The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-12

Washington, Jan. Ex-senator ALI
son, of Iowa, appeared in the chamber
today for the first time this session,
taking his seat Just as Senator Mills,
of Texas, was complimenting him on
his eminent qualifications for the Of
flee of secretary of state in Mckinley's
cabinet. Mr.. Allison smiled benign
antly at the suggestion, but gave no
further sign as to how far it coin
oided with his own views.
A resolution on the subject OF
violation of the eight hour law on the
part of the contractors with the navy
department on work in Brooklyn was
offered by Mr.. Allen, of Nebraska. He
was informed by Mr. Chandler, of New
Hampshire, a former secretary of the
navy, that the law only applied to work
done directly for the government, and
not to work done under contract The
resolution went over till tomorrow.
The house bankruptcy bill was made
a special order in the senate for Mon
day, January %.
An argument was made by Mr..
Proctor, of Vermont in favor of pro-
posed constitutional amendment MAX
ing the presidential term six years
and making the president ineligible for
reelection; also making the term OF
representatives in the lower house OF
congress three years.
FEATURE OF THE DAY.
Then the great feature of the days
session was begun, with a speech by
Mr.. Mills, of Texas, in support of the
joint resolution introduced last Thurs
day. declaring that the eXpediency of
recognizing the Independence of new
government belongs to congress; rec
ogniZing the independence of the re-
public of Cuba, ana appropriating $l0,-
600 for the salary of a minister to
the new republic. Most of his speech
was argumentative and was support
ed by precedents in the cases of the
Spanish American republics, and of the
republic of Texas, but the principal
part of it, and that which attracted
the greatest attention was in severe
criticism of the president and secretary
of state, and in the angry denunciation
of the Italian and Spanish statesmen
who had Nentured to suggest an in
reference by European powers with
the government of the United States
In case of the recognition of Cuba. In
the course of his invective he derided
Italy rs a power whose symbols of
greatness was a monkey and organ
grinder.
Several other senators took part in
the discussion, but only of the question
of exclusive power of the president to
recognize foreign powers. The resolu-
tion went over without action, Mr.
Bacon, of Georgia, giving notice that
he would speak upon it on Wednesday,
and after an executive session. the SEN
ate at 5.45 adjourned until tomorrow.
AGAINST PACIFIC RAILROAD BILL
The decisive vote in the house against
the Pacific railroad refunding bill has
changed the condition of affairs with
respect to that bill in the senate. 1t is
probable that a meeting of the COM
mittee will be called at once or that ar
informal conference of the members
will be held to decide upon a plan OF
action. Under the programme arranged
by the steering committee it was to be
made the unfinished business after the
vote on the Oklahoma free homestead
bill which would have been disposed OF
within few days.
The judgment of members of the Pa
cific railroads committee of the senate
is that it would be useless to consume
the time of the senate in the discus
sion of the measure, and it appears t
be the desire to either construct a diff
ferent measure, meeting some of tht
objections raised in the house or lie
the senate bill go by default.