The Portland daily press., 1897-03-01

Washington, February Sat 23O a.
m. the reading of the sundry civil bill
was finished in the Senate, which took
a recess until 8 p. m. today. At that
hour the senators were present in about
the usual number, vote taken soon
afte: the proceedings began showing
nearly seventy senators In the hall, some
being pared. 1t was strictly business
session and the consideration Of the
sundry civil appropriation bill was I'M
mediately resumed, the question being
on those committee amendments passed
over without action last night.
The first of these appropriated was
81, ,085, 156 to pay the producers Of sugar.
the balance OF their claims for bounty
under the Mckinley law. 1t was agreed
to, 81 to 10. The next amendments were
those making the appropriations for
great river and harbor improvements
under contracts authorized by former
river and harbor bills. Eight or nine
pages of these amendments were disposed
Of without much debate. The item ap-
propriating 100000 to prevent the
Mississippi river from breaking into the
Cache river near Cairo, Illinois, provoked
extended discussion, during which the
whole subject Of improvement OF the
Mississippi river was gone over. The
amendment was adopted. The item relat-
ing to electric lighting in the District OF
Columbia, to which Mr.. Hill was OPP
posed gave that Senator an opportunity
of expressing his views in relation to
Sunday session of the Senate. He said
that he had doubted the propriety of the
Senate meeting today to enact legislation
for the people. The amendment was
adopted.
Mr.. Pettigrew opposed the item OF
$4,000 for continuing the comm ission to
Investigate the Alaska sea fisheries. He
thought it would be better for the United
States to kill every seal which landed on
the Islands and SO end this controversy,
upless Great Britain would cooperate
with this government in protecting ssal
herds
Mr.. Perkins supported the amendment.
To adopt the suggestion OF the Senator
from South Dakota would, ha said, be
GO perform dog-in- -th e-manger act.
Mr.. Morgan said that as he had been
nom ber of the.commission whose award
seemed to have caused all the trouble, he
had always felt delicacy in discussing
the subject in the Senate. He reviewed
the history of the question from the time
the United States acquired Alaska. an
act he said, which excited the anger and
jealousy of rreat Britain. If this country
had planted itself firmly on the right to
seize all vessels engaged in pelagic seal-
ing and maintained that right, there
would be no vessels now disturbing our
seal rights. He could not look compla-
Gently upon either the proposition to
brand the females or kill all seals, and he
therefore supported subcommittee amend
ment. He hoped the incoming admins
tration would have sufficient fortitude to
demand tlat Great Britain should faith.
fully perform her duty in the premises as
outlined by the Paris tribunal, and exc
cute her part of the award. The CON-
mittee amendment was agreed to.
number of new amendments were
adopted, among them providing for the
appointment by the President of board
of three commissioners to revise and
oodify the criminal and penal laws of the
United Etates; restoring to public
domain and opening to settlement the
lands in Wyoming, Utah. Colorado,
Montana, Washington, Idaho and South
forest reservation by executive proclama-
tion February 22nd. The sundry civil
bill was passed. At HOY the Senate ad-
iourned until tomorrow at II a. m.