The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1898-03-24

During its session of three hours on
Monday the Senate passed a considerable
number of bills from the general calen-
dar, among the number being one author
iziDg the construction of eight new rev.
enue cutters not exceeding in aggregate
cost the sum of $2,025.0 A resolution
offered last Thursday by Mr.. Chandler
IN. H) authorizing the committee on na-
val affairs to send for persons and papers
in the course of the investigation of the
Maine disaster, was adopted. Mr.. Lodge
tMass.) of the foreign relations commit
tee called up the joint resolution for the
relief of August Bolten and Gustave
Richelieu. The resolution as reported from
the foreign relations committee is as fol
lows: THAT the President of the United
States be, and he is hereby empowered to
take such measures as in his Judgment
may be necessary 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 1895; and to secure this
end he is authorized anj requested to
employ such means or exercise such power
as may be necessary"
In the House on Tuesday it was agreed
to consider the bill for the relief of the
legal heirs of the victims and survivors
of the Maine disaster as soon as the post
office appropriation bill is out of the way.
During the general debate on the post
office bill members eagerly took advantage
of the latitude allowed in committee of
the whole on the state of the Union to
discuss various political questions. Messrs.
Griggs Dem., Ga) and Walker (Rep.,
Mass.) discussed the conditions of the cot
ton industry, and Mr.. Tawney (Rep.,
Mimi, q member of the Ways and Means
Committee, replied to the speech OF Mr.
Johnson Rep., Ind.) made some time ago
against the advisability of annexing the
Hawaiian islands. Mr.. Tawney strongly
advocated the annexation of the Islands.
After the passage of numerous bills from
the general calendar the Senate began
consideration of the measure providing for
a national system of quarantine. Little
beyond the reading of the bill was accom-
plished.
On Wednesday the postoffice appropria-
ton bill, which was technically the sub
ject before the House, was almost lost
track of in the debate. The Cuban-Span-
ish question, which had been kept in the
background heretofore, forged to the
front. Mr.. Cochran Oen., Mo- brought
| the question into the arena. and in the
| course of the debate that followed Mr..
| Grosvenor of Ohio took occasion to deny
emphatically the stories afioat to the ef-
| feet that the President desired an early
adjournment of Congress in order that he
might effect a settlement without con-
gressional interference. The subject of
| Hawaiian annexation also came in for
| attention. Mr.. Williams Dem. Miss.),
Mr.. Adams Rep., Pa and Mr.. Berry
| Dem, KY, all members of the Foreign
| Affairs Committee, made speeches on the
subject, the former in opposition and the
two latter in favor of the proposition.
Business in the legislative session of the
Senate was confined to the passage of n
few bills, largely of local character.
The national quarantine bill was not con-
sidered.
On Thursday the session of the House
was devoted strictly to the postoffice ap-
preparation bill, which was taken up for
amendment under the fve-minute rule.
| Inc questions WHICH lue
portion of the time related to the allow
ance for clerk hire at postoffices and to
rural free delivery. The House increas-
ed the allowance for rural free delivery
from S15OOOO to 100000 and defeated
the proposition for increased clerk hire.
Among the bills passed in the Senate was
one to authorize the construction of a
gunboat on the great lakes TO take the
place of the United States ship Michigan,
and to cost. exclusive of armament, not
TO exceed $780, 600. Adjourned till Mon
day.
On Friday the House spent another day
On the postoffice appropriation bill. but
disposed of only two pages of the bill
Most of the day was devoted to debate
on the merits of the pneumatic tube mail
service in New York. Boston and Phila-
delphia, and the advisability of continu-
ing the existing contract. An effort tC
strike out the appropriation of S225.00C
was defeated, but the opponents of the
appropriation succeeded in securing the
adoption of an amendment providing that
no additional contracts should be made
An amendment was adopted making it q
misdemeanor for any person to pad the
mxi.s during the period when the mails
are being weighed to determine the com
pensation to be paid to the railroads fol
their transportation. The Senate was not
In session.