The Forrest City times., 1897-02-19
CURRENT TOPICS.
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
FIFTY-FoURTH CONGRESS.
srrnnd ses.lnn.

Cerston-
 IS the senate, on the ilth. the diplomatic and consular appropriation bin. carrying an aggre- gate of q 695. .30s was passed. An agreement was reached to have the vote on the confere nee report on the immigration bill taken up at p. m. of the 5th. The arbitration treaty was fur ther considered in executive session - In the house the bill providing for the refunding of the bonded indebtedness of the several terri tories was amended and passed The sundry civil appropriations bill was reported from committee and placed on the calendar. The committee report on the contested election case from the Tenth Georgia district in favor or MT. Black. was made, and the post ofice ap- propriation bill was taken up in committee of the whole and discussed for an hour without action.
 IN the senate, on the 18th, joint resolution was introduced declaring the Clayton -Bulwer treaty abroeated joint resolution appro- pristing $50 o for the expenses of the senate Tor the inauguration ceremony was passed, as was resolution. offered by Mir. Hill, directing the secretary of state to use his good offices with the Spanish government to have Syl- vester Scovel, the American newspaper corre- spondent recently arrested in Cuba removed to Havana for his better protection by the United States consul-general. The arbitration treaty was taken up in executive session %. In the house the post office appropriation bill was passed. and the sundry civil appropria- tlons bill was taken up and its first reading begun.
 IN the senate. on the 18th, joint resolution was passed to have a naval vessel placed at the disposal of the San Francisco chamber of commerce to transport wheat and corn con- triouted by western states for the relief of the famlne-strtcken poor of India. resolution was agreed to directing inquiry into the Per rine land grant in Florida. The senate then went Into executive session on the arbitration fu IW
 snmed in discussion of the sundry civil ap- propriatons bill and in,eriticism of the supreme court for It's decision on the income tax feature or the Wilson tarin bill and the failure of the administration to respond to the sentiment of the country on the Cuban question.
 IN the senate, on the 18th, after considerable parHamentaryssparring, the joint resolution to declare the ClaytonBulwer treaty abrogated was considered fin secret session until two o'clock, when the executive session began which lasted until D. m, when the doors were reopened and the bankruptcy bill was taken up as unfinished business. the senate substitute being read in full Twenty-four private pension bills and lot of other miscel- ianeous oills were passed In the house 1t being suspension day, large number of bills were passed, among them the sundry civil ap- propriations bill the senate amendments to the diplomatic and consular appropriation bill were concurred in, and the agricultural ap- propriatlon bill was sent to conference. An evening session was held for the consideration of private pension bills.
 Ig the senate. on the 18th, MT. Chandler (rep, N. H) delivered three hours speech In support of his resolution declaring 1t to be the sense Of the senate that the United States should not permanently acquiesce in the single gold standard. The bankruptcy bill was then taken up, but no action was had upon it. In the house a number of bills granting pen- sions, which had been amended in the senate, were laid before the house and the amend ments agreed to. A bill was passed regula- ting and making uniform the jurisdiction of circuit courts In cases of infringement of let ters patent About 25 private pension bills were passed.