Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-01
WORK OF THESENATE.
TWO APPROPRIATION BILLS WE'RE
PASSED YESTERDAY.
PURCHASE OF KANSAS PACIFIC.
SENATOR THIRSTON OFFERS AN
AMENDMENT TO THE BILL.
Provides Tint the President Mny, in
His Discretion, Resell the Road
MIR. McLaurin sworn In-Rc-
duction of Pension
Office Force.

Washington. Jan. &l-To-day's session of
| the senate lasted six hours. Two of the
general appropriation bills-that for the
army, carrying 81. li5,@i9, and that for the
legislative. judicial and executive depart
r!onts. carrying ST. Cos. .5o0-were passed, the
latter consisting Of 12l pages, occupying
the attention of the senate during the
greater part of the session. After II brler
executive session the senate adjourned
John NJ. McLaurin was sworn i'll as a sem
ator from South Carolina to I'LL the uneX-
PRED term of the late Senator Earle. the
term ending March A. 1909
Mir. Turpie OF Indiana. presented an
amendment to the legislative. executive
and judicial appropriation bill providing
that, in the proposed reduction of the force
OF the pension office. honorably discharged
soldiers and sailors or their widows and
daughters holding positions in that bureau
shall be protected. The amendment was
referred TO the appropriations committee.
Mr.. Gallinger, of New Hampshire. chair
man of the pension committee, reported ad-
verSe!y the bill introduced by Mr.. Allen.
o. NebraSka, providing tnat an pensioners rl
new receiving less than $40 per month re-
ceive that amount after the hiilS passage.
Mr.. Gallinger said that the whole number
of pensioners affected by the proposed bill
was i6S,463, and that the total an
nual increase in pensions would aggregate
$l5,2SG,O0O. The bill was placed on the cal
erdar.
Mr.. Pettigrew. of South Dakota. gave no.
tice that he would tomorrow, speak upon
his resolution declaring it to be the policy
of the United States not to acquire terri
tory TO defend which Il navy would be re-
quired.
Mr.. Hale anticipated, he said. that the
proposed speech of the senator from South
Dakota would trench upon q matter prop
erly being considered by the senate in eX-
ecutive session. If it should SO trench; 1t
would be Il violation of the senate rules,
and he wanted ii understood that objection
would be raised.
Mr.. Pettigrew said he thought it would
be time enough to object when it became
evident that he was violating the senate
rules.
Mr.. Foraker called up the bill providing.
under certain conditions. for the purchase
by the government of the Kansas Pacific
branch of the Union Pacific railroad, and
asked that it be considered at once. Mr..
Thurston offered the following amend
ment to the BILL
In case the Kansas Pacific division of
the Union Pacific railroad shall be pur-
chased for the United States. the president
may, in his discretion sell the railroad and
property SO purchased for Il sum not less
than the full amount paid out by the Unit
ed States to purchase the railroad and
property.
under the direction of the president. make.
execute and deliver to the purchaser or
purchasers of said railroad and property Il
conveyance in writing. but not under seal,
which conveyance shall vest in said pur-
and interest of the United States in and to
the property therein described.
Mr.. Turpie, OF Indiana, offered to the
amendment an amendment providing that
lin no case shall the sale be made for Il
less sum than the original claim and inter-
est due thereon"
Upon molten of Mr.. Quay the army ap-
preparation hill was then laid before the
senate The bill, after being slightly amend-
ed was passed carrying S23l43.492
On motion of Mr.. Cullom of Illinois. the
legislative. executive and judicial appro
priation bill was laid before the senate.
AS it came from the house. the bill car
ried S2liIG.2I5. and as reported to the SEN
ate, it carried $2l 800, an increase of
$l53 O55. The bill carries s.l3,9S6 less than
the estimates and $50 c66 less than the APP
preparation for 1898.
During the consideration of the bill. Mr..
Turpie secured the adoption of an amend
ment providing that in any reductions
made in the force of the pension Office the
commissioner shall retain in the service by
orably discharged soldiers and sailors or
their widows and daughters.
Mr.. Cockrell did not believe the condi-
tion of the business in the pension office
had been suggested, and said that it, after
the reduction was made. an effort should
be made to increase the force. there would
be some amusement over it,
Mr.. Platt. of Connecticut, commended the
work of the commissioner of pensions and
thought his statements before the COM
mittee on civil service and retrenchment
were made with a sincere desire to better
the service of his bureau.
The reading of the bill occupied about
three hours, its consideration being con
cluded at 5:45 p. m. Amendments adding
$4,000 to the total amount carried by the
measure as reported to the senate were
adopted.
The bill was passed, and at ESQ p. M. on
motion of Mr.. Quay. the senate went into
executive session, and 500 thereafter adj
iolIruod,