The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-24
THE DAY in CONGRESS.
A Resolution Is Passed Calling for a
Statement Concerning the Fate OF
DR.. Ruiz.-=Bills Passed.

Washington, Feb. 23.-In the senate
today a resolution was offered by Mr..
Mills, of Texas. and was agreed to-,
requesting the president to furnish a
statement of the facts concerning the
arrest, Imprisonment and death of DR..
Ricardo Ruiz in a Cuban Jail.
Practically the entire day was con-
sumed in a discussion over an amend
ment in the Indian appropriation bill
for the opening to settlement of the
Uncomprahgra Indian reservation in
Utah, containing over 100000 acres,
The amendment was opposed by Mr..
Villas, principally on the ground that
it was in the interest of rich corpora
tions, who were engaged in the busi-
ness of extraction OF asphaltum and
gilsonite, of which there are large and
valuable deposits in the reservation.
Before abandoning the fight, Mr. Villas
proposed an amendment looking to the
survey of these mineral lands and
their division into lots which were to be
leased for twenty-five years, on royalty
of so much per ton to be paid to the
government. This was fought by Mr..
Brown, of Utah. as entirey at variance
with the mining laws of the country
and with the interests of the people.
1t was defeated and then the original
amendment, somewhat modified. was
agreed to. That one paragraph was
the only paragraph which the senate
made in the Indian bill.
The house late this afternoon ran
unexpectedly into an interesting and
possibly significant discussion of the
civil service law. 1t came about hy
the consideration of a bill to amend the
revised statutes so as to give the gov
ernors of the territories the power ia
remove as well as to appoint certain
territorial officers.
1t was participated in by a dozer
members or more, nearly all of whom
criticised and condemned the law. II
finding its only defenders in Represen-
tatiVes Brosius, of Pennsylvania. anL
Walker, of Massachusetts. Mr.. Gros.
VenOr, of Ohio, denounced it as a sinu-
Gus, infamous conspiracy upon the gov
ernment and expressed the opinion that
a tide was rising in this country, which
would sweep bureaucracy from power.
Mr.. Bailey of Texas, denounced the
system as humbug, and said the rea.
son the Democratic party did not repea.
the law when it had the power was
that it did not have sense enough Mr.
Brosius deprecated the sentiments OF
Mr.. GrosVenOr and of the Republican
applause which the utterance evoked
saying, that in view of Major McKin.
ley's well known attitude toward the
merit system it seemed to him, "a films
of the sword in the heart of the presi.
dent-elect." The bill passed.
The most of the session was passed
in consideration of the naval appropria.
| tion bill.
Mr. Barrett criticised the bill for its
! failure to make an appropriation fol-
what he deemed to be one of the mos
| important parts of the service, the
| construction OF dry docks, and n,
| moved an amendment authorizing one
| to be built at the Boston navy yard tC
cost not exceeding one million dollars
| He made an extended speech in sup
| port of the amendment, which was fol
| lowed by a long and somewhat acri
monious discussion, but it was finally
| defeated only about half a dozen mem
bers supporting 1t. The bill was passed
as it came from the committee on nava
| affairs.
A senate bill was passed granting
! pension to the widow of the late Gen
eral Thomas l.. Casey, chief of engi
| neers with an amendment reducing tn,
amount from SIS to $50 per month.