The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-03-12

was practically the last working day
of the senate, and there was the usual
hurry to carry various measures to
their final legislative stage. Reports
were received from time to time on the
pending conference on appropriation
bills, seven of them still being in the
balance. The postofice and fortifica-
ton bills were cleared up early In
the day, but five remained uncom-
pleted at o'clock. Anumber of minor
bills were passed during the day. Lutte
in the day Mr.. Chandler made IN in
effectual effort to refer to the commit
tee the credentials of Henry Heitfeld,
the new senator from Idaho. This
foreshadowed q contest, and had the
credentials been referred some ques-
ton might have arisen as to Mr.. Aeit-
fields being sworn in.
The weary legislators of. the house,
after shatching few hours sleep If
ter the recess at o'clock In the morn
ing, met again at 10 o'clock and con-
tinued the work Of closing up the bust
ness of the session. The crowds
packed the galleries until the occupants
were hardly able to breathe. The
dreary grind of routine business was
almost unintelligible to them, but they
held their places tenaci0usly for hours.
The hall was filled with the indescrib-
able hum of their conversation which
made dull background for the high
pitched voice Of the reading clerk. De-
casiOnally the monOt0ny was relieved
Of the committees in charge of the APP
preparation bills held their own, and
step by step advanced their bills to the
final stages. Chairman Cannon fought
like trojan during the day. BY a
tremendous majority the house voted
1913 to 37-to override the presidents
veto of the immigration bill.
Washington, March o. The senate
was in session only about two hours
and the greater part Of the time was
spent in executive session in confirm
ing President McKinley's cabinet ap-
pointments. While in legislative ses-
sion the credentials Of Mr.. Hanna as
senator from Ohio to succeed Mr.. Cher
man were presented by Mr.. Foraker
and he was sworn in by Mr. Hobart.
Mr.. Davis was also designated act
Ing chairman of the committee on for
eign relations to succeed Mr.. Sherman.
Beyond the usual notification to the
president nothing further was done.
The cabinet appointments were all
confirmed practically without opposi-
tion. There was for time threat of
opposition to Mr.. Gage as secretary of
the treasury because of his financial
views and because he is banker, but
there was more of this among the SEN
ators in the cloak rooms than in the
senate.
The senate went into executive SEES
sion promptly upon the receipt of the
nominations and as soon as the an
nouncement was made of the appoint
ment of Senator Sherman, whose
name headed the list, he was con-
firmed. 1t is the practice to refer all
nominations to committee, but it was
the desire of Mr.. Sherman's friends to
signalize their regard for him by i'm
mediate action. There wac more form
than reality in the reference of other
nominations to committee. Not one of
the committees held formal meeting,
they being polled on the floor of the
senate In every instance. No objection
was made in committee to confirma-
ton. While the polling was being
made the appointment of Mr.. Bliss as
secretary Of the interior occupied at
tention from Senators Teller and
Stewart, who stated that while they
had no intention to make any effort to
balk the president in HE selection of
his cabinet. they still felt constrained
to point out the inadvisability of &C.
lecting a man who was not lawyer
for position which requires the exer-
else Of so much legal ability. Senator
Hoar of Massachusetts, paid high
tribute to Mr.. Bliss, pointing out that
many Of the questions decided by the
secretary Of the interior were prepared
by law clerks. Senators Lodge and
Chandler followed in much the same
strain, calling attention to the fact that
Zachariah Chandler had made an &C.
ceptable secretary of this department
Notwithstanding the fact that he was
not member of the bar.
The reference to Mr.. Gage was main
~ on account of what was termed his
gold standard views, and it was esti-
mated that as secretary of the treasury
he would maintain the gold standard
Notwithstanding the promises of the
administration to promote bimetaiiism.
When the list had been confirmed in
the order Of appointment the senate ad-
journed until Monday.