The Mena star., 1898-12-14
PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS.
ington During the Closing Days or the Fifty Firth Session.

Ar the opening Of the senate's session on the 7th Senator Hawley (Conn ). chairman of the military affairs committee. introduced bill for the reorganization of the regular army. Senator Hoar tMass.) secured the adoption of resolution for committee of seven senators to take action on that part of the presidents message relating to the celebration of the cen- tennial of Washington the nations capital. h the executive session lively debate was had over recent appointments of senators by tho president on commissions Senator Hoar tMass) making vigorous protest against the practice and asking what became of their functions senators when their report was placed before the senate. Hon. John Hay was confirmed as secretary of state ... In the house the anti-scalping bill was passed by a vote of HE to lOl, after a spirited debate lasting four hours Mir. Hull Qa). chairman oi the com mittee on military affairs. introduced bill in- creasing the regular army to approximately lOO,QO0 men. This bill is not tho one framed by Gen. Miles
 WHILE the senate was considering pension bills on the calendar on the 6th Senator Vest (Mo.l mnde vigorous protest against passing the m by simply reading their titles and when quo um was not present Senator Vest also introduced resolution for the ap- pontment of a joint commission to investigate the charges of corruption in the conduct of the war with Snaia and bill prohibiting senators and oongresslncn from serving on presl- dentlal commissions Senator Cafrey La.) introduced resolution to modify the S.;s S5.;s:55 ..o:. D;ssis-rc- D,s treaty as fur 1t related to constructing a canal across the isthmus of Darien Senator Mitchell (Wis) introduced bill to allow volunteers disabled in the war with Spain to enter volun- teer soldiers homes The Nicaragua canal bill was then made the unfinished business and an adjournment was taken to the 18th The house passed the urgent deficiency bill prac- tically without opposition The amount car ried by the bill is s69 s9j. S92 The house then adjourned to the 18th. to give committees an opportunity to work without interruption
 IN the senate on the 18th, as soon the morning routine business had been disposed of Senator Vest (Mo) called .1 his resolution de- claring 1t to be unconstitutional for the United States government to acquire foreign territory except for coaling stations or some other like purpose unless it's intention was to confer statehood upon the territory. The senator con- tended that the principle had been sustained by the supreme court and spoke for over an hour against territorial expansion Senator Platt (Conn) took issue with Senator Vest and gave notice of a speech on the subject in the near future. Senator Morgan (Ala) then opened the debate on the Nicarauga canal bill with three hour appeal for action at this ses- sion Senator Pettigrew (S. D. introduced 0 bill for raj sing the battleship Maine and Sena- tor HOar NN1aSSJ lutrOuuCcu ASSV- lution looking to the mastering out of volunteers who had families depending on them or whose bus ness affairs would be seriously interfered with by longer continu- ance in the service .... The house spent most Of the day on District of Columbia affairs Mir Mcclellan (N. Y.) introduced bill for the re- organization of the army and Mir Hepburn Ga } bill authorizing the president to acquire by purchase land in Costa Rica and Nicaragua necessary for a canal and approprtating fl4O . GOO for the purpose Mir. Hepburn also ins I troduced ioiut resolution proposing an amend ment to the constitution that no territory not under the jurisdiction of the United States on January i. 1898, should be admitted into the union unless three-fourths of the members Of both houses of congress voted afirmatvely for | such admission.