The Saint Paul globe., 1897-03-04
BLOCKED BY QUAY.
Business Delayed by the PennsyI-
Vania Senator.

A conference report on the District
of Columbia appropriation bill was the
first business taken up by the senate.
The items Of agreement were con-
CURED in and the disagreements sent
back to conference. A further confer
ence on the sundry civil bill was or
dered. Mr.. Frye (Rep., Me.) presented
a conference report on the bill amend
ing the shipping laws, which has been
the subject Of much comment on the
ground that 1t restored logging Of sea-
men. The cOnferees had added a pro-
viso that nothing in the act should be
construed to modify that section Of
statutes reciting that "f1ogging on
board Of vessels Of commerce is hereby
prohibited" The conference report was
agreed to.
A final conference report on the post
office appropriation bill was presented
and agreed to. A conference report
on the Indian bill was passed. Mr.
Pettigrew, in charge of it, explained
that the items to which the senate
objected last night had been struck
out. They covered amendments as to
the Seneca Indians, kaW Indians scrip
and attaching the Usage nation to
the Indian territory. The report was
agreed to and a further conference
ordered.
ence report on the naval appropriation
bill. He explained that the two SEN
ate amendments relating to new tor
pedo boats and to fix the maximum
price of armOr plate at $500 still were
in disagreement. On other items the
house yielded in the main. Mr.. Chand-
Ter stated that he had learned at a
conference between a representative of
the Illinois Steel company, and the
nf nf 4Io
that there would be time to create q
new armor plant before the armor was
needed for the new ships
Mr.. T1llman came into the discussion
by suggesting that the senate ougn1
to provide a government armOr factO-
~, If the steel manufacturers did not
want to supply armOr at $500 a ton
The government, he said, could con-
duct business as economically as pri
vate concerns, if the "rottenness of pol
itics" could be kept cut of it. Already
the government had its own docks and
was making its own steel guns
The conference report was agreed to.
the remaining items of disagreement
going back to conference
The final conference report on the
fortification appropriation bill was pre-
sented and agreed to. A message from
the house reported the passage of the
immigration bill over the presidents
veto. The veto message was read, and.
without comment, was referred to the
committee on immigration
Mr.. Chandler asked that the creden-
tials of Henry Heitfeld, as senator from
Idaho, be referred to the committee
on privileges and elections, together
with memorials. Mr.. Stewart PROMPTLY
objected. Mr.. Chandler then said he
would move to refer the Heitfeld Gre
dentialS
Mr.. Mills (Tex) declared that Mr.
He1tfeld was accredited to the Fifty
fifth congress, so that the Fifty-fourtn
congress was without jurisdiction. Mr..
Chandler did not further press his mo
ton to refer the Heitfeld credentials.
At o'clock a recess was taken.
The business of the evening session
aid not begin until O'Clock. Senator
Kyle appeared ON the floor for the
frSt time since his reelection and was
cordially received.
Mr.. Pettigrew presented the report
of the conferees on the Indian bill.
which was agreed to without discus
dent.
Mr.. Teller presented a final con-
ference report on the District of Co.
lumbia appropriation BILL which was
also agreed to. This passed the bill.
Mr.. Palmer asked the senate to take
up the bill placing VIM. H Hugo on
the retired list of the army as a first
lieutenant, stating that it was prob
ably the last request he would make
Of the senate" Notwithstanding this
appeal Mr.. Quay antagonized the bill
by several times suggesting the alb
sence of a quorum and by other dila-
tory tactics, but the bill was ultimate
ly passed.
The fact soon developed that Mr..
OnnOGitiQn fc6 or
Mr.. Palmer or his bill, but that he was
deliberately undertaking to block bust
ness because of the action Of the house
in agreeing to the senates price Of
$500 on armor plate. He made many
suggestions Of the want of a quorum
and business proceeded very slowly.
The bill granting a pension to Caro-
line D. Mowatt was passed over the
presidents veto, SO to z. Mr.. Quay again
made the point Of no quorum, when
Mr.. Hoar made the point Of order that
the matter Of intervention of other
business had nothing to do with the
case
Mr. Quay stated it to be his recolIec-
ton that when the bill for the repeal
of the Sherman law was pending. the
silver senators had frequently made
the point just as he had made it. He
repeated the statement two or three
to declare that neither he nor any of
the silver senators had made the point
of no quorum, when 1T was evident
there was a quorum present.
Mr. Bacon, of Georgia. who was in
the chair, decided that there was no
rule of the senate under which the
chair could count quorum. but he
sustained a point by Mr.. Hill that 1t