Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-22
THE 5eTH CONGRESS AT WORK

i'm a deadlock for several hours with
business at standstill 1t was due To
the effort To secure action on the reso-
luton of Mr. Harris, of Kansas, de-
signed to prevent the disposal of the
government lien on the Union Pacific
railroad under the terms of an alleged
agreement There were many roll
calls on Mr. Harris motion To consider
the resolution, quorums appearing and
disappearing. and from IL To o'clock
no final vote on the motion was Sc
cured and it finally went over. The
committee on foreign relations reported
a joint resolution empowering the
President to take such measures as he
deemed necessary To secure the release
from Spanish prisons In Cuba of Ona
Melton, Alfred o. Labordc and VIM.
Gildea, Americans imprisoned as sus-
pected filibusters. Also to restore the
schooner Competitor, on which they
were arrested, to her owner. To ac-
complish this the President is author
lied and requested TO employ such
means or exercise such power as may
be necessary. HoUsE-The session was
brief, the only matter of interest being
resolution introduced by Mr.. Simp-
son, of Kansas, directing the speaker
to appoint a committee of five TO in
vestigate the sugar trust. CONFERENCE
The conferees on the tariff bill are
apparently farther apart than they
were at the beginning, and there is no
immediate prospect of agreement and
more than one member stated that the
ENHANCEMENT was such that the set
Element might be indefinitely pro-
longed. From all that can be learned
there has been a general recession
from the partial agreements made on
the less important articles until sugar,
wool, hides, etc, can be definitely
fixed Sugar is still the principal con-
tention. 1t is now conceded by Senator
Pettigrew, the leader for the 81 lumber
rate, that the conference committee
has finally agreed on the 81 rate on
white pine.
SENATE. day. railway
affairs occupied the attention of the
Senate throughout the day and the
Harris resolution relating to the pend
ing judicial proceedings against the
Union Pacific road finally went over.
Early in the day Senators Stewart and
White INDUCED in sharp personalities
IN connection with the contest over
the San Pedro, Cal, deep water harbor.
The joint resolution was passed accept
ing the invitation of France to partici-
pate in the Paris exposition of 1900.
NJ
Immediately after the journal was APP
proved recess was taken.
SENATE.-92 day.--The open session
was brief and uneventful. The Har-
ris resolution, relating to the Union
Pacific railway, was further discussed
and then the Senate went into eXecu-
tive session. HoUsE.-The partial con-
ference report on the general deficiency
appropriation bill was agreed to, fix
ing the limit of cost of armor plate
for the three battleships now building
at $500 per ton.
SENATE. odd day Morgan,
of Alabama, occupied most of the day
in support of the Harris resolution re-
lating to the Union Pacific railway.
He severely arraigned the executive
officials connected with a sale of the
government in the road. CONFERENCE.
When the Republican conferrees on
the tariff bill adjourned the announce
ment was made that they had agreed
upon all the items of the bill and that
the result of the partisan conference
would be submitted to the Democratic
members of the conference at the next
meeting. 1t is learned that while the
majority of the Senate amendments
were agreed to the House conferees
were successful in carrying their points
on the more important items. Senator
Jones, silver Republican, of Nevada,
holding as he did practically the balance
of power both in the Senate and in
committee, was enabled to secure
many concessions for western interests,
and he succeeded in securing a degree
of protection for beet sugar greater
than was given in either house. The
bill as agreed upon will present an en-
tirely new sugar schedule, at least in
the main item OF duty on raw and re-
fined sugar. but favors the House
schedule. Wool is also a compromise.
1t is estimated that the changes in the
sugar schedule will raise about So, 000,-
600 additional revenue. White pine
lumber was restored to the House
classification of 50. The House made
a strong fight to have hides restored
TO the free list, but they were
compelled to submit to the Senate.
The reciprocity clause has been trans
formed into modification of both
schedules. One of the biggest victories
won by the House was in the restora-
ton to the dutiable list of burlaps,
jute and cotton bagging, cotton ties,
floor mating, etc, which the Senate |
had placed on the free list. However, |
the rates are lower than they have
ever been on this class of articles. |
Another victory of the House was the
elimination of the Senate stamp tax on
bonds and stocks 1t was decided |
that the machinery of collection was
too cumbersome. Raw cotton is re-
stored to the free list as originally |
N we'd by the House