Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-12
VERY LOOSE LEGISLATION
Bill introduced in the Senate
Already a Law
MORGAN GROWS CAUSTIC
In Referring to CIeveIand's Holding Back
Information.
THE EFFECT OF BAD PUNCTUATION
A Semi-Colon Provokes Two Hours of Dis
cussion on Bond dBill-Watson-Black
Contest Finally Disposed of
in Favor of Black.

washington, Feb11.-A curious Illus
tration of the extremely loose business
methods of congress was furnished IN the
senate today when Mr.. Vest reported
back from the committee house bin
which had been referred to that commit
tee and stated that the same bill pre-
cisely had passed both houses at the
present session. had been approved and
signed by the president, and was now
law.
The diplomatic and consular appropria-
tion bill carrying an aggregate of $780,
30S was passed after some caustic re-
marks by Mr.. Morgan, on an item OF $lo,-
900 for a minister plenipotentiary TO the
statesSof Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Sal
vador. Two of these states, he said, had,
according to newspaper reports, formed
with Honduras a new government call
ed the Greater Republic of Central
America, sending a minister to Washing
ton who had been formally received by
the president, and closing their respective
foreign offices so that an American min
lister could hold no diplomatic relations
with them individually.
But of this change, the president of the
United States had not condescended to
give any information to congress or the
people Mr. Morgan spoke of this state
of affairs as having brought about
very awkward complications; but he said
that he had no proposition to make about
it. Neither had Mr. Hale Crep. of Maine),
who was in charge of the BILL and who
recognized the force of Mr.. Morgans OBJ
servations, but said that the committee
on appropriations had thought it better to
leave the usual item in the bill and let
the state department arrange the diff
Guilty in the way that might seem best
to it.
An agreement was reached to have the
vote on the conference report to the i'm
migration bill taken at p. m. next
Wednesday.
At 1880 O'Clock the senate went into
executive session on the arbitration, and
continued to sit with closed doors until
4.45 p, M, when 1t adjourned.
IN THE HOUSE.
A displaced semicolen in The bill pro-
viding for the refunding of the bonded
Indebtedness of the several territories
was the innocent cause OF a wholly un-
expected debate on the monetary ques-
tion in the house today, lasting two or
three hours. Two or three years ago con-
gress authorized Arizona to sell some
''gold" bonds upon the request of M. A.
Smith, then the delegate from that ter
ritory, because the territory could get
better terms for such bonds than for
lawful money bonds. The bill under
discussion authorized the refundine OF
these particular bonds in gold bonds, but
the presence of a semicolen in the text
suggested to the mind of Mr.. McMillin
(dem., Tenn.) the possibility that the bill
could be so construed as to warrant the
issue of gold bonds for all the bonds is
sued by Arizona. From Mr. Payne'S
Gep., N. " declaration that he could see
70 harm that would result If all the bonds
were made payable in gold, lively dis
cussion sprung up, in which many mem
bers took part, and took a wide range
The most important statements in the
course of the debate were those of Mr
Knox (rep., Mass), in charge of the bill,
that the country was upon a gold basis
that it would doubtless continue on that
basis, that it would not Initiate an inter-
national bimetallic conference and that
there was sufficient statesmanship in the
republican party to provide for the larg-
est possible use of silver, and that it
would not be through the unlimited coin
age of that metal.
At Mr.. Knox's suggestion the semicolen
was replaced by comma; on Mr.. McMil-
ms suggestion the bonds, other ahan the
Arizona gold bonds named, were made
payable in the 'lawful money of the
United States and the bin was then
passed.
The sundry civil appropriation bill for
the year ending June 80, 1898, was re-
ported by Mr.. Cameron (rep., Ill.) and
placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Bartlett (dem., Ga.) presented the
unanimous report of elections committee
MOL upon the contest of Thomas E. Wat
son VS.. Mr.. j. c. c. Black, from the Tenth
district of Georgia, in favor of Black,
and stated he would call 1t up at the
first opportunity.
The bill making appropriations "a to-
tai OF SO, 253, 325) for Notifications for the
year ending June 80, 1898, was considered
and passed.
The postoffice appropriation bill was
taken up in committee of the whole and
discussed for an hour without action.
The house then, at $40 p. nl., adjourned.
A BUILDING FOR DALTON, GA.
Washington, Feb. 11.-Mr. Maddox
democrat, of Georgia, introduced in the
house today bill appropriating $4,000
for public building at Dalton, Ga.