The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-02-17
Congressional Proceedings.

Senator Thurston's summary of the case
was that II the government took the 300
miles of the Union Pacific line It would
have to pay in cash out of the treasury over
$50 0000 If IT. got the terminals it. would
have to pay $4,000 600 or $4,000 600 more
for them, and sides H. would have TO fore
90 the receipt Of $4,000 600 i'm cash. making
an investment OF some $4,000 600 equal 10
about sl5 600 per mile Of railroad And
what, he asked, would the government do
With the road IL it, had t2 II would have to
extend the same policy OF purchase to the
Central Pacific 80 az TO have line from
Ogden 10 the Golden Gate Euloqies we're
delivered on the late Representative Cogs.
well OF Massachusetts, who died in May,
1895. - The House, in committee of the
whole, passed the District OF Columbia ap-
propriation bill, also the bill to amend the
Wilson tariff act 20 ~ TO permit the treas
ury officials to sell forfeited opium to the
highest bidder and not require them to Sc
cure the amount Of the duty, $40 pound.
Several private pension bills were passed.
MoNDAY.-Iu the Senate, Mr.. Daniel,
from the judiciary committed reported back
the House bill to constitute new division
OF the eastern judicial district OF Texas,
with court to be held at Beaumont, with q
recommendation that it be passed, the OBJ
| jections OF the president to the contrary
Notwithstanding These objections are to
| the effect that according to the statements
| OF judges and lawyers the change Is un-
necessary and would interrupt judicial bust
|
| dents veto by q vote Of fifty-seven to one.
The Senate was in active session all the
afternoon considering the arbitration treaty
with England. - A premonition OF the
| approaching count OF the electoral vote on
Wednesday was given in the House when
the speaker laid before the House copies OF
the returns OF The recent presidential cleo
ton by states, showing the votes for the
several candidates for electors BY unani-
nous consent they were permitted to lie on
the speakers table. Mr. Terry, democrat,
OF Alabama asked il there was a report from
all the states and Speaker Reed replied that
he believed there was; that under the law
one copy was sent to the president OF the
Senate and one to the speaker of the House.
The. House passed nine bills all relating to
local matters,
TUBsDAY.-The Senate was in executive
session nea y the entire day considering
the Anglo-AmeIicsp treaty Of arbitration.
- The House by a vote OF 1871 to 60
passed. over the presidents veto, the bill to
grant a pension to Rachael Patton, a SOL
der g widow who afterward married and is
now the divorced widow of her recent hus-
band. The House concurred in the Senate
resolution requesting the President to re-
turn to Congress the Senate bill recently
passed to amend the act to repeal the timber
culture law. Mr.. Sulloway OF New Hamp-
shire, called up the bill to pension Caroline
Mowatt which had been vetoed by Presi-
dent Cleveland upon the same ground as in
the Patton case. Presenting the facts in the
case Mr.. Sulloway remarked to the Presi-
dents statement in the veto message that
!. it's passage would establish dangerous
I precedent "Of short memory is this Presi-
dent of ours" said Mr.. Sulloway. "I
looked up his record in this connection and
find that he has approved thirteen bills ex-
actly like this, and larger number in favor
T., of dependent mothers, some of whom had
n husbands. So that there is nothing in the
9 suggestion against precedent, for he has
= established and repeated it dozen times"
The bill was passed over the veto-147 to 30.
. WEDNEsDAY.-Both houses went into
: joint assembly to make the official count Of
It the electoral votes cast for Mckinley and
~ Hobart. The result was announced as fol-
T. lows: For president OF the United States,
William Mckinley, 271; William j. Bryan,
176. For Vice President Of the United
States, Garrett A. Hobart, 271; Arthur
Sewall, 149; Thomas e. Watson, q. The
Vice Presidert thereupon declared William
= Mckinley and Garrett A. Hobart respec-
lively elected President and Vice President
!. Of the United States The Vice-President
J. added that the declaration was in law suf-
l. fcient and that the joint session was now
J, adjourned and the Senate would return to
. its chamber. A burst of hand clapping fol-
j. lowed this statement and the great audience
!. quietly dispersed. After the Senate re-
d turned to its chamber, Mr.. Morgan of Ala
:. bama withdrew the Nicaragua Canal bill,
/ giving notice, however, that he would in
troduce 1t at the extra session, and would
=, then press 1t to vote. The agricultural
, appropriation bill was then taken up and
: passed, after lively discussion in which
y Mr.. Vest democrat Missouri, held up to
y ridcule the secretary Of agriculture. The
=" bill appropriates $3,212 902, being an in
crease OF S37, 200 over the bill passed by the
o House. The principal item in the increase
,, is $4,000 for the purchase and distribu-
Q ton Of seeds, the appropriation for this pur-
a pose being increased from $4,000 to $780,
It 0O0 No business was transacted in
t the House after the Joint Assembly was
b dissolved.
! THURsDAY.--The Senate passed the dip
lomatic and consular appropriation bill, af-
q ter which 1t went into executive session on
q the arbitration treaty. - The fortifca-
n lions appropriation bill passed the House
n without amendments. The bill authorizing
q the refunding Of debts to territories precipi-
d tated alively debate, in which many members
o took part and which took wide range. The
: most important statements in the course OF
the debate were those by Mr.. Knox OF Mas.
}. sachusetts, in charge of the bill, that the
4 country was upon gold basis, that 1t would
: doubtless continue on that basis, that it
n would not initiate an international bimetal-
@ lie conference and that there was sufficient
+ craftsmanship in the republican party to
: provide for the largest possible use OF silver,
o and that il would not be through the IN
4 limited coinage of the metal. Mr.. McMil-
lin of Tennessee offered an amendment to
;. make the refunding bonds, except the Ari-
L
= money of the United Safes" and it was
: agreed to--149 to 70. Mr.. Bailey OF Texas
moved to strike out the section validating
:. all issues OF territorial bonds and authoriz-
: ing their refunding. Lost-51 to SO. The
bill was then passed The House then
went into committee OF the whole on the
u, post-office appropriation bill. The bill car
> res an appropriation OF S95 l1,714, an in
crease over the appropriation for the cur
rent year Of So, 040, $50. Without disposing
of the bill the committee rose and at 5: 10
O'Clock the House adjourned.
: FRIDAY.-The Senate passed the joint
! resolution appropriating $1,000 to enable
q the secretary OF the Senate to pay the ex-
penses OF the inaugural ceremonies A reso-
luton was offered by Mr.. Hill and was
agreed to, reciting the facts In regard to the
, arrest in Cuba Of Correspondent Sylvester
q Scovel, and requesting the secretary OF state
to use his good offices with the Spanish gov
eminent in Scovel's behalf, so as TO have
! him removed to Havana. A joint resolu-
: ton was introduced by Mr.. Morgan and
: went over, declaring the Clayton Bulwer
. treaty Of April 10, 1850, abrogated. -
! The House spent the day in committee of
i the whole on the post-office appropriation