The times., 1898-06-22
MANY ABsENTEEs.
NO Quorum in the House and Only
Routine Business TransncteJ.


So many members of the House are alb
sent looking after their political fences
that it is difficult to muster a quorum.
AT no time yesterday was there a quorum
in attendance.
Today, by previous order. is to be given
to District business. but Mr.. Clark of
Missouri, who is up in arms against the
District because the Washington papers
have criticised him. has served notice
that he will demand quorum. Chairman
Babcock. viii do his best to have the
requisite number of members on hand
After the reading of the journal yes
terday. the Speaker graciously extended
recognition to both sides of the House to
ask unanimous consent for the passage
Of favorite bills. Something like a dozen
bills of private nature or of interesI
to some special locality were thus passed
Mr.. Babcock submitted the conference
report the bill TO repeal the highway
act. The conference agreed to the Ser
ate amendment and in that shape the bill
was -assed.
Mr. Babcock submitted the conference
report on the lexington and Soldiers
Home bill. He said that it was before
the House Monday and was sent back
" tpH1SIt4AtGs Lti1l lllE OtHdtE Hdu re-
ceded from the objectionable amendment
and had adopted the report. The report
was agreed TO.
The provision to authorize street rail-
roads to purchase or consolidate with
intersecting lines. was omitted.
Mr.. Cowherd called up the conference
report on the bill TO regulate the control
OF public funds in the District. He ex-
planned that the bill puts the street park
ipnr Or no
while the parks proper are put under con-
troll of the chief of engineers. He said
that all the parks as laid out in the en-
gineer's map of 1894 would go under the
jurisdiction of the chief of engineers.
The bill provides for a regular system
of public parks and empowers the Dis
trict commissioners and chief of engineers
TO make regulations for their proper con
troll. 1t also provides that where it shall
become necessary to use any portion of
any public park or parks or the reServa-
tions for widening streets or any similar
public purpose. the chief of engineers
may transfer such portion of the parks
as are needed 10 the commissioners upon
the written request OF the latter.
Mr.. Cannon said he had no comment TO
make as to the matter of jurisdiction of
the parks, but he would give notice that
in the next District appropriation bill he
would endeavor TO have a provision en-
acted dividing the expense Of the parks
and maintaining them equally between
the District and the United States. He
said that while the District in theory pays
half the expense of maintaining the Gov
! ernment here, in practice it falls short
! of bearing its half of the burden
! The conference report was agreed to-
| On motion of Mr.. Richardson. the
/ BrightwOOd Railroad bill. authorizing
/ that company to sell four coupon tickets
/ for % cents, good over that road and over
/ the Capital Traction road, was sent to
/ conference.
| The bill to regulate the age of consent
! of girls in the District was next called
( up.
| BY the adoption of an amendment when
| the bill was before the House some days
! ago the age of consent was increased to
/ twenty-one years.
| An amendment providing that the un-
| corroborated evidence of the female in
| volved shall not be sufficient TO convict
/ was adopted and the bill was passed. The
/ title was changed so as to read "a bill
/ to punish seduction in the District Of Co
| lumbia.''
| The public business on the House cal
| endar was then taken up.