Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-02-25
ACTION OF CONGRESS,
THE SENATE PROGRESSES SLOWLY
WITH THE INDIAN BILL.

Confirmation of the New Jersey Postmas.
ters Who Were Politically Objection.
able to Hobart-The House Passes the
Last of the Appropriation Measures.
WASHINGTON, Feb. "a - Tho senate
made slow progress on the appropriations
BILL disposng of only one item of the In.
dian bill-that directing the opening oi
Uncompahgre Indian reservation in Utah.
1t involved a conflict with the executive
branch, which has steadily resisted open
ing these lands, on the ground that they
contained valuable mineral deposits Mr.
Villas endeavored to have royalty re-
served to the government, but was defeat
ed in this, and the clause was agreed to
after long debate
During the session u resolution by Mr.
Mills of Texas was adopted asking the
president for information as to the death
of DR.. Ruiz at anabacoa Cuba.
Mr. Morrill, (Rep.) of Vermont an
nounced Cuban speech on Thursday.
In executive session the senate by vote
of 3S to 23 refused to adopt Senator Sew
ellis motion to reconsider the votes by
which u number of nominations for the
offices of postmaster in New Jersey were
confirmed Il few days since. The test vote
was taken on the nomination of II. j.
Kohlhaas to be postmaster at Paterson, in
which there was special interest because
of the fact that this is the home of Vice
President Elect Hobart, whose name fig.
ured in the brief debate that preceded the
vote Mr.. Sewell said that Kohlhaas was
Objectionable to Mr. Hobart because he
was Democrat but he refused to say the
pOminpn yvnS uprSonnllv pl,ipctinpubln tf
Mr. Hobart. The Democrats, Populists
and Silver Republicans voted solidly
against reconsideration, while the straight
Republicans supported the Sewell motion.
The vote had the effect of confirming Mr.
kOhlhaas, and after the result was an
nounced Mr.. Sewell withdrew his objec-
tion to the others involved
Civil Service In the House.
The house passed the naval bill, the last
of the appropriation bills, and sent it to
the senate. Mr.. Boutelle, chairman of the
naval committee, was in charge of the
measure and displayed such skill in its
handling that its provision aroused little
opposition, and it was passed practically
without amendment.
Mr.. Barrett of Massachusetts made an
effort to secure an authorization for dry
dock at Boston to cost 81, 900, 900, but aft
or somewhat acrimonious debate the
amendment was ruled out of order. He
then tried to secure the appointment of
commission TO pass on the relative merits
of Boston and Portsmouth as a location
for IL drydock and was also unsuccessful
The feature of the session was an ex-
ceedingly interesting political debate ON
the subject of civil service reform. 1t oc-
CURED during the consideration of bill
to permit the governors of the territories
to appoint certain officers of the territories
in cases of vacancy without the consent
of the legislative councils, which is now re-
quired by law.
1t was precipitated by somo remarks of
Mr. Bailey of Texas, which led to de-
nunciation of the law by Delegate Flynn
of Oklahoma and General Grosvenor of
Ohio. Every time they thrust their weap-
ons into the law they were greeted with
enthusiastic applause by most of the Re-
publicans
Mr. Bailey himself boldly declared the
law to be humbug, but he could not re-
sist the temptation to make political capt.
tai by suggesting that General Grosvenor,
as the representative of the incoming ad-
ministration, had given notice that the law
was to be repealed.
General Grosvenor parried this neatly,
however, by recalling the fact that his first
controversy in the house with Mr.. McKin-
ley was over this very question. Mr. Bro
sius (Rep.) of Pennsylvania, chairman of
the committee on civil service, defended
the law and declared that General Grosve-
nor had FLASHED the sword in the heart of
the president elect He called attention
to Mr., McKinleys letter of acceptance, in
which the president elect said he would
take mo step backward in the matter of
civil service reform