The record-union., 1897-02-23
Yet to be Voted Upon at Last Session
of the Fifty.Fourth Congress.
The General Deficiency Bill Passed,
Including the Appropriation of a
rliliiOn Three Hundred Thousand
Dollars for the Southern Pacific
Railroad Under the Judgment of
the Court of Claims.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-The House
to-day passed the general deficiency ap-
preparation bill and began the consid-
GRAFTON of the last of the money bills,
that providing for the naval establish
ments. A long debate occurred over the
propriety of the appropriation of ST.
100000 for the Southern Pacific Rail
road under the judgment Of the Court
of Claims, but the House by a vote of
l02 to 13S refused to strike it out. The
members who favored the apprOpria-
tion for the repayment to members of
the last Cangress of salaries withheld
them on account of absence carried
their fight into the House. but they Were
beaten-96 to 122.
Sixteen of the forty-eight pages Of
the naval bill We're completed. The at
tempt of Grosvenor (R) of Ohio to Sc
cure an amendment to retain session
employees on the roll after March 4th to
March 10Th, when the extra session will
begin, drew from him, when pressed a.
to whether he was authorized to pro-
claim an extra session" the good-na-
tured admission that he was authorized
to assume that there would be an extra
session.
Sayers, in supporting his amendment
as to the Southern Pacific Railroad
claim, said that for ten years Congress
had resisted the payment of this claim.
1t had been fought over and over again,
and had always resulted in favor of the
Government. The validity of the iudg-
l.
the stockholders and directors of the
Southern Pacific and Central Pacific
were largely the same, and as the Cen
tral was insOlvent and largely indebted
to the Government, he contended that
Congress would be derelict in its duty
If it paid to the Southern Pacific cor
poration, which was practically identi-
cal with the other, the 81 100000, pend
ing a settlement with the Central
Northway (R) of Ohio said that he
Favored the payment of this claim to
the Southern Pacific. The road bound
Itself to carry the mails. 1t had per-
formed it's duty, and we were in honor
bound to discharge our part of the con-
tract. If we withheld this money. we
might as well refuse the payment of out
standing bonds when they fell due
Stone R) of Pennsylvania devoted
himself to a legal argument as to the
validity of the claim
Grosvenor advocated the payment of
the claim, and paid c. P. HUNTINGTON a
high tribute for his genius and enter
prise.
After some further remarks by Blue
CR) of Kansas, Hepburn R) of Iowa
and Bingham R) of PENNSYLVANIA in
favor of the appropriation, and Bowers
tR) of California against it. Savers
closed the debate for his side. In DOING
So he called attention to the fart
that the F7ifty-first House after
protracted discussion on this very
item rejected it overwhelmingly but
seven members voting for it,
cannon then made a closing apneal
Tor the appropriation, after which tho
vote was taken on Savers motion to
strike it from the bill
An amendment was adopted TO nov,
Alexis Benoit, who contested Rostner,e
seat $1,000 for expenses Of his contest
The Speaker laid before the Housa
two pension vetoes, which were ra-
ferred
The House entered upon cons;doro-
LoIl OF the naval appropriation. and at
o;2o p. m. adjourned.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS
WASHINGTON. Feb. 22-Tbe Sem
ate spent its first hour TODAY in lie
tening to Washington's Farewell Ad-
dress, read by Daniel Of Virginia and
then turned its attention to the Tndio,,
appropriation bill. 1t involved CON
teSt over sectarian schools. The c13lrsa
directing temporary contracts u,i+.r
these schools when no Government
SCHOOLS We're available, was agreed tn
81 to g -
a provision was added declaring n
TO be the settled policy of the Govern
iheht hereafter to make no appronria-
mons whatever for the support Of seq
tartan schools
\ IuFther amendment. offered by
1afmger, directing that ALL appronria-
otohs 10 sectar,an schools end ON June
81 lo9S, went out on point of orde,.
Whlcn the Senate sustaine,l-2S to %
Inc Indian bill is still under conrsid-
GRAFTON.
A veto from President Cleveland ON
private pension bill brought ont
N1''~-A a NiltfCiSHl IIbffl tTdilInger against
uhe PRESIDENTS s course
Morgan brought out, in the course of
inquiries. that the passage of all these
bf!ls would involve less expense than
the amount which went to the svndi-
cate taking the bond issues
Hoar also commented on the mod
ern methods of criticising the pension
rolls
Allison warned the Senate that hard
work would be required to get through
the appropriations, and resolution
for II O'Clock sessions was adopted.
the prospects that night sessions will
follow soon
Plaft (R) of Connecticut endeavored
to pass the bill relating TO judicial pro-
ceedings in the Territories. stating
that the lives Of four men under sem
tence of execution tomorrow in the
Indian Territory was dependent large
ly ON this bill.
Vest Cd of Missouri said the bill
could not pass without debate. where
upon Platt did not press the measure.
Gallinger CR.) of New Hampshire at
tackled an item in the Indian bill of
$4,000 for an industrial farm at Flan-
dreak s. d. He declared IL WAS ridieu-