Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-02-18
SENATE AND HOUSE.
WORK OF OUR NATIONAL LAW
MAKERS.
A Wcek's Proceedings In the Hal,s 10
Congrcss-ImpO rtant Measures D;..
cussed aud Acted Upon-Au Impar.
tial Resume of tho Business.
The National SOlOns.


The National Solons.
The House Thursday passed the forts.
cations appropriation bill with but a sin.
gle amendment and made some headwov
with the postoftice appropriation bili
The major portion of the day was consum.
ed in political debate on the financial ouns.
ton. which was precipitated by proyis.
ion in bill providing for funding tba
debt Of the territories. The bill aroused
the opposition of Mr.. McN1illin Deml Of
Tennessee because it provided for gold
bonds and the payment of interest in gold
or its equivalent. Mr.. Knox (Rep1 Of
Massachusetts, said that the stipulation
regarding gold bonds applied only to Ar;.
IONA, which had outstanding gold bonds to
be refunded. An amendment by Mr. No.
Millin Dem.) of Tennessee was os fol.
lows: Provided That the PRINCIPAL md
interest of the bonds funded under This
act shall be payable in any lawful money
of the United States, except the Arizona
bonds above described heretofore issued j"
This was adopted. and the bill passed
The Senate spent the greater part OF the
day in executive session debating tho
Anglo American arbitration treaty. Tho
entire time was consumed by Senators
Turpie and Morgan, the former in adyo-
cacy of and the latter in opposition to
ratification. No action was taken on any
amendment or on any part of the treaty
and but little appreciate progress was
made
The feature Of Fridays discussion Of
the Anglo-American arbitration treaty by
the Senate was the general effort to reach
basis of agreement whereby the treaty
could be disposed of and other business
taken up. There were innumerable short
speeches during the day, but the prin-
opal addresses on the merits of the
treaty were made by Senators Daniel,
stewart Hoar, Lodge and Chandler.
The proposition advanced Thursday BY
senator Turpie that any negotiation un-
der the treaty would under its terms
necessarily be submitted to the Senate
Just as would any original treaty, formed
the basis Of Fridays proceedings. 1t was
generally conceded by all those who spoke
t""t If there could be any assurance that
this Interpretation would be placed on the
treaty IT accepted there would be no spe
clal opposition to its ratification. Senator
Turpie contended that no other position
was possible in view of the indisputable
fact that the Senate was a part of the
treatymaking power of the United States.
Senator Daniel. however, took IN oppo-
site view, as did Senator Chandler and
most of the other Senators who spoke.
During the debate on the postal appro-
priation bill, which was passed by the
House, Congressman Hugh Belknap. Of
Chicago. made speech in favor of re-
tanning the marine postal service at De-
troit. Congressman Belknap said that
the vesselmen of the great lakes would
never consent to such a change. They
are greatly benefited by the present ser.
vice at Detroit. Several other members
made speeches In favor of the present
arrangements, and it was decided by the
House to continue them during the com.
Ing year. The perennial fight was made
to strike out the appropriation OF S196.
600 for special mail facilities from Bos.
| ton to New Orleans. but it was defeated.
46 to 1O1. The bill as passed carrie, $685.
435,714. ~'''
General debate on the sundry civil bill
closed Saturday in the House. The bill
was used as basis for an attack BY the
Democrats on the vast appropriations
made BY this Congress, which Mr.. Sayers
and Mr.. Dockery estimated would aggre-
gate $1,O45,OOO,OOO. Once the gate was
opened, the debate naturally drifted into
politics. The relative merits of the Nc
hinley and Wilson bills as revenue pro-
ducers were attacked and defended. The
income tax decision and Justice Shiras'
change OF position came in for a share of
attention, and Mr.. De Almond (Mo.) con-
cluded the day with brilliant plea for
struggling Cuba, which won from the
House shouts of approval. The Senate
did nothing of Importance.
The sundry civil appropriation bill, car
rying $oO.644.743 was passed BY the
House Monday just as it came from the
committee. The main opposition was d.
rected against the river and harbor item
in the bill. Quite number of other bills
were passed of more or less importance,
among them the Senate bills appropriat-
ing $2oO.OOO for closing the crevasse at
Pass POutre on the Mississippi. and to
equip the National Guard with uniform
Springfield rifles. 45-caliber, and the Sen
ate resolution to authorize the Secretary
OF the Navy to transport the contribu-
lions OF the Pacific coast States to the
famine sufferers of India. The report in
the contested election case of Benoit
against Boatner from Louisiana, confirm
ing the latters title to his seat, was unan-
imously adopted. The conference report
on the diplomatic and consular appropria-
ton bill was adopted and the agricultural
bill was sent to conference. Owing to the
brief time of this session yet remaining.
extra night sessions were decided upon.
for the consideration of private pension
bills. of which many hundred still re-
| main on the calendar. The Senate was
IN executive session most of the day. Some
progress was made on the bankruptcy bill
The Senate bill for the revision and codi-
hcation of the criminal and penal laws
OF the United States was passed. 1t pro-
vides for the appointment by the Presi-
dent OF three commissioners to make the
| revision.