The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-10
THE KANSAS PACIFIC
RESOLUTION ASKING THAT IT'S
SALE BE POSTPONED BY THE
SENATE.
PRIVATE PENSION BILL!
AN HOUR DEVOTED TO THEM. AND
NEARLY FIFTY WE'RE
ADOPTED.
ST. PAUL PUBLIC BUILDING PLANS.
Resolution Regarding Proposed
Changes offered by Mr.. Nelson
Routine of the Session.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-The senate
did a considerable amount of business
today, although no very important
measures were considered or passed,
and there was very little debate. Sena-
tor Gallinger, chairman of the commit
tee on pensions, called attention to the
increasing demand for private pension
legislation and requested senators to
be careful in the future to see that
their bills for private pensions were
meritorious before they were intro
duced. An attempt was made by Mr..
Mcbride to secure an appropriation for
the relief of the Klondike miners, but
the net result was resolution calling
on the secretary of war for all informa-
ton he had on that subject. An hour
was devoted to the consideration of
private pension bills and forty-fve
were passed a resolution calling upon
the secretary of the interior for infor-
nation concerning the Kansas Pacific
and requesting the president to obtain
a. postponement of the sale to such a
date as will give congress a reasonable
time to act. was adopted, after short
speeches by Senators Gear and Thurs
ton. Some work was laid out
the right of way Monday and Tuesday
for his census bill and Senator Lodge
had the immigration bill made the IN
finished business during the week.
Mr.. Davis early in the day secured
the adoption of a resolution directing
the secretary of the treasury to inform
the senate what changes, if any, needed
to be made in the plans of the ST. Paul
postoffice building.
Mr.. Gallinger On. H.), chairman Of
the committee on pensions. requested
that, at the conclusion of the morning
business today, an hour be set aside
for the consideration of private pen
sion bills, of which, he said, there were
over 200 on the calendar inSorsed by
the committee.
81 want to say" said he. that there
Is laXity among senator's about send
ing pension bills to our committee. No
inquiry is made by them as to the
merit of the measures and the result
is that our committee is flooded with
correspondence concerning the details
of bills that ought to have been de-
termined before the measures were laid
before congress. Senators should be
absolutely satisfied of the merit of
measures before introducing them. I
am satisfied that in private pension
matters we have gone to the extreme
limit, and that it is now time to call
halt 1 am and have always been
friendly to the soldiers, but 1 am con-
strained to feel that we are going too
far. and we ought in the future to- ex-
ercise the greatest conservatism in the
consideration of all pension matters"
In response to a question by Mr..
Allen (Neb9, Mr.. Gallinger said that
he was opposed to granting of large
pensions to widows of distinguished
officers I'VE have reached the limit
in that regard. said he, and it is time
that we should stop" The order re-
quested by Mr.. Gallinger was then
made.
Mr. Mcbride (Oregon) secured the
passage of a resolution asking the sec
rotary of war for such information
concerning the needs of the Alaskan
miners in the Yukon valley as he
might have in his possession.
The senate then began the consdera-
ton of private pension bills under the
special order. During the hour al
lowed forty-fve bills were passed. the
majority of them being for increases
to pensions now received.
Mr.. Gear Qowa), chairman of the Pa
ciffc railroad committees said that too
much credit could not be given the
present administration for the admir-
able manner in which it had handled
and disposed of the Pacific railroad
matters
Mr. Harris facetiously congratulated
his friend from Iowa (Mr. Gear and
his friend from Nebraska (Mr Thurs
tom upon the change which had come
over them since the consideration Of
the Pacific railroad question, last
spring.
Mr.. Gear responded that, so far as
he was concerned, no change had been
experienced and that he was just as
much opposed to government owner
ship Of railroads as ever
Upon motion of Mr. Lodge, the i'm
migration bill was made the unfinished
business on the senate calendar Mr.
Carter, chairman of the census COM
mittee, secured unanimous consent for
the consideration on Monday next
of his bill providing for the taking Of
the federal census of 1900. Mr.. Lodge
agreeing not to press the immigration
bill on Monday or Tuesday in view Of
the anxiety Of MI Carter to secure
consideration of the census measure
At 2:40 D. m. the senate adjourned I'M
til Monday.