Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-02-25
TREATY UNSETTLED.
After Eight Hours Spent on It No
Result Was Accomplished.
The GENERAL DEFICIENCY BILL.
A Spirited Debate In the House on the Pay
ment Of Claims Against the United
States-A Refusal to In
crease y Pension.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-The senate
yesterday agreed to the conference re-
port on the bill fixing the pension of
the widow of the late Gen. Stoneman
at $50 per month. Mr.. Hoar, of Mas
sachusetts, introduced his customary
resolution, which was agreed to, pro-
viding that on Monday next, that be-
ing Washington's birthday, Washing
tons farewell address be read to the
senate by Mr.. Daniel, Of Virginia, and
that the business of the senate shall
proceed thereafter, A senate bill set
ting apart plot of public ground in
Washington for memorial purposes un-
der the auspices of the National So
ciety of the Daughters of the American
Revolution, was passed.
AT 1890 p m, on motion of Mr. Sher-
man, the senate went into executive
session on the arbitration treaty, but
after spending eight hours on it no re-
suit was accomplished beyond voting
down the motion made the day before
by Senator Nelson to postpone further
consideration of the treaty until March
B. Senator Sherman made repeated
efforts during the day to secure a vote
on ratification, or to get the senate to
fix day and hour when it would agree
to vote upon the treaty. He was de-
feated in both purposes, and when the
senate at last adjourned because of the
absence of quorum, he did not say
whether he would make another effort
to secure further consideration, but it
was generally supposed that he would
renew the motion for an executive ses-
sion to-day. The feeling throughout
the senate, among the friends as well
as the opponents of the treaty, is that
any effort to secure vote will be
futile. There are very few If any SEN
ators who agree with the Ohio senator,
after yesterdays proceedings, that it is
possible to act finally during the pres
ent session, and even the friends of the
treaty admit that it must necessarily
soon be laid aside for other business.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9O.-A very spir-
tied debate on the general subject Of
the payment of claims found to be due
against the United States was INDUCED
in by the house yesterday during the
consideration of the general deficiency
appropriation bill. The bill carries
SAL, O97. Mr.. Richardson, of Ten
nessee, had called attention to the APP
parent inconsistency of an item to pay
the costs Of defending suits, and the
fact that the bill contained no item to
pay the judgments. This furnished
Mr.. Walker of Massachusetts, a text
for a lively speech against the mig
gardly" policy of the government. and
a severe arrangement of the committee
ON rules for the tyranny it was said to
exercise over the proceedings of the
house. Mr.. Mahon, of Pennsylvania,
chairman of the war claims committee,
made the statement that the house had
been frightened by "bogie man."
and the just claims against the govern
ment, instead of aggregating hundreds
of millions, as was frequently stated,
could be discharged with $40, 900, 900.
An effort was made by Mr.. Cannon
to fix limit for debate on the general
deficiency appropriation bill under
consideration. Mr. Grow, of Pennsylva-
MIA, however, declined to agree and he
proceeded to discuss the free homes
bill, which was pocketed by the com
mittee on public lands. He spoke feel
ingly Of his part in the passage of the
original homestead act of 1862. For
ten years he had advocated that meas
ure, in season and out of season, and
he said he could not allow This season
to close without calling attention to
the fate of the free homes bill, now
in the committee. Mr..
Grow spoke for an hour. General de-
bate was then closed, but an agree
ment was reached to allow one and a
half hour, on side for debate on the
Pacific item
The house again yesterday stood by
the policy adopted few days ago in
the case OF the widow of Maj. ten.
stoneman, in fixing her pension at $50
per month, by rejecting conference
report granting pension of 50 to the
widow Of Maj. ten. Joseph b. Carr.