The herald., 1897-02-05
PROCEEDINGS IN
SENATE AND HOUSE
Sharp Debate Pleases the
Crowds
Senators TALK AGAINST TINE
Preventing Votes on Two I'm.
portant Measures
HILL OPPOSES PROHIBITION
And the Members May Still Slake Their
Thirst
The Villas Talk Mill Turns Round and Rousl
HILL OPPOSES PROHIBITION
And the Members May Still Slake Their
Thirst
The Villas Talk Mill Turns Round and Roun1
UuceasingIy
No Vote Reached on the Nicarague
Canal Bill-Immigration Report
Goes Back for Further Confer
ence-House Report.
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.-The session
of the senate today was one of unusual
activity, with sharp colloquies and Wig
orous speeches which drew large crowds
to the galleries. The ball was set rolling
early in the day when Mr.. Morrill, en-
deavored to pass the bill prohibiting the
use of intoxicants in the capitol building.
This aroused the opposition Of Hill Of
New York, who denounced the busy
bodies and mischefmakers inspiring
this class of legislation. The senator
spoke for the fullest enjoyment of in
dividual liberty consistent with the COM
mon good. The speech was not only
notable for the vigor which Hill threw
into it, but also for its effect in prolong-
ing the debate until o'clock, when the
bill was displaced by the Nicaragua bill.
The bill was committed to conference,
Lodge, in charge Of the measure, adopt
ing this course as a result of urgent ap-
peals for modification of the bill. Be-
fore this was done, however, a warm
personal and political colloquy occurred
between Lodge and Chandler on the one
hand, and Mr. German on the other. The
Maryland senator took exception to re-
cent suggestions of steamship and cor
porate influences and declared there
would be ample opportunity within the
next year for Republican senators to
resist the corporate influence at work
after March 4th. In reply Chandler as
serted that the Maryland senator had
for the first time turned an immigration
debate into partisan channels. Villas
added another day to his speech against
the Nicaragua canal and had not con-
cluded when the senate adjourned.
Regarding the sale of liquor in the cap
itol Morrill, said there was much feeling
throughout the country against it. He
had just received a letter stating that
the writer had seen man coming from
the building drunk. While there was
some misrepresentation as to the exist
ence of ordinary saloons in the building.
yet as the public felt that an evil existed,
congress should make strict investiga-
tion.
Sherman asked if it was right that
any part of this great public building
should be used for the sale of liquors.
Sherman did not believe that the public
idea that saloons existed here was JUS
titled. There was nothing like an ordi-
nary bar here. But the laws had been
made stringent so that when a man
wanted whisky he would have to go
outside the capitol to get 1t.
Hill came into the debate at this
point, speaking with much vehemence
against the "busybodies" and mis-
chiefmakers" who libeled congress and
inspired this class of legislation He
had received many letters, he said, pro-
testing against this abomination in
our national capitol" Such statements
were false. No such thing as bar ex-
listed here. Hill read in sarca site tones
letter appealing to him to aid in driv-
ing saloons from the capitol and thus
raise the standard of national honor.
Has our national honor come to
this?" exclaimed Hill, that it depends
upon whether we take glass of ale or
beer with our meals?"
This appeal to national honor, he add
ed, was becoming a common device
every time some small question pre-
sented itself. But there was no ques-
tion of national honor involved in this
matter
There are no saloons here; there is
no drunkenness here. have never seen
drunken man in the capitol I state
for the benefit of these agitators that It
is libel on congress to say that sa-
loors are here, and drunkenness exists
here. 1t is absolutely false
The discussion next took a somewhat
humorous turn, Chandler, Gallinger and
Gray exchanging sallies as to the effect
or the bill in restricting the personal
comfort of the senator's
The roll call on Hills motion to conn
NIT was followed with great interest
1t was tie at first, but the summons
ing of senator's defeated the motion:
yeas, q; nays, 80. AS the vote was
announced Hill remarked, And having
brought the bill before the senate, sem
ators can now proceed to take glass
of beer.'
He went on to speak of the hypocrisy
OF the bill. 1t was soon evident that the
senator would talk against the measure
until o'clock, when the bill would, be
cut off by the Nicaragua canal bill. He
spoke of the extremes to which prohibi-
tion legislation has been carried and the
excessive punishment inflicted The
violation of an excise law he said be-
came worse than murder or burglary.
This sort of legislation would not do. It
was unwise, unnecessary. Under it the
venerable senator from Vermont (Mor-
rilD could be taken out of the the SEN
ate on charge of violating the excise
laws Under it senators would find on
reaching the chamber some Gay that one
half of their associates were in the police
court for violation of the excise laws
Hill talked up to 2 o'clock, when the
bill was displaced ard the Nicaragua
canal bill was taken up.
Before proceeding with the debate
Morgan presented a resolution request
ing the president fer information as
to the arrest of Caspar Betancourt at
Havana whether q deuna nj far hia ro-