The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-25
ACTION OF HOUSE.
Money Voted to Care for Arsenal Wa
chinery-Epidemic Funds.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.-The House de-
voted itself strictly to business to-day, and
disposed of thirty additional pages of the
sundry civil appropriation bill. The fact
that the government is preparing for con-
tingencies was recognized in the House to-
day. when Chairman Cannon, who has been
| laboring to keep down appropriations, ac-
| cepted without word of protest an amend
ment to increase the appropriation to care
| for the unused machinery at the Springfield
Arsenal Mr.. Gillett explained that neces-
| sity for using this machinery might occur
at any time. Resolutions which were OBJ
jected to a few weeks ago for the appoint
ment of two ex-naval cadets to positions in
the engineer corps of the navy were also
| adopted. One of them will fill a vacancy
caused by the death of Lieutenant Merritt
| of the Maine.
| Mr.. Sayers Dem, Tex.) criticised the
item in the bill placing only the unexpended
| epidemic funds of past years at the dis
posal of the quarantine service. lie thought
100000 additional should be appropriated.
Mr.. Cannon said that the largest amount
expended in a previous year was $2S7,000
in 1894 Last year but $13i0O0 was spent.
On Feb. J. 1898 there was an unexpended
balance of $4,000. In his opinion that was
sufficient.
Mr.. Bailey DEM, Tex) declared his be-
lief that the matter of quarantine regula-
tons should be left to the States He was
opposed not only to the additional appropri-
alton proposed by his colleague but to the
use of the uneXpended balance provided for
in the BILL
Mr.. Sayers pointed out that in the event
of a recurrence of the yellow fever epidemic
this summer after Congress adiourns $40
tht might q sufficient IN Will
He said he did not want to be neld respon>
sible for the failure of funds at the dis
idemic.
The discussion soon drifted INTO the advis>
ability of the establishment of a national
quarantine law. Mr.. Carmack Dem,
Tenn) advocated such law. lie said for
ty-five different systems in as many differ
ent States created chaos.
MIR. Williams (Dem., Miss thought it I'M
fortunate that this great question of a ma
| tonal quarantine had been precIpitated in
con nI,ts lS T., with this appropriation The
OF his State believed the United States
should have exclusive Jurisdiction of mari
time and coastwise quarantine and were
willing to give the federal authorities exclu-
sive and paramount control. But once an
epidemic got q foothold inside the State he
insisted that the State should control.
Mr.. Underwood opposed exclusive control
by the federal government
Mr.. Sayers moved to increase the appro>
Mr.. Love (Dem., Miss) advocated the
amendment. The additional appropriation
he said, would be absolutely necessary if
there should be g renewal OF the yellow
fever epidemic in the South this year. The
savers amendment was lost.
me following proviso was ruled out on a
poln1 OF order, raised by Chairman Lacey,
of the public lands committee, that it was
new legislation: THAT hereafter no public
moneys shall be expended for the survey of
any portion of the public domain embraced
Wl%hln any forest reserves of the United
States, except for such surveys as may be
necessary to designate the exterior bounda-
i .lsss OF such reserves and of such lands
Wlthln said reserves as may be embraced
within or covered by legal claims initiated
prior TO the date of the proclamation of the
reservation"
Mr.. Smith Dem., A: To offered an amend
ment appropriating 5000 for the geological
survey of Yuma county A. T., but it was
ruled out on point of order
On motion of Mr.. De Vries (Dem Call
amendment was adopted appropriating
$500 for the Yosemite Nationuf PARK, Cal
ifornia.
After completing thirty pages of the bill
the committee rose.
The Senate bill to prohibit the passage
of local or special acts by territorial legis-
latures and to limit territorial Indebtedness
was passed. At OILS d. m. the House adj
journed.