The Yale expositor., 1897-12-17
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS-.

I'd nun. n nOtlOH 10 Jake up the
Lodge immigration bill was contested
by friends of proposed legislation TO
confer authority upon the President TO
act for the protection of the govern
ment's interest at the sale of the Kan
sas Pacific railway and was pending at
the close of the session. The House be-
came embroiled in a lively skirmish
over the distribution of the various
parts of Presidents message TO the
committees. The conflict of authority
came between the ways and means
committee and the banking and cur
rency committee. During the debate
Gen. Grosvenor, of Ohio, fired the first
gun against the civil service law, and
Mr.. johnson, of Indiana, in ring
ing warning, declared that if bill to
emasculate the civil service law were
passed it would meet the presidential
veto. Eventually Mr.. Dingley, of the
ways and means, in Difference to the
opposition of the members of the bank
ing and currency committee, agreed to
a modification of the order of distribu-
tion so as to send to the ways and
means committee all matters relating
revenues, bonded debt of the country
and the treaties affecting the reve-
nues." The resolution was then
adopted.
SENATE. Third day.-A short ses-
sion, chiefly consumed by the members
in the presentation of memorials, reso-
lutions and bills. A resolution pre-
scented by Mr.. Allen, Populist, of Ne
braska, declaring it to be the sense of
the Senate that the United States
should recognize the political indie
pendence OF Cuba. was made the sub
ject of some remarks by the Nebraska
senator, in course of which he criticised
the President for not carrying into eff
feet the pledge of the Republican
party made in its last national plat
form to recognize the independence of
the Cuban republic Mr. Allen said he
would not be content with the recogni-
ton of belligerency, but would insist
upon the acknowledgment of their
political liberty. If necessary, this
recognition should be backed by a feet
of American vessels in Cuban waters.
A bill was favorably reported by the
committee on foreign relations prohib-
ting pelagic sealing by people of the
United States 1t is believed that this
measure will settle the differences with
Great Britain and Canada. A like bill
was introduced in the House also. The
only other business of Importance be-
fore the House was the pension appro-
pris ton bill which was reported from
committee. The House session lasted
but - minutes.
SENATE. - Fourth day. = A large
amount of minor business occupied the
day. Senator Gallinger, chairman of
the committee on pensions, called at
tentlon to the increasing demand for
private pension legislation and re-
quested senator's to be careful in the
future to see that their bills for private
pensions were Ineritorious before they
were introdu ced. An attempt to Sc
cure an appropriation for the relief of
the Klondilie miners resulted in reso-
luton calling on the secretary of war
for information on the subject. An
hour was spent on private pension bills
and - were passed. HoUsE-The pen
sion appropriation bill stirred up de-
bate which promises to be extended to
considerable length.
Fifth day.-No session of the Senate.
HOUSE. The pension appropriation bill
passed without amendment-carryin
Sal, 263. $50. The amendments offered
by the Democrats to correct alleged eX-
listing abuses were all ruled out on the
point of order that they were new leg
islation. The debate touched not only
the question of our pension policy, but
that of civil service reform and the re-
ceipts and expenditures of the treasury
under the Dingley law. On the latter
question Mr.. Dingley made an import
ant statement in which he expressed
the opinion that the receipts would
equal expenditures before the close of
the present fiscal year, and predicted a
surplus of SIC. 900, 900 for the following
year. The civil service law was saw
agely attacked by Messrs. Grosvenor
and Brown, of Ohio, and Mr.. Linney,
of North Carolina. and was warmly de-
Tended by Mr.. Johnson, of Indiana,
who won warm applause for the senti-
ments he expressed d.
Secretary of the Treasury Gage in