Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-02-26
ACTION OF CONGRESS-
THE seN8TE PROGRESSES SLOWLY
wTA THE INDIAN BILL.

Confrmati4n Of the New jersey Postmas.
ters wh3 Were Politically objection.
able TO Isobart-The House Passea the
Last Of ths Appropriation NJ asures.
WASHINGTON. Feb. a. - The senat,
made slow progress on the appropriations
BILL dsposing Of only one item Of the In.
dian bill4that directing the opening OF
Uncompahgre Indian reservation in Utah
1t involved a conflict with the executive
branch, which has steadily resisted open
ing these lands, on the ground that they
contained valuable mineral deposits. Mr..
Villas endeayored to have a royalty re-
served to the government, but was defeat
ed in this, and the clause was agreed to
after a loag debate.
During (the session a resolution by Mr.
Mills of STexas was adopted asking the
president Tor information as so the death
of DIR. Ruit at Guanabacoa, Cuba.
Mr.. MORRILL, (Rep) of Vermont an
nounced Cuban speech on Thursday.
In executive session the senate by a vote
Of 36 to 23frefused to adopt Senator Sew
ellis motion to reconsider the votes by
which a plumber of nominations for the
offices of postmaster in New Jersey were
confirmed few days since The test vote
was taken on the nomination OF II. J.
Kohlhaas to be postmaster at Paterson, in
which there was special interest because
of the fact that this is the home Of Vice
President Elect Hobart, whose name fig
ured in the brief debate that preceded the
vote Mr.. Sewell said that Kohlhaas was
Objectionable to Mr. Hobart because he
was Democrat but he refused to say the
nominee was personally objectionable &c
Mr. Hobart. The Democrats, Populists
and Silver Republicans voted solidly
against reconsideration, while the straight
Republicans supported the Sewell motion.
The vote had the effect of confirming Mr..
Kohlhaas, and after the result was an
nounced Mr.. Sewell withdrew his objeo.
tion to the others involved.
Civil Service In the House.
The house passed the naval BILL the last
Of the appropriation bills, and sent it to
the senate Mr.. Boutelle, chairman of the
naval committee, was in charge of the
measure and displayed such skill in its
handling that its provision aroused little
opposition, and it was passed practically
without amendment
Mr. Barrett of Massachusetts, made an
effort to secure an authorization for a dry
dock at Boston to cost 81 900, 600, but aft
er a somewhat acrimonious debate the
amendment was ruled out of order He
then tried to secure the appointment of a
commission to pass on the relative merits
of Boston and Portsmouth as a location
for drydook and was also unsuccessful.
The feature of the session was an ex-
ceedingly interesting political debate on
the subject of civil service reform. 1t oc-
CURED during the consideration of a bill
TO permit the governors of the territories
to appoint certain officers of the territories
in cases of vacancy without the consent
of the legislative councils, which is now re-
quired by law
1t was precipitated by some remarks OF
Mr.. Bailey of Texas, which led to de-
nunciation of the law by Delegate Flynn
of Oklahoma and General Grosvenor of
Ohio. Every time thoy thrust their weap-
ons into the law they were greeted with
enthusiastic applause by most of the Re
publicans.
Mr.. Bailey himself boldly declared the
law to be humbug, but he could not re-
sist the temptation to make political CAPT.
tai by suggesting that General Grosvenor,
as the representative of the incoming ad-
ministration had given notice that the law
was to be repealed.
General Grosvenor parried this neatly
however, by recalling the fact that his first
controversy in the house with Mr. McKin
ley was over this very question. Mr.. Bro
sius (Rep.) of Pennsylvania, chairman oi
the committee on civil service, defended
the law and declared that General Grosve
nor had flashed the sword in the heart oi
the president elect. He called attention
to Mr.. McKinley's letter of acceptance in
which the president elect said he would
take mo step backward in the matter oi
civil service reform