The Portland daily press., 1897-12-09
WASHINGTON DOINGS.
Business is Very Lively at tx
Capital.
NEW MEASURES INTRODUCED liz
HOUSE AND SENATE.

Contested Seats in the Houss-River and
| of Gold on Hand-Democrats to Deter
mine Party Policy.
| Washington, December S.-The three
| House committees ON elections are be-
ginning to map out their work with
view to determining contested election
cases at the earliest possible day. There
are 81 Of these contests pending. Some
of them will require extended hearings,
but quite number oan be disposed of
| without much delay. At best, however,
| it is not expected that any Of the contests
can be brought before the House before
the holidays
| Chairman Taylor of committee No. 1,
| said today that there was nothing in the
! current reports that the contests would
be brought before the House with a view
to occupying time and thus limiting
work on general legislation. He pointed
out that even when reported to the
House election cases take little time for
consideration, seldom more thanfa day or
two, so that they could not postpone 9TH
er business for any material length Of
| time.
| The committee on rules of the House,
of which Speaker Reed is chairman. will
get together during the holidays to con
slider sHCh changes as experience has
shown to be desirable. 1t is not expected
that these will touch any vital points,
but will be rather in the nature Of rou-
tine changes to facilitate the disposition
of business. Messrs. Walker and Bar
rett. both of Massachusetts,, have sub
| mitted proposals for numerous changes
which will be considered.
The House communication foreign affairs
win hold its first meeting Thursday, when
Chairman Hit will name the sub-con1-
questions of Cuba, Hawaii. etc. Thus
far there has been no consultation on the
general tline of Foperarion on the numer-
GUS forsign subjects before the commit
tee. The river and hnrbor committee will
| meet the early part Of next week. Al
ready strong pressure Is being brought to
| bear for the preparation Of q river and
harbor bill. The Indications are that it
will result in the reporting Of such a bill
notwithstanding efforts toward retrench-
| ment.
| Mr.. Allen introduced in the Senate q
resolution declaring it to be the sense of
| the Senate that Congress should, with
all due convenient speed, acknowledge by
appropriate act the political Independence
of Cuba. He followed 1t with speech
declaring that the commercial spirit of
the United States was preventing act
| ion.
| The House committee on agriculture
organized today. Several sub
tees were appointed. Messrs. Wadsworth,
|
| designated as subcommittee in charge OF
the agricultural appropriation bill. and
work on that measure will be begun at
| once.
| The House committee on invalid PEN
sions met today and took action that Is
| intended to correct the alleged rapidly
growing abuses of. young women marry
| ing old soldiers and sailors for the pur-
pose of becoming their widows and draw
| ing pension from the government This
of the comparatively large number of
widow claimants on account Of the revo-
| lutionary war of 1912 and Mexican war
service Of husbands. The committee in
| structed Charm an Ray to obtain from
the committee on rules an order or rule
permitting an amendment to the pension
appropriation bill providing that no PEN
sions shall hereafter be granted to the
widow of soldier or other persons who
is married to such soldier or person after
the passage of this act, excepting, how
ever, all soldiers, sailors, officers etc. now
in or who may hereafter enter the mill
tary or naval service of this United States.
Senator Galinger today introduced a
bill prohibiting the granting of pensions
to the widows of soldiers whose marriage
lOccurred Ruhseouent to the passage of the
bill under which they make oiaina.
Senator Gallinger today introduced q
bill to define and regulate the civil SER
vice. 1t provides that neither civil SER
vice laws nor the regulations under them
shall be construed or held to apply to, or
to control appointments to any office OF
official employed by or under the United
States except to the clerical positions In
the executive departments as classified
by section Is Of the revised statutes 8, TO