Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-05
AN INTERESTING SUBJECT In the Senate Was the Selling of
 Liquor WITHIN THE CAPITOL
Hill Denounced the Measure as Silly Unwise
 and Unnecessary.
SURVIVORS OF THE WAR OF 1912
Will Have Deserved Increase of Pension Villas Fourth Day on the Nicaragua Ca- nal Bill and Not Yet Through-Dis-
 trict of Columbia in the House.

Washington, Feb. As soon as the routine morning business was disposed of in the senate today the house bill was taken up to prohibit the sale of intox- icating liquors in the capitol building. It had been reported by MT. Morrill, (rep. Vt.), from the committee on public build ings and grounds. and MT. Merrill de- sired its passage. while declaring that it was unnecessary and was based on a mis- apprehension in the public mind. MT Sherman (rep. O took a similar position. Even though it was based lon false and foolish grounds" he thought the senate ought to meet the popular objection and pass the bill. MT. Hill (dem. N. Y) took a different view Of the duty of the sen ate. He denounced the bill as silly, un- wise and unnecessary, as a weak yielding to an alleged public sentiment, which re- garded murder, robebry and burglary as minor crimes in comparison with disre- gard of prohibition laws, and as vicious and cowardly. He moved it's reference to the committee on rules, whose jurisdic- ton extends specifically to all that con- cerns the senate restaurant; that motion was defeated-yeas, 21; nays, 90.
 At the close of the morning hour the bill went over without action. It will probably be taken up for action tomor- row.
 The bill introduced a few days ago by Mr. Mills (dem. Tex), to increase the pensions of the survivors of the war Of 1872 from SIP to $50 month, was reported favorably from the committee on pen sions by Mir. Gallinger, who said that there were only twelve surviving pen sioners of the war and that their ages ranged from 90 to 104. The bill was passed
 The next question that awakened inter- est was the conference report on the im- migration bill The discussion upon that was short, however, as MT. Lodge Gep. Mass) having charge of 1t, recognized the justice of the objections made to 1t by MT. Hill and other senators in regard to shutting out the ignorant wife of an immigrant, while the huband might pass the reading and writing test. MT Lodge himself made the motion that the confer ence report be disagreed to, and new conference ordered, and that motion was agreed to without objection.
 While it was pending Mr. Carter Crep. Mont) remonstrated against the provis- ion intended to exclude Canadian work men, as it would justify the Dominion of Canada in adopting drastic measures against the ten thousand American min CTS who found constant work and good wages in the Kootenay country in Brit ish Columbia.
 The Nicaraguan canal bill was taken up and the remainder of the days session was occupied by MT. Villas in opposition to it, this being the fourth day of his speech.
 He insisted that if the Nicaraguan canal is ever constructed 1t would have to be neutralized, as the Suez canal was. It should have for its sponsors, control lers and constructors of the great nations of the earth, whose commerce would pass though it. It was the duty of the United States not to declare absolutely all the laws and methods which should govern the project, but to proffer the other nations the open hand of fair con- ference, to invite their reasonab ble sug- gestions and to unite with them in the reasonable provisions for It's conStruc- tiOn and maintenance.
 The first duty of the United States was to have an adequate and careful survey of all the available routes and to have plan prepared. The next step should be to confer with Great Britain, in accord ance with treaty stipulations, with Ger many and with France and to establish the canal on such a foundation as that peace would bless it forever, as the great agency of commerce swelling around the globe. Qfa1.4
 Without concluding his speech MT. Vii las yielded for motion to proceed to ex- ecutive business. and at D. m. the senate adjourned until tomorrow,
 IN THE HOUSE. Consideration of the bill making ap- propriations for the expenses of the Dis trict of Columbia for the year ending June 30, 1898, engaged the attention of the house today to the exclusion of al- most all other business, and at the ad- journment it was still the unfinished business. 4e AFtr
 The further conference asked by the senate upon the immigration bill was agreed to- and Messrs. Danford (rep O., Wilson (dem. s. C), and Bartholdt Qep Mo.) were reappointed conferees. At 5:10 the house adjourned until to- morrow. .,.sts