate instead of costing
$400 q ton would cost $1,000.
Seawell (R. } OF New Jersey said that as
a member of the Naval Committee he had
favored the reduction of the price of armor
plate to $400 q ton. The reductions which
had recently taken place in the price of
steel rails showed that the reduction in
the price of armor plate was fair. He
asked Cullom whether the Illinois Steel
Company had made application TO supply
armor at q less price.
Cullom (R.) of Illinois said that he did
not know of any specific proposition hav-
ing been made by that company in writ
ing. There has been a bill introduced in
the House TO supply armor at $3.50 ton
on certain conditions.
What are the .conditions?" Seawell
asked.
THAT thev should have the contract for
thirty years" Culiom replied.
fter further 0iscus sion the reDOrt was
agreed TO, and a further conference was
ordered. Other bills on the calendar were
passed, among them settlement of iudg-
ment against William Locke ana James
II. Tinsley, of Louisville, KY, as con-
tractors for a mail contract on paw
ment OF $1102; defining jurisdiction of
United States courts in cases of infringe
ment OF patents; to authorize the Pitts
burg Monongahela and Wheeling Railroad
to construct a bridge over the Monon-
gahela River; granting rights OF way to
the Galveston and Great Northern Rail-
way through Indian Territory, with an
amendment.
The final conference report on the for
titicatlons bill was made and agreed to.
The immigration bill, which was to-day
passed over the Presidents veto by the
House, was laid before the Senate. The
veto message was read, and with the bill
referred to the COMMITTEES OH Immigra-
ton.
A motion was made by Chandler (R of
New Hampshire to submit; the credentials
of Henry Heitfeld, Senator-elect from
Idaho, TO the Committee on Privileges
and Elections, together with certain me-
MORALS and protests from Idaho against
allowing Mr.. Heitfeld TO take his seat on
account of alleged frauds in his election.
This motion gave rise TO numerous points
of order and considerable discussion, but
the motion was withd rawn without action
in order 10 resume the regular order
consideration of private pension bills
Hill CD of New York pleading for this,
saying that 1t was NOV or never"
An obstacle was struck in several vetoed
pension cases, the ground OF disapproval
being that the proposed beneticiaries are
remarked widows.
Allen Pop of Nebraska, in criticizing
the Presidents action, referred to the
President as the person who was repre-
sented so gallantly by proxy during the
war, and who had referred TO Union SOL
diers as "coffee-eoolers."
Before action could be had on the bills
the hour of 6 O'Clock arrived, and accord
ing TO previous agreement the Senate took
a recess until o'clock.
The Senate resumed its session at s p. NJ,
but in the absence of quorum there was
no attempt 10 transact business. The
Senators who were present beguiled the
time in chatting with each other and the
crowds in the galleries sat waiting pa
tiently for the proceedings to begin.
Senator Kyle tPop.) of South Dakota
made his hrst appearance in the Senate
since his reelection ana Sherman cele-
braied his last night in the Senate by put