Birmingham state herald., 1897-03-05
FIVE APPROPRIATION BILLS  Fail 10 Become Operative as Laws. THE OFFICIAL SIGNATURE
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 s7ss4--I .7 sat HsaHsAs Denied Them Because of the Lateness of Their Submission for Inspection
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Denied Them Because of the lateness of Their

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 Washington, March 4-Both houses of congress were since last night alternately i'm recess and in session. hearing the re- ports of conference committees up to the moment when the house adjourned sine die and the proceedings in the senate merged into the inauguration ceremonies.
 The scene and temper. of the final ad- iournment of the senate were in marked contrast with those of the Fifty-first congress. when MT. Reed was concluding his first service as speaker Then. owing to the partisan raiicor which had mani fested itself at various times during the congress. no member of the minority would offer the usual resolution of thanks to the speaker for his administration of the duties of the chair. Today all that was changed. In the course of this con- gress Speaker. Reeds conduct and atti- tude towards public matters have fre-s quently been referred to by democratic members in terms of praise, and Mir. Mo- Millin, the leader of the minority, pre- sented the resolution of thanks and sup ported 1t in a brief speech commenting the speaker, couched in the warmest terms
 On motion of Mir Livingston (dem. Ga.), the question was dseided by rising vote, the entire body of representatives rising with much enthusiasm. The result of the vote was announced by Speaker Pro Fem. Doclery, amid applause on all sides. Speaker Reed was summoned from his room. and as he came in the door. the members rose to their feet, ap- plauding as they did so. He remained on the steps a moment, while MT Dock cry annouaeed the actien of the house to him. The speakers usual impassive face betrayed something of the emotion which he felt. His voice, however, was firm as he returned his thanks for the expression of good will .eontainedsin the resolution. He said:
 Gentlemen of the House of Representa-
 tives:
 Two years ago you were summoned to your share of a legislative work which could not be otherwise than disagreea- ble, disappointing and unsatisfactory, for it involved a dismal struggle to adopt a narrowing income to the growing wants of great ation, growing to be still greater. You sweres most of you, untried in your newAvoca ton. How others have performed q their share ofsthe task it is not for us to.say.e. But it is proper for us to say that your share of ele divided duty has been performed with so much readi- ness and good sense that even among the asperities of asheateds campaign there was no room for any attack on the house of representa- tives. . -. =,
 I am sincerely grateful for the kind ex- presslon- of your confidence and esteem; but am still more grateful for the daily kindness and good will on the part of every membe on both sides of the house.
 To all of you then, gentlemen, of all parties, ,rIgoffer the sincere expression of the highest perspHal regard. The com-s mittee to notify the president that the house was ready to adjourn was 4com- posed of Dalzell, of Pennsylvania. and Grosvenor, of Ohio republicans, and Say ers of Texas, democrat. When these gentlemen returned to the house they reported that the. committee had been unable to. discharge the. duty devolving upon 1t, for the reason that when the members reached the white house the, president had already departed for the capitol
 The adjournment -ceremonies followed.
 Five of the annual appropriation bills failed to become laws, owing to the re- fusal of the president to approve them. The sundry civil. the naval the Indian and the agricultural bills reached the white house so late that MT Cleveland was unable to give them that close seru- tiny upon which he insists. He therefore refused to sign any of them. The gen eral deficiency bill failed to reach him owing to the failure of the conferees to reach an agreement. This is the record breaker of the history of the government The agricultural bill was sent to the president February 25, while the others only reached him during the late hours of the session.
 The refusal of the president to approve of these bills compels more thorough organization of the house of representa- tives than was intended by Speaker Reed. Under the ralles of the house the Indian bill is considered by the Indian committee. the naval bill by the naval committee. and the agricultural bill by the agricultural committee. Of these bills that failed only the sundry civil bill was reported by the committee on appro- pria ations To this extent the house will have to be organized by the appointment of committees more general in their char acter than was intended by Speaker Reed.
 No new estimates will be needed and the bills will probably be rushed through at the earliest possible moment. It is the inten ton of the republican leaders to take the present estimates and base their bills upon them; and If this can be done but little time will be consumed in !. the consideration of those measures That the action of the retiring president will prolong the extra session of congress no one doubts
 Upon his arrival at the capitol the bill to provide for commission to create a labor commission was presented to Pres ident Cleveland, but acting on the advice of Secretary Carlisle, he declined to sign it. owing to the impossibilty of ascer- taining what the provisions of the bill contempla ted. This is the measure upon which most of the debate of last night hinged