The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-14
CONGRESS DID LITTLE
SESSIONS OF BOTH HOUSES YEsTER-
DAY WE'RE UNIMPORTANT.
Monday, Jan. II. Fixed by the Senate
for Voting on the Immigration Bill
Dispute in the House.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-Mr. Lodge
made an effort in the Senate to-day to Sc
cure an immediate vote on his immigration
bill, which is substantially the same meas
ure that was passed by the Fifty-fourth
Congress and vetoed by President Cleve-
land. Mr.. Allen, the Nebraska Populist, OBJ
jected to an immediate vote and suggested
that the final vote on the amendments and
the bill be taken on Monday, Jan. II, at 3
p. m. This suggestion was accepted by Mr..
Lodge, and the order for a vote at that
time was made
Mr.. German chairman of the Democratic
steering committee, presented order,
which adopted. rearranging some of
the committee assignments of Democratic
members made necessary by the incoming
of new senators. The order provided that
Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas, be appointed chair
man Of the committee on private land
claims; Mr.. Daniel, chairman of the
committee corporations in the
District of Columbia; Mr.. Turpie,
chairman of the committee to in
vestigate the condition of the Potomac river
front at Washington; Mr.. Berry, chairman
of the committee on woman suffrage; Mr..
Gray. chairman of the committee addi-
tional accommodations for the library of
Congress; Mr.. Pasco, chairman of the COM
mittee on the civilized tribes of Indians.
Other senators were assigned to committees
as follows: Mr.. Daniel, TO finance; Mr..
Mills, to commerce.; Mr.. Pettus, to judi
CARY Mr.. German, to District of Columbia;
Mr. Mallory, to public health and national
quarantine; Mr.. Walthall, to rules; Mr..
Money, to agriculture and forestry, rail-
roads, postotfices and post roads, public
buildings and grounds and geological sur
yey; Mr.. Turley, to private land claims,
privileges and elections, transportation
routes to the Seaboard, education and la
Dor and patents.
At the opening of the session Mr.. Davis,
chairman of the committee on foreign rela-
tions, called up the bill prohibiting the kill
ing of fur seals in the north Pacific ocean,
who said he desired to offer some amend
ments to it, the measure went over until to-
morrow.
Mr. Pettigrew called up the bill granting
to settlers the right to make second home
stead entries. He made a brief explanation
of the measure. 1t gave all persons who
were not at the time owners of land ac-
quired under the homestead law the right
to make second homestead entries Each
person would be entitled to acquire 100 acres
of land. The bill passed.
Mr.. Butler spoke at length on amendments
he offered to the hill which he had previous
" introduced providing for postal-sav-
lngs bank system. Such system would,
IN his opinion, insure greater comfort in the
homes of the plain people of the land, as
great majority OF them would certainly be
come depcsitOgs ia such banks. This would
cultivate among them thrift and economy
and enable them easily to provide for them
selves in illness and in old age. As another
argument in favor of a system Mr.. Butler
declared that If the system were estab-
lished there would never be another issue
of bonds by the government in time of
peace. 1t would give men of small means
an opportunity to increase their capital
would place a greater amount of money in
circulation and afford benefits to all the
people of incalculable value.
Mr. Wilson presented a resolution direct
ing the Civil-service Commission TO trans
nit to the Senate a statement by fiscal
years since 1890, showing the total number
of persons examined, the total number
passed and the total number appointed in
the several branches of the government
service, and the total number of persons on
the eligible lists of the several branches
OF the civil service at the beginning of
each of those. fiscal years. The resolution
was agreed to. At 2:40 p. m. the Senate