The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-15


ed a considerable number of bills from
the general calendar, among the number
being one authorizing the construction of
eight new revenue cutters not exceeding
in aggregate cost the sum Of s., 225, 900. The
national quarantine bill was made the
regular order OF business and will be
taken up probably on Wednesday.
a beautiful, tender and touching prayer
was delivered by the chaplain al the open
ing the senate, in memory of William E.
Spencer, journal clerk of the senate, who
died last Friday morning.
A bill extending for one year the time
within which the Pittsburg and Mans
field Railroad company is authorized TO
construct a bridge across the Monenga-
hela river was passed
A resolution offered last Thursday by
Mr.. Chandler On. H.) authorizing the com
mittee on naval affairs to send for per-
sons and papers in the course of the in
vestigation of the Maine disaster was
adopted.
Almost Immediately afterward, Mr.. AL
len (Neb.) inquired of Mr.. Chandler what
regarding the investigation of the Maine
catastrophe as provided by his resolution
Of several weeks ago.
Mr.. Chandler said that as yet the COM
mittee had taken no action regarding the
investigation. He could not speak for the
committee but expressed the opinion that
its policy would be to wait the action and
findings of the naval court of inquiry.
He called attention TO the interesting
fact that naval courts have no authority
under the law to compel witnesses to tes-
tify or 10 punish them if they should re-
fuse.
He thought, therefore, that the naval
committee in making its investigation
ought to be empowered to force testimony
from witnesses under a penalty for re-
fusal.
us the senator advised as to whether
the naval affairs committee will make an
investigation of the Maine Disaster" in
Quired Mr.. Allen.
Il am not prepared to speak for the
committee" replied Mr.. Chandler. 1.-THE
resolution, I take it, places an injunction
upon the committee to conduct an inves-
few minutese ago is in line with that in
junction. This is a subject which do not
think ought to be discussed in public. I
desire to commend the senator from Ne
braska for his patriotic restraint in re-
framing from discussing this matter
The conference report on the army ap-
preparation bill was presented by Mr..
Quay Penn.) and was agreed TO.
Proceeding under unanimous consent,
the senate passed the following measures:
Amending the act to permit the use Of
the right of way through public lands for
tram roads, canals and reservoirs; per-
manetly locating the capital of the ter
ritory of New Mexico at Santa Fe; grant
ing TO the Kettle River Valley Railway
comapny a right of way through the north
half of the Colville Indian reservation in
Washington and relating to leases on the
Hot Springs reservation.
At this point Mr.. Lodge (Mass.), Of the
foreign relations committee called up the
Joint resolution for the relief OF August
Bolten and Gustave Richelieu. The res
olution as reported from the foreign re-
lations committee is as follows:
THAT the president Of the United States
be and IS hereby empowered to take such
measures as in his judgment may be nee
essary TO obtain the indemnity from the
Spanish government for the wrongs and
injuries suffered by August Bolten and
Gustave Richelieu by reason of their
wrongful arrest and imprisonment by
Spanish authorities at Santiago de Cuba
in the year 1898; and TO secure this end
he is authorized and requested to employ
such means or exercise such power as
may be necessary"
The resolution, to which objection was
made a few days ago. was passed with
out debate.
Other bills were passed as follows: To
refer certain claims for Indian depreda-
tons to the court Of claims; to incorpOr-
ate the national Florence Crittenden mis-
sion; TO provide for the disposal of the
abandoned Fort Shaw military reserva-