The leader., 1897-12-22
THE WORK OF CONGRESS.
Condensed Daily Proceedings % the Fifty-
Fifth Regular session.


CHAPLAIS MILBURS, In HIS Invocation ct ths
opening Of the senate on tbs 18th, made
touching reference 10 the dtatE Of President
McKinley's mother Senator Pettlgrew Is d.
called up the bill granting to settlers the right
to make second homestead entries Of 100 acres
and IL was passed. An agreement TO vote on
the immigration bill January IL was reached
Senator Butler ~. c. then spoke IN favor OF
the amendments he had offered to the bill pro-
viding for postal savings bank system Sen
ator Perkins (CaL) introduced bill 10 amend
the paragraph Of the revised statutes relating
to the al peal on habeas corpus OF criminal
cases TO the supreme court OF the United
States 900. In the house the blind chaplain re-.
ferrcd to the death OF Mrs Mckinley in his
prayer and after the legislative, executive and
iudicial appropriation bill had been reported
the balance of the session was spent in ADJUST
ing personal dispute between Mr. Hepburn
Ga.) and Mr.. Norton (O). which occurred last
week during the debate on the pension bill, as
to whether the word most or many" was
used Mr.. Hepburn was sustained
THE senate was in session Is minutes on the
14th. an adjournment being taken out OF respect
to the president, who was in attendance on his
mothers funeral Senator Kyle Is. d. intro
duced a bill to change the immigration law so
that immigrants shall ba tested as to their fit
ness to come here by our consuls at the points
nearest their homes. instead of crossing the
The session of the house was devoted to the
consideration Of the legislative executive and
judicial appropriation bill Mr., Dockery (Mo.)
making a speech on the amazing growth OF the
government expenses during recent years
petition signed by citiZHns Of the Indian terri
tory was presented asking for the opening to
public settlement of the Kiowa, Comanche and
Wichita Indian reservations The house, after
being in session for about two hours, then adj
journed out OF sympathy for the president
THE senate on the 18th passed the bill pro-
hibiting pelagic sealing in Behring sea by
Americans Senator Mcbride tOre.) endeav-
ored to secure the adoption OF resolution ap-
propriating i250O 600 to relieve suffering miners
In the Klondike gold region, but it was referred
to the military affairs committee. Senator
Thurston (Neb) introduced q bill for the revi-
sion of the sales OF the Otoe and Missouri In
dian reservation lands in Kansas and Nebraska
and to confirm titles under said sales The cen.
sus bill was then taken up and spirited civil
service debate took place. The house spent
the day considering the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill Only one
amendment OF Importance was adopted. 1t re-
luced the clerical force at the pension office o.
involving a reduction in salaries OF sllS,C0J
Mr.. DeArmond (Mo) made an tmpassioned
speech, reprOaching the majority for not vot-
ing upon the Cuban belligerency resolution
passed by the senate at the last session after
question.
THE senate on the 10th passed joint resolu-
ton appropriating ESQ 900 for the relief of suf
fering miners in Alaska Senator Wolcott
tCol) chairman of the bimetallc commission
which went to Europe, promi to explain the
work OF the commission in a speech after the
holiday recess. The house joint resolution
providing for recess of congress from Dee
Der 49, 1897, to January H. 1898 was adopted.
The house passed bill approprating $4,000
for the relief Of people suffering II the Yukon
river country and also the bill passed by the
senate to prohibit pelagic sealing by American
citizens An hour was spent on the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation bill with.
out accomplishing much. The bankruptcy bill
was reported by the judiciary committee. Mr.
Ray IN. " introduced bill regulating di-
vorces and TO make them conform to the law of
New York, which is considered the best of any
state code Mr.. Smith GlL) introduced bill
to permit the naturalization OF Americanized
Chinese OF good repute The currency bill
framed by Secretary Gage was then introduced
by Chairman Walker, of the banking and cur
rency committee
AsPIRITED debate occurred in the senate on
the 18th over the report of the committee to
investigate the use of alcohol in the arts.
Senator Hoar (Mass) favored reduction of
the tax and putting an additional tax of Il on
beer to make up for it, but Senator Vest (Mo)
StrenuouSiy oppoSeu any adaitlohdl tdA oh
beer. joint resolution to participate in the
International fisheries exposition in Norway
next year was passed The senate bill for the
relief of the klondike miners was substituted
for the house bill and conference committee
appointed. Under special order 1873 pension
bills were passed. Eu,ogies on the death OF
Representative Holman Qnd) were then made
and the senate afterwards adjourned out of re-
spect to his memory The house completed
the consideration of the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill excepting the
paragraph relating to the civil service. Mr..
Bartholdt (Mo.) read a protest from the Ma
tional American Turnerbund against restrict
Ing immigration. Mr.. Curtis (fan.) intro
duced a bill for the construction of q railroad
through the Indian territory and Oklahoma TO
run from Fort Gibson, l. T., to Vernon, Tex