Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-04-01
IN SPECIAL SESSION.
The Fifty-Fifth Congress Assemblies in Re
Spouse to President MckinIey's Procla


The Eifty-Fifth Congress Assemblies in Re-
Spouse to President MckinIey's Procla-
nation.
THE senate on the 23d passed resolution to
Investigate the operation of the civil service
law. Senator Berry (Ark.) secured the adop-
ton of resolution for the purchase of ,0OO
tents for the use of the food sufferers. Sena
tor Turple Qnd.) spoke at considerable length
in advocacy of the election of United States
senator's by popular vote. A bill was passed to
establish the official survey of certain lands in
Nebraska On motion of Senator Hoar Cdass.)
the bankruptcy bill was made the unfinished
business thus giving it the right OF way after
two o'clock in the afternoon daily. Senator
Pettigrew Is. d. called up the bill to amend
the act repeating the timber laws and it was
passed and constitutional amendment to
make April 80 Inauguration day was introduced
by Senator Hoar (Mass.) and referred to the
committee on elections. The day in the house
was mostly taken up in listening to speeches on
the tariff bill, MesSrs. Gibson CFenn.) Dockery
(Mo.), Newlands (Nev), Dolliver Qa.) and
several others giving their views on the meas
ure. Mr.. Howe On. W introduced bill to
compel respectful treatment of the United
States flag by government employees.
THE senates session the oath lasted only
half an hour and no business done beyond
the introduction of bills Among these was one
by Senator Allen (Neb.) to repeal the civil serv
ice law and to do away with educational tests
as preliminary to entering the public service
Senator Hoar CMass.) presented bill prohibit
ing vitaScope exhibitions of prize fights in the
O1SUr1cI OF columbia ana the territories and
forbidding the shipment of pictures for these ex-
h1bitS by mail or through any interstate means.
The executive session was devoted to consider
ing the Anglo-American treaty The house
listened to speeches the tariff bill at both
the day and night sessions Mr. Brownlow
CTenn) introducduced a bill establishing a de-
partment of commerce. labor and manufactures,
its head to be cabinet Office, and providing for
| the necessary clerical force.
IN the senate the 25th the Torrey bank
| ruptcy bill was read at length and Senator Mel
son (dinn) offered a substitute, differing in a
| number Of particulars from the committee bill
There debate on the subject. The
amended credentials of John W. Henderson,
| appointed by the governor of Florida to Mr..
Calls seat, were referred to the elections COM
mittee. The senate then went into executive
| sessions for two hours the arbitration
| treaty -. In the house the four days general
debate on the tariff bill was closed at night and
| the fve-minute rule entered into force Messrs.
Simpson and Curtis (kan and DeArmond CMo)
were among those who made speeches on the
| subject. Mr. Callahan OK introduced two
| bills. One is to authorize persons who have
made homestead entries in Oklahoma to COM
| plete their entries of 100 acres, where they
were unable to do so by reason of the fact that
| their lands were surrounded by Indian a1lot-
ments. The other is to enable the citizens
band of Pottawatomie Indians to obtain patent
| to their lands
BRIEF discussion of civil service rules oc-
| Cured in the senate the Goth, Senator Gal
linger IN. H.) showing that the commission re-
| CURED appI1cantS LOT typeSetterS TO De able TO
| hop on one foot for IL feet. A resolution was
| adopted asking the president for information
| as to the death of two American sailors in
| Cuba; also resolutions asking Attorney-Gen-
| eral Mckenna for Information of any propo-
sition to sell the Union Pacific railroad.
Among the bills introduced was one imposing
| a penalty on companies charging passengers
more than three cents a mile for transporting
| them through the territory Of the five civilized
| tribes. Another bill authorized the president
to employ idle men in the construction of pub
| lie works. The arbitration treaty taken
up in the executive session -. In the house the
| tariff bill was thrown open for amendment I'M
| der the fve-minute rule, but during seven
| hours of work only nine pages of the 1862 pages
Of the bill were disposed Of. All the amend
ments offered by the democrats rejected.
| THE senate was not in session the 9th
The house worked on the tariff bill and, during
the discussion free hides, Mr.. Simpson
| Ran.) said that q duty on hides would be of
| more Importance to the farmer than all the
| other duties in the agricultural schedule, but
MI. Payne On. W insisted that imported hides
did not come into competition with American
| hides. as the former were used almost exclus
sively for sole leather.