Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-19
THE ELECTION COMMITTEE
Reversed for the First Time This
Session.
A NEW POSTAL CARD BILL
Passes the St-te Without One Word Of Ex-
pla"''i0"'
That q eERAL DEFICIENCY BILL
Appropri 5ne ss,4so.ea7 Will Be Called
Up il 6ie House TODAY Mississippi
,-rovements from Head of
sPasses to the Mouth.
A NEW POSTAL CARD BILL
Hat 9 efRAL DEFICIENCY BILL

Washington, Feb. 1S.-The senate to-
day passed without a word of explana-
ton, a bill, which If 1t becomes law, will
introduce a new postal card system.
It's title is "A bill to extend the uses of
the mail service" 1t was introduced in
the early part of last session by Mr. Vi
las (dem., Wis., and was referred to the
postoffice committee, from which it was
reported back with amendments on the
18th of last month. week ago an at
tempt was made to have 1t passed by
unanimous consent; but objection was
then made by Mr.. Allen, who said that
from the reading of the bill 1t appeared to
propose the comforting of a monopoly.
Mr.. Villas admitted that 1t did confer
monopoly, but said that, as the company
concerned owned the patent for the in
vention, there must necessarily be a mo-
nopoly. Mr. Allen promised to look into
the matter and when Mr. Villas asked
unanimous consent today for the pas
sage of the bill, and said that Mr.. Allen
was satisfied with 1t, no objection was
made and the bill was passed without
1t being even read except by title. It's
purpose is to allow the circulation by
mail of the postal cards and envelopes
with coupons attached patented and
owned by West Virginia corporation,
at regular postal cards and letter rates
paid on presentation Of the coupons
from the said cards and envelopes when
detached at the office of delivery"
The postmaster general is to test the
practical operation of the plan in one or
two more cities and to suspend its opera
tion If the test proves unfavorable. There
are nine sections to the bill, but they do
not convey very clear idea of the plan.
The senate had spent only twenty
minutes in executive session when, on
motion of Senator Sherman, of Ohio, the
galleries were cleared the doors closed
and the consideration of executive busi-
ness entered upon.
AT 6:35 p. m the senate adjourned un-
til tomorrow.
IN THE HOUSE.
In the contested case of Hopkins, re-
publican, VS.. Kendall democrat from
the Tenth kentucky district, for the first
time this session, on a direct issue of
fact, reversed the decision of its commit
tee on elections, and seated a contestant
whom the committee had declared not
elected. The case turned upon the action
of the county clerk of Clark county Ken
lucky, who, without proper authority,
substituted what was called in the de-
bate IAN odious thieving coon" on the
official ballots in place of the eagle, chos-
en- emblem of the republican party of
Kentucky. 1t was admitted by the COM
mlttee that this was transparent
fraud" and that it was done with intent
to deceive but it was contended that the
number of colored votes lost In this man.
ner was not enough to overcome the sit
ting members majority of 253 over his
contestant. The minority report contend
ed that fraud vitiated, and that the en-
tire vote of the contestant must be
thrown out. After an exceedingly AMI
mated discussion the house sustained
this view by vote of 1877 to 81. On the
only previous occasion in this congress
where the election committee received
setback, Mr.. William H. Moody, of
Ma ssa chusetts, who led the forlorn hope
in today's debate in support of the ma
jority report, was the successful assail-
ant. He made minority report of one in
the case of "Rinaker and Downing"
from the First Illinois district, not in
favor of seating Rinaker but of having
a recount of the vote In this the house
sustained him, and on recount Rinaker
was seated. In the division today of
the ten republicans who voted to sustain
the ma jority Of the committee, three were
from Massachusetts, which led Mr.
mark that Massachusetts, had 'slobbered
over too much" an insult to Massachu-
setts, which Mr.. Moody Indignantly re-
sented.
The rest Of the session was given up. to
the passage of the bills by consent. which
led the leader to consent to speedy ad-
journment, and at 430 the house ad-
journed until tomorrow.
The general deficiency bill was re-
ported to the house from the committee
on appropriations. with notice that 1t
would be called up tomorrow. The bill
carries an appropriation of $S,430,937
Among the items in the bill are the fol-
lowing:
To enable the secretary of the treas
ury to restore the compensation of en-
ployes at the ports of Baltimore, Buffalo,
Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Cedar
Keys. Detroit Kansas City. Mo-; Mobile,
Newport News, New Orleans. Port HUI
ron, Mich; Pensacola, Pembina. N. D.,
and Philadelphia, whose salaries were
reduced in order TO avoid deficiency in
the appropriations for the collecting of
revenues, $41,3S1.
Continuing Improvement of the Misss-
sppi river from head of passes to the
mouth of the Ohio, S625,000.
UNION IRON AND STEEL co.