The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-02-04

retire John NJ Quackenbush. who war
cOurtmartialed and suspended from tn,
naval service in April, 1874, for drunken
ness as commander, under date of June
/, 1895.
The diplomatic and consular appropria-
ton bill was under consideration at adj
journment.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington. Feb. This was COM
mittcc suspension day in the house, and
Immediately after the reading Of the
journal the committees were called. The
senate bill TO provide times and places
for holding United States court in Okla
hOma passed.
Mr. Sherman (rcp) Of New York. from
the commerce committee, called up the
'anti-scalper bill" \ half dozen mem
bcrs jumped TO their feet.
IL suggest that time be fixed for the
consideration Of the bill" suggested Mr..
Terry of Arkansas 1T is n very import
ant measure and should not pop up here
like a jack-n-the-box without notice"
w. A. Stone rep of Pennsylvania
raised the question of consideration
against the bill and the house, by vote
Of "a TO 4S, refused TO consider it.
Bills were passed to authorize the
Columbia and Red Mountain railway to
construct a bridge across the Columbia
river: 10 prevent the carryinf Of obscene
literature and articles designed for indie
cent and immoral use from one state or
territory into another state or territory.
to authorize the Kansas City, Shreveport
and Gulf railway to construct bridge
across the Sabine river between Louisi-
ana and Texas, and to authorize the con-
struction of Il bridge across the Monon-
gahcla river between McKccspOrt and
MifIlin, Pa.
Bills were passed TO permit street
sewer to occupy the lower portion of the
ROckland bridge: TO simplify the system
Of making sales in the subsistence depart
mcnt of the army; to prohibit trcSpasS-
ing upon and for the protection of the
Chickamauga and Chattanooga and other
national military parks; providing that
surgeons and assistant surgeons Of the
army may be appointed other than
those who were disabled in the SER
vice Of the United States; extending to
persons attached to the army lin addition
ing made the recipients Of medals of
honor.
After the completion of the call of com
mittecs the speaker recognized Mr.. Evans
(rcp.) Of Kentucky TO move the passage,
under suspension of the rules, of the bill
for the relief of eX-COmmander of the
Navy John NJ. Quackcnbush. The bill re-
tires the officer with the rank of com
mandcr from June |, 1898. The bill has
been before congress for some time.
After brief discussion il was passed.
The bill to reduce the amount allowed
steamboat inspectors from = cents to )
cents mile, was passed after some re-
marks by Mr.. Grosvcnor of Ohio on what
he called the economical streak" of the
present administration.
Referring to the conduct of the state
department, he spoke satirically of that
Massachusetts spokesman, the president of
u civil service reform association" who
had come to Washington ut the beginning
of this administration and who had as
saultcd, ritlcd and looted the consular
service.
in sixty days" said he, "hc turned
out SO per cent of the consular officers
and filled their places with unframed,
uncXamincd and incompetent men"
The following additional bills were pass
cd under suspension of the rules:
To amend an act entitled IAN act TO
repeal the timber culture laws and for
other purpose" tThc act relates only to
the entry of lands in the Sioux Indian
rcscrvatiOn); to convey the Fort Lyon
military reservation to the state of Colo.
RADIO for use rs a soldiers home to pay
the heirs of Albcrtin Justin of Roosevelt,
Ia. $4,000 for property taken by the
United States in the Cayusc war of 1917:
TO authorize the entry and patenting Of
lands containing petroleum and other
mineral oils under the law relating 10
placer mining (hc purpose of the bill was
To circumvcnt n ruling made by the sec
rotary of the interior, August -, 1896;
and the senate bill to quiet title and pos
session with respect to certain uncon-
iirmcd and located private land claims in
Louisiana about 100000 acrcs.)
A bill TO pay John Pitzcr of Knox
county, Ky, $500 for two mules taken
by the Union army, provoked an hours
debate and was finally rejected.
Thcrcupon the house went into COM
mittcc of the whole and took up the con
sidcration of the diplomatic and consular
appropriation bill. Mr. Hit, from the
committee on foreign affairs who was III
charge of the measure. explained the pro-
visions of the bill.
"1'hc changes. said he" were very
slight.
Mr.. McCrcary (dem) of Kentucky fol
lowed with u few observations, during
the course of which Mr.. Turner (dem.)
appropriation in the bill which made the
United States II party TO the maintenance
of II king of the Samoan islands.
Mr.. McCrcary said that he did not APP
prove of the provision of the Berlin treaty
which hound the United States to pay
$4,000 annually towards the maintenance
of the king of Samoa and the government
existing there.
Mr.. McMillin (dcml of Tennessee said
that no treaty shoulds cause the United
States to cooperate in the support of 4
Nngly government.
Not even the queen of Hawaii!' put
in Mr.. Morse (rcpD of Massachusetts.
Mr.. McCrcary said the treaty was
made during the administration of Mr..
Harrison.
When this section was reached in the
bill, Mr. McMilin moved to strike it out
but the house, without division, declined
To do so.
After completing ten of the twenty
seven paragraphs of the bill the commit
tee rose at > y. IN. and the house ad-
journed.
COLORED CENTENARIAN DEAD.
Ennis, Tex, Feb 1.-(Spccial.)- odd