The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-04-03
iCURRENT TOPICS.
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
FIFTY-FIFTa
Especial SESSION.

NSPNNAAA cAo
IN the senate, on the 22d, during an open ses-
sion OF forty minutes nearly 200 bills were in
troduced and many others were reporte d back
from committees, among the latter the free
homestead bill and the immigration bill with
the provision as to Canadian labor eliminated.
Tie four great appropriation bills-the agricul-
tural, the Indian. the sundry civil and the gen.
eral detciency-were referred to the committee
on appropriations. A resolution was agreed TO
calling upon the president for correspondence
IN the DR.. Ruiz caSe--..1n the house the tariff
bill was read by the clerk and its discussion
opened by Mr.. Dingley, followedby Mr.. Wheeler
tdem., Ala in opposition. Other speeches for
and against followed, and. at sfveao'clock the
house took a recess until eight, when the debate
was continued.
IN the senate. on the 23d, a resolution offered
by Mr.. Allen pop. Neb.), directing the COM
mittee on civil service to inquire into the dis
missal OF certain employees Of the bureau of
animal industry. led to a long discussion and
general denunciation Of the civil service law,
and was, after amendment, adopted. Three
bills were passed. among them one to supply
tents 20 food sufferers: and several were intro
duced----..In the house the debate on the tariff
bill was continued, several speeches being
made in favor OF and in opposition to the pro-
posed measure. Tn senate joint resolution ap-
prOpriating $4,000 to enable the secretary of
war to purchase tents for the houseless vic
tins of the Mississippi valley foods was agreed
TO. An evening session devoted to a discussion
Of the tariff bill, was held.
IN the senate. on the 2ith. the agricultural
bill was reported back in the shape in which il
passed the house, and was placed on the calen-
dar. Mr.. Allen introduced a bill for the repeal
and annulment Of the civil service law and
Of all executive orders issued under it. \ bill
to restrict the exhibition of kaleidoscope illus
trations Of prize fights was referred to the judi
ciary committee. The senate then went into
executive session. I'm the house the third
days general debate on the Dingley tariff bill
was participated in by a large number of speak,
ers on both sides of the house. No other bust
ness occupied the attention Of the body.
In the senate. on the 25th, Mr.. Hoar, as rank
ing member Of the committee on privileges and
elections, explained that he had not called a
meeting Of that committee to consider the case
Of John A. Henderson, Of Florida, appointed by
the governor to fill a vacancy, on account of
the numerous vacancies in the committee.
Nearly three hours were spent in executive SeS-
sion on the arbitration treaty without making
material progress. The bankruptcy bill was
then taken up and read in full, as was a subSti-
tute offered by Mr.. Nelson (rep., Mimi, after
which the senate adjourned. In the house. it
being the last day of the general discussion on
the arbitration treaty, the proceedings were I'M
usually interesting. Alarge number of speeches
on both sides were made. A night session was
held for general debate on the treaty.
IN the senate, on the 26th. during the open
session the, civil service commission was
again subjected to adverse criticism and ridi-
cule by Mr.. Gall!nger. and the printed circular
Of the commission upon which he based his
structures was referred TO the committee on
civil service and retrenchment to investigate
the whole subject Resolutions OF inquiry were
offered and adopted as to the future disposition
of the Union Pacific railway property, and as
to the arrest and imprisonment of American
sailors in Cuba. After Il protracted executive
session the senate adjourned until the 29th.
In the house consideration of the tariff bill un-
der the five-minute rule began. but soon led to
a debate based on democratic charges that re-
publicans favored trusts and did not want to
legiSlate against them. During the afternoon
several changes of duty were made in the bill.