Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-11
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON. Jan. II.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Mr.. Gallinger, chairman Of the com
mittee on pensions, reported al
versely from the committee, a bill to
grant pension of 800 month each tc
Margaret Butler Meade, and Henrietts
Made, daughters of the late Major
General George Gordon Meade, anc
asked that the bill be indefinitely post
poned.
MIR. Allen asked what reason the
committee had for requesting the lndet'
mite postponement of the bill. In hi:
(Allen's) opinion it was serious ques
ton whether, if General Meade hac
not been at the battle of Gettysburg
we should have had government to
day.
The matter was, after some further
coloquy, indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. Allen introduced and secured
the adoption of resolution calling up
on the President for information in Blk
possession relative to the boundary
line between Venezuela and BRITISH
Guiana and to inform the Senate
whether the United States now has any
clerks or other employees ut work up
on the Venezuelan boundary question
and also what part Of the 500. 600 ap
propriated for the Venezuelan comms
sion had been expended.
Mr.. Wolcott gave notice that ne
would on next Monday address Tire
Senate upon the work OF the monetary
commission.
The bill restricting immigration was
then called up, and MIR. Fairbanks ad'
dressed the Senate in support of the
measure.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Fairbanks:
speech Mr.. Caffrey announced that or
Thursday next he would address the
Senate upon the immigration bill.
The Senate then went into executive
session on the Hawaiian treaty.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Moody in charge of the legisla-
tive, executive and judicial appropria'
ton bill in accordance with the notice
given by him yesterday moved 10 the
House to-day, Immediately after the
reading of the journal, that oil debate
on the civil service item be closed to.
day at S o'clock. Considerable oppo
sition was manifested to the motion but
the steering committee of the republi
can opponents of the civil service law
had agreed to this programme. The
antsgonism to-day to the motion te
close debate came, therefore, principal.
~ from the democrats. The lat
ter were supported by the popuiist:
and few republicans, who believed
the debate should 60 on. After some
wrangling the previous question wa:
ordered on the demand of Mr.. Moody
but the rising vote on The motion t(
close the debate was very close, ayes
90, noes IS, and on the demand OF tne
democrats the roll was called.
There was great deal Of scurryine
about during the vote. The decision
OF the steering committee was mo-
thoroughly understood among the re
publicans and when the roll call wa:
concluded the motion to close debate
stood defeated by six votes. A reca
pitulation of the vote was called for an(
during its progress it was whispered
about that assurances had been recsiv
cd from the rules committee thas time
would be given for consideration of the
; measure prepared by the republican
opponents OF the law. Three republic
cans then changed their votes making
it tie The Speaker announced tbf
vote 125 to I25.
ga tie," addAd..t :. ao Speaker, land tht
chair votes aye" Thus the Speaker
saved the day and the motian to close
the debate was carried. The republi-
cans applauded most vociferously. The
debate was then resumed.
Mr.. Brosius, the chairman of commit
tee on civil service, opened tcday's de
bate with an elaborate defense of the
merit system and an argument for sus
tanning the law.
Mr.. Pearson asked how the state
ment that the civil service law wa:
economical could be reconciled with
the fact that the employees of the gov
eminent had almost doubled since 1883