The San Francisco call., 1898-01-18
Chief Among These in the New Law Is the Educational
 Qualification.
wOLCOTT ON BIMETALLISM
Lengthy Speech Delivered by the Colorado Statesman in the Cause
 of the White Metal.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House,

Washington, Jan. IT.
 The features of to-day's proceedings in the Senate were the speech of Sena- tor Wolcott of Colorado, chairman of the bimetallic commission, upon the ne gotiations of the commission with Flu ropean countries relative to interna- tional bimetallism, and the passage of the Lodge bill, restricting immigration into the United States. The proceed ings were the most interesting and inn portant that have characterized any single days work in the Senate during the present session. In anticipation of them the galleries were crowded at an early hour. Quite unexpectedly Sena- tor Hanna appeared at the opening of to-day's session. Foraker, the senior Senator from Ohio, presented Hanna's credentials for the remainder of Sher- mans term, which will expire on March 4, 1899, and asked that the oath of office be administered to him. Foraker es- corted his colleague to the desK., where Vice-President Hobart administered the oath of office
 At the conclusion of the morning business Wolcott, at 12:5O, was recog- nized to begin his address. He was in line voice, and commanded the earnest attention of his auditors. At the con- clusion of the speech Wclcott was in- stantly surrounded by his Republican colleagues, desirous of rendering to him congratulations.
 At the conclusion of Wolcott's speech the immigration bill was taken LID and discussed until f o'clock the hour at which by previous agreement it had been arranged to vote finally upon the amendments nd he ment offered by Spooner of Wisconsin. providing that the ability on the part or an immigrant either to read or write should be accepted as sufficient test of his literacy, was adopted by vote of 42 to g.
 Another amendment by Spooner, pro- Vlding that the members of the family accompanying an immigrant rejected under the conditions of the bill should be returned to the country whence they came by the steamship com panies, was also adopted. Other ef- forts were made to amend the measure, put Tailed The bill was then passed by a vote of 45 to 28
 The bill as passed provides that all immigrants physically capable and over 16 years of age shall be able to read or write the English language or some other language; but person not able to read or write who is over 50 years of age and is the parent or grandparent of qualified immigrant over 21 years of age, capable of SUD- porting such a parent or grandparent. may accompany the immigrant, or the parent or grandparent may be sent for and come to join the family of the child or grandchild over q years of age, qualified under the law; and wife or minor child not able to read or write may accompany or be sent for and and jnir1 hn who is qualified.
 The act does not apply to persons coming to the United States from the island of Cuba during the continuance of the present disorder there who have heretofore been inhabitants of that island.
 Among the memorials presented were members, offered by Murphy of New York against the enactment of the pend
 Foraker, for the Pacific Railroad Committee, reported a substitute for the bill relating to the Pacific railroads and asked for its immediate consideration Objection was made and the report went over until tomorrow.
 Hale of the. Appropriations Commit tee reported the urgent deficiency bill. passed last week by the House, and gave notice that he would call it up to-mor- row at the conclusion of the routine
 
 Harris of Kansas presented a resolu- ton, for which he requested immediate consi0eration, asking the Secretary of the treasury why, since 1882 he had omitted from his statement an item of something more than $11 00O, 900 interest que the United States from the Pacific rallroads: Objection was made by Thurs ton of Nebraska and the resolution went over until tomorrow
 Allen or Nebraska presented and asked lnnealate consideration for resolution oirectlng the Committee on Pensions to ascertain by what authority the Com nlissloner or Pensions refused to pass upon applications for increase IntiI twelve months should have elapsed since the last allowance was made
 Iainnger or New Hampshire chairman of the Pensions Committee, obiecfed tn Immediate consideration and the ra+ter went over until tomorrow
 ,,,M w olcott or Colorado. chairman of the Bfmetallic Commission, was recognizad for speech upon the work of the com