The evening times., 1897-02-11
IT HAS PASSED The SENATE
The Diplomatic and Consular Ap-
preparation Bill.
The Senate Was Kept in Ignorance
of Facts Known to the
President

Mr. Vest, in the Senate today, reported
back fIom the Committee on Commerce
House bin authorizing the construction Of
a bridge across the Columbia River in the
State of Washington, and stated, as an
instance Of legislative carelessness, thatthe
same bin had already passed 10th Houses,
had been signed by the President, and was
now law.
The Senate bill to provide times and
places for the trial in Oklahoma of cases
arising under the laws Of the United States
was passed.
The House Joint resolution for the ap-
pointment of Gen. ]. NJ. Brown, OF Maine,
on the board of managers OF the National
Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers was
passed.
At the request Of Mr. Thurston, the reso-
Iutions offered by his colleague, Mr.
Allen, as to the Union Pacific foreclosure
proceedings, were laid aside until Monday
next.
The Senate bill to amend existing law as
to placing on the retired list OF enlisted
men in the army and navy, after thirty
years service, at Z per cent OF their pay
(service in war times TO be computed as
double timel, was passed.
The diplomatic ana consular apprOpria-
ton bin was taken up. and its reading was
proceeded with An inquiry was made
by Mr. Morgan as to the item OF $40, GOO
for an envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiaTy to Nicaragua, Costa Rica
and Salvador He referred to the change
in diplomatica carrangementsin Central Amer
lea, through the formation OF a diet by
Honduras, Salvador and Nicaragua, so that
the sending of a minister to the three
states mentioned in the item would
be inappropriate. He understood that
the foreign offices of Nicaragua, Honduras
and Salvador had been closed, and that the
American minister there could have no
Official communication with those gov
ernments. That brought about very
awkward complication; and lie would like
to know what the Committee on Appro-
priations nsthoughtaboutit.
It all arose from the fact that the
President of the United States had not
thought it worth while to inform the
Senate of the diplomatic changes that had
taken place in Central America; but had
chosen to keep matters in his own hands.
And SO, he said, Congress was left 'floun-
derinC about" with the President recog-
nizing a minister from a new foreign gov
ernment (the greater republic of Central
America) and with Congress appropriating
for q minister to states where there was no
foreign office at which he could present
his credentials.
The Senate, he said, should either ignore
entirely the operations of the President
on the subject and pass by them las the
idle wind;" or else pr oceed in conformity
with some suggestion of the President II
the President would condescend to make
a suggestion. But he said that he had no
suggestion to make.
Mr.. Hale in charge of the bill, said that
the committee had thought it better to
recommend the item, and to leave the mat
ter then to the State Department
The bill was passed, with a few amend
ments, which will not have to be acted on
by the House.
A proposition to have the vote taken
on the conference report of the irnmigra-
ton bill ON Wednesday next at p. M,
was made by Mr.. Lodge and was agreed to.
The Senate then, at 1:30, went into ex-
ecutiye session on the arbitration treaty.