Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-15
IN CONGRESS TODAY
A Holiday Recess From December Is
to January 5.
ANIMATED DEBATE IN TIE SENATE
The Question of the Fur Seals
Under Consideration.
STATUE TO ADMIRAL PORTER

! Mr.. Chandler of the committee on naval
| affairs of the Senate today reported to the
Senate favorably bill directing the Sec
| rotary of the Navy to consider and report
| Upon the subject of a statue in Washington
| city of the late Admiral David d. Porter
The bill was passed.
Senator Fry today introduced a bill pro-
viding for the purchase or construction of
| vessel for the revenue cutter service on
| the Yukon river, and appropriating $4OOs
for this purpose.
\ Railroad Through Alaska.
senator Faulkner introduced bill incor.
| porating the Cooks Inlet Tarr Tanana and
| Yukon Railroad Company, authorizing the
CT Instruction of a railroad and telegram
| line from Tuxedat harbor, on Cooks inlet
| IN Alaska, through Mantasta Pass to the
Alaskan boundary. and along the Yukon
ana Tanana rivers and to Norton sound
at $6O.OOO,OoO. Ex-senator Squire of the
| state Of Washington is one Of the incor-
porators. o
A bill introduced by Senator Elkins re-
stores all the lands in the Annette Island
Alaska, to the public domain except those
IN the southwestern peninsula of the island
| Inc entire island has been set apart for the
use OF the Indians by act of Congress, but
this peninsula and that the other portions
contain valuable mineral deposits. which
are given as the reasons for the proposed
legislation.
An Interesting Resolution,
Mr.. Gallinger IN. HI presented and Sc
cured the adoption of a resolution direct
Ing the Secretary Of the Treasury to trans
| init to Congress all correspondence regard
ing the legal right of collectors Of internal
revenue to appoint their own assistants,
| and also the correspondence with the civil
service commission relating to the right of
| the commission to review appointments
| made by collectors.
Mr.. Allen (Neb.) presented a resolution
requesting the President. If not incompati-
Bile with the interests of the government,
| to send to Congress the instructions given
to the international monetary commission
ers the reports they have made and the
correspondence relating to the subject. On
objection, the resolution went over until
tomorrow.
The concurrent resolution adopted by the
House providing for recess of Congress
from Saturday, December IS. 1897, to We'd
| nesday. January 5. 1898, was laid before
| the Senate and referred to the committee
on appropriations.
At the request of Mr. Mills (Tex) a
! speech on civil service reform delivered by
Mr.. S. s. Cox in the House of Representa-
tives in 1878 was ordered printed as docu-
ment.
Reindeer to Garry klondike Supplies.
Mr.. Mcbride (Ore) called up his resolu-
ton authorizing the Secretar Of War to
purchase food and supplies and to transport
such supplies as may be offered for the re-
LIEF Of the American miners and other suf-
ferers in the valley of the Yukon river in
Alaska. and appropriating s25O,OOO to de-
fray the necessary expenses. An amend
ment to the resolution providing for the
| transportation of the supplies by means
of reindeer was adopted.
Mr.. Hawley of the committee on military
affairs expressed the hope that the resolu-
ton might be referred to his committee, as
| the whole matter concerning the aiding Of
the Yukon miners with supplies was now
under consideration by the committee.
Mr.. Cockrell (Mo) thought 1t strange that
the government should have to pay for
supplies sent to the klondike miners, when,
fectly able and willing to pay for such sup
plies. He was of the opinion that it was
bad precedent to establish.
MIR. Hawley then moved that the resolu-
ton be referred to the committee on mil
itary affairs, promising that it should have
prompt consideration, and Mr.. Mcbride
agreed.
Prohibition OF Seal killing.
Mr.. Davis of the foreign relations COM
mittee called W the bill prohibiting the
killing of fur seals in the waters of the
north Pacific ocean, ard presented letters
from Secretary Sherman of the State De-
partment and Secretary Gage CT the Treas
ury Department favoring the immediate
passage of the proposed measure.
Mr.. Davis explained that the bill was in
aid of furthering diplomatic negotiations.
He understood, he said, that an amicable
arrangement concerning the fur seal in
drstry was now in process of formation Icy
the representatives of the United States,
Great Britain, Russia and Japan, and the
passage of the bill proposed would materi-
ally assist the representatives of the
United States in the pending negotiations
Afte- explaining the law at present bear
ing upon the fur seal question, Mr.. Davis
pointed out that there was now no law pro-
hibting pelagic sealing, and that this
shameful admission had to be made by the
representatives of the United States in
their negotiations with other countries
locking to a suspensiO1 of such sealing.
MIR. Pettigrew Protests.
Mr.. Pettigrew Is. d. entered sharp
protest to the passage Of the bill because
it deprived Americans of privileges accord
ed to people of other countries He thought
1t was time for the United States to def
nitely dispose of the question by killing all
of the seals as they land upon the Priby-
loft Islands. He thought that the United
States had suffered enough humiliation on
account of the seal business, and he Le-
lieved that the proposed bill ought to be
amended that if Great Britain did not
by the 1st of June next agree to a suspen-
s.on of pelagic sealing this country would
kill all reals. male and female, and thus
settle the question once for all.
Mr. Pettigrew then offered an amendment
to the bill in line with his remarks.
Voices Against the Amendment.
Mr.. Davis protested against the adoption
o. Mr.. Pettigrew's amendment. He thought
that because Great Britain did not come
promptly to our terms was not a sufficient
reason for this country to enter upon an
unexampled butchery Of a beautiful and
useful animal. He deemed 1t particularly
unwise to embarrass negotiations now
pending by such threat as the amend
n.ent proposed implied. He expressed the
opinion that the carrying into effect of Mr..
Pett:grews proposition would bring odium
upon this country that would stain us for
ever.
Mr.. Perkins (Cal) thought the adoption
of the amendment would be an evidence of
impotence. He would. he said, be ashamed
to see such a provision upon our statute
books. He believed it the duty of Congress
to pass the bill as presented by the COM
mittee, as he was satisfied the negotiations
pending would soon bring about an AMIGA