The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1898-02-17

Consideration Of the Indian appropria-
tion bill was resumed in the Senate on
Friday, and. after being amended to some
extent. the measure was passed. The
most important amendment was that Of
fered by Mr.. Pettigrew, which. if finally
enacted, will restore the free homestead
law so far as it relates to Indian lands
ceded to the United States. for which
lands the settlers have been obliged to pay
the purchase price paid to the Indians.
The bill carries appropria ations aggregat-
ing nearly $S,OO0,0OO The Senate ad-
journed until Monday. The House was
not in session.
The House during its entire session of
Saturday had under consideration the
hill making appropriations for fortifca-
tions and coast defenses. Little interest
seemed to be manifested in the proceed
inGs. less than onc-half of the members
being present during the session. The bill
was passed. 1t carries S4. 144. .912. against
s0,517.14 last year. The Senate was not
in session.
On Monday the House passed the mill
tary academy bill with only one important
amendment. The debate on the measure
was desultory and touched variety Of
political topics. The bill carries $453, $40.
being S26,O32 less than the amount car
ried by the current law. The bill to limit
the period for the refunding of the GER
tlfcates of deposit OF. 1879 to Dec 81,
1899, was passed. In the Senate Mr.
Chandler presented memorial prepared
in 1874 by the late Admiral Worden, who.
rs lieutenant in the navy. commanded
the Monitor in the historic fight in Hamp-
ton Roads between that vessel and the
ironclad Merrimac. Mr.. Chandler said
that Admiral Worden conceived the idea
that it would be proper for the Govern
ment of the United States to pay to the
officers and crew of the Monitor the sum
Of 5000 each, in the nature of prize money,
but after having prepared the memorial
concluded not to present it to Congress
lest his motives might be misconstrued.
The Hawaiian question consumed most
of the day.
In the Senate on Tuesday Mr.. Allen
offered as an amendment to the diplomatic
and consular appropriation bill resolu-
ton recognizing the belligerency of the
Cuban insurgents. Mr.. Cannon offered a
resolution urging the President to notify
''pain that if it did not recognize the i'll
dependence of the Cuban republic before
March 4 the United States would recog
nize the belligerency of the Cubans and
within ninety days thereafter would as.
sert the independence Of the Cuban repub.
lie. Mr.. Mason followed with a resolu
tion requesting the President to notify
Spain that the Cuban war must cease at
once and to declare the intention of the
United States to restore and maintain
peace on the island. The House enter.
ed upon consideration of the Aldrich
plowman contested election case from the
fourth Alabama district. The majority
of the committee reported in favor of
seating the Republican candidate on the
ground of conspiracy, an allegation vigor.
ously denied by Democrats Mr.. Plow.
mans plurality on the face of the returns
was 2,9G7. The majority revised the fig
ures so as to give Mr.. Aldrich plurality
Of 342. Messrs. Taylor of Ohio and Mann
of Illinois spoke for the majority. and
Messrs. Fox of Mississippi and Settle of
Kentucky for the minority.
In the House on Wednesday the AL
VI I'LL ~" iidu CohleSteu eleCIlOn case
from the Fourth Alabama District was
settled by the passage of resolution de- |
claring Mr.. Aldrich Qtep.). the contest.
ant, entitled to the seat. The vote was
on party lines. Cuban debate consumed
the whole day in the Senate Speeches !
were made by Messrs. Cannon, Mason
md Hale.
The House was in a very bad tempe, |
Thursday, and the whole session was CON |
sumed in tillbustering against two bill, |
of minor lmpOrtance-Onet to issue a dupli |
:ate check, and the other to make Rock |
and, Me-, Il SUPPORT of entry. Neither
got further than the engrossment and
hird reading. Finally. when it became
evident that no progress could be mad: |
with the bills presented, an adjournment
vas taken until Monday. During almost
he entire session of the Senate the In lial
appropriation bill was under discussion
The reading of the bill was completed, and
Ill of the committee amendments were
adopted. Subsequently several amend
nents of a minor character were attached
o the assure. Mr. Allen of Nebraska
the proceedings few minutes
,efOre adjournment by making an attack
:pon Speaker Reed for preventing the en-
as the Nebraska Senator declar
i, Of meritorious legislation, sent to thu.
House of Representatives by the Senate
He denounced the Speakers action in this
egard as "disgrace' to Congress and
o the American people