The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-03-01
SENATE'S SUNDAY SESSION
DAY DEYOTED MANLY no VARIOUS
APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.


ceedings More Dignified Than of Late
Cuban Matters Not Discussed-Sundry
Appropriation Bill Passed-Other Bills
VIII Come Up To-day.
Washington, Feb, 2S.-An open ses-
sion of the United States senate on
Sunday afternoon is such a remarka-
BILE and unusual occurrence and so
much at variance with the religious
sentiment of the country that crowds
were attracted to the north wing of the
capitol an hour before o'clock this af-
ternoon. All classes and conditions of
people were in the crowd. Some were
on hand early enough to obtain seats
in that section of the gallery open to
the general public. Others who held
tickets to reserved sections presented
them and We're admitted so long as any
space was left Those who could not
set inside stationed themselves near the
gallery doors, waiting their chances of
admission, or wandered up and down
the staircases and the halls. The sena-
tors themselves We're present in about
the usual number, vote taken soon
after the proceedings began showing
that there We're nearly seventy senators
in the hail. some of them being paired.
There was noticeable distinction as to
the men representing the New England
states and the men representing sec
tlonS of the country where Sabbath OBJ
servance is not so general or strict,
business went on just as it does on
week days, except that there was a
noticeable absence of Cuban agitation.
1t was strictly business session and
consideration of the sundry civil appro-
priation bill was Immediately resumed,
the question being on those committee
amendments which were passed over
without action last night. The first of
these appropriated 81, ,0S5156 to pay the
producers of sugar the balance of their
claims for bounty under the Mckinley
law. On this Mr.. Vest demanded the
yeas and nays and it was agreed to.
The next amendments were those
making appropriations for the great
river and harbor improvements under
contracts authorized by former river
and harbor bills, the various amounts
being generally reduced about 25 per
cent. from the figures fixed by the
house. Eight or nine pages of these
amendments We're disposed of without
much debate, but the item appropriat-
ing 100000 to prevent the Mississippi
river from breaking into the Cache
river, near Cairo, ILL.,, provoked an ex-
tended discussion, during which the
whole subject of the Improvement of
the Mississippi river was gone over.
Mr.. German proposed the amendment
to make this appropriation outright in
stead of from the amount for the i'm
provement of the upper Mississippi, on
the ground that it would make this bill
a river and harbor bill He character
lied the sundry civil bill as the most
eXtravagant ever considered by either
house of congress, carrying as it did
over S51 900 00O-$17, 100000 of which was
for rivers and harbors, which was more
than the condition of the treasury war
ranted. And he warned senators not to
further overload it with amendments,
intimating that if it were it would meet
the veto of the president
The amendment was adopted.
An item relating to electric lighting
in the District of Columbia, to which
Mr.. Hill was opposed, gave that sena-
tor an opportunity of expressing his
views in relation to a Sunday session of
the senate He said that he had doubt
ed the propriety of the senate meeting
to-day to enact legislation for the peo-
pie His attention had been called to
various petitions presented by honor
able senators asking for "a rest day."
for the District and he had been dis
posed to acquiesce in the sentiment ex-
pressed in these petitions. He also re-
membered that the senator from Mich
igan (Mr McMllan), who had suggest
ed this amendment, had introduced a
bill ito protect the first day of the
week. commonly called Sunday, as a
day of rest and worship in the Dis
trict."
That bill, if it had passed, was broad
enough to prevent any legislation on
this day For these reasons he hesi-
tated to engage in a general debate
'But now to be serious" he contin-
ued.
''Have not you been serious all the
timer" a senator asked in low tone.
"That is a reflection on the remarks
which l have made" Mr.. Hill replied
and then he went on with his state
ment.
The amendment was adopted
Mr. PettigreW opposed the item of
S.. 900 for continuing the commission to
investigate the Alaska seal fisheries.
He thought it would be better for the
United States to kill every seal which
landed on the islands and so end the
controversy unless Great Britain would
cooperate with this government in
protecting the seal herds. The effort
to treat further with England on these
lines, he said, was a national disgrace.
He ridicued the numerous commissions
and arbitration conventions which had
been convened and particularly that to
determine the 141st degree of longitude
and said he had no doubt that if the
present administration remained in Of
flee much longer a commission would
probably be appointed to arbitrate with
Great Britain on the multiplication ta.-
BILE.
Mr.. Perkins supported the amend
ment To adopt the suggestion of the
senator from South Dakota would, he
said. be to perform the dog in-the-
manger act and say to Great Britain
that rather than let you kill these ami