Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-02-09
CONGRESS-.
Senate,


tive departments, carrying $21 ,65S, $50, were
passed by the Senate on the 31st, the latter
consisting OF III pages, occupying the atten.
ton of the Senate during the greater part
OF the session. After a brief executive SEES
sion the Senate adjourned
The condition in the Senate respecting the
hawaiian annexation treaty has greatly i'm
proved and the friends of the treaty, includ-
ing Senator Davis, chairman of the foreign
relatlonS committee, are confident that sixty
senators ehn t6Fsa whose votes are necessary for
ZION. confidence in the changed condition
Is found in the determination of the friends
OF OF aat inca to press forward the treaty
Wnen the proceedings of the Senate in exc
cutlve session on the LIST were opened Sen
ator Thurston made a motion for the post
ponement of further consideration of the
treaty until March l. The motion was not
discussed at length, and was voted down
viva VOce.
Beyond the reading of the agricultural
appropriation bill and agreeing to the
amendments proposed by the committee,
the Senate transacted no business of i'm
portance in open session on the I'd. The
greater part of the afternoon was passed
IN executive session, the discussion being
upon the Hawaiian annexation treaty.
One Of the features of the session on the
Sd was speech by Mr. Cafery Of Louisiana
In support Of the resolution reported by the
committee on privileges and elections de-
caring that Henry w. Corbett is not en-
titled to seat in the Senate from the state
senator by the governor Of Oregon after the
failure of the Legislature to elect a senator
to succeed Senator Mitchell. Mr.. Caffery
maintained that the governor of a state had
no authority to appoint to fill an original
Vacancy-a vacancy beginning with a new
term-after the Legislature had had an OPP
portunity to elect and had failed to do so.
The agricultural appropriation bill was IN
der consideration during the greater part of
the afternoon and was finally passed. After
brIer executive session the Senate ad-
journeG.
NO business of Importance was transacted
IN IN the bIlef open session ON the 4th, After
the executive session of three hours the Sen
ate adjourned until the 18th.
House.
The House of Representatives on the 31st
buried the Teller resolution, declaring the
bonds of the United States payable in silver
under an adverse majority Of fifty votes The
ton, with two exceptions. Mr.. Lnney On;
CO. who voted with the Democrats and
Populists, and Mr.. White On. g., the only
colOred member of the House who answered
present" when his name was called. The
assertions from the Democratic side were
Mr.. McAleer PENN and Mr.. Elliott IS. g..
Both voted with the Republicans against the
proposition. Speaker Reed, although it is
not customary for him to VOTE had his name
called and, amid the cheers of his follow
ers. went on record in opposition to the
resolution. The vote was reached after five
hours of debate under special order adopt
ed at the opening of the session today. The
limited time allowed for debate and the
pressure of members for an opportunity to
be heard was so great that the leaders on
both sides were compelled to farm out the
time by minutes This detracted much from
the continuity Of the discussion but it also
In measure intensified the interest in the
galleries, which were crowded all day, and
the combatantS on the floor were cheered by
their respective sympathizers. The vote
was 1872 to 1872.
The House devoted most of the session on
the LIST to the District of Columbia appro-
priatiOn bill, but had not completed it at the
time Of adjournment. Some politics were in
jected into the debate just at the close
bills and resolutions Of minor Importance
were passed
After three days spent on the District of
Columbia appropriation bill, mostly in po-
measure on the I'd, and then took up the
bill to provide for Notifications and coast
defenses. Several Democrats, notably Mr.
Mcclellan Of New York, criticised the meas
IRE because 1t cut down appropriations for
these works below what has been appro-
priated in recent years.
The day on the Sd was spent ostensbly in
considering the Notifications appropriation
BILL In reality the major portion Of the
time was consumed in the discussion of po-
litical topics. The existence of prosperity
In the country was again the main question
Of dispute. All attempts to increase the
appropriations in the Notifications appropri-
alton bill or to amend it in any respect were
voted down.
The 4th was private bill day, but by sys-
tenatic tilibustering the private calendar
containing the bills reported by the COM
mittee on claims not reached, the whole
day and evening being consumed in passing
th1rty-seven private pension bills favoraby
acted upon by the House at the session the
week before. During the consideration of
one Of the bills an interesting discussion of
the approaching sale of the Kansas Pacific
road, set for February II, was precipitated
by Mr.. Fleming Dem., Of Georgia., who,
with his Democratic colleagues, de~ired leg
islation to require the President to bid the
full amount of the debt principal and in
terest. Mr.. Powers, chairman of the Pacific
railroad committee commended that the real
purpose Of the opposition was to compel the
government to take the road and operate it.
He said he thought the administration,
which had secured every dollar owing from
the Union Pacific, could be safely trusted
to protect the governments interest at the
sale Of the Kansas Pacific.
The House during it's entire session on the
5th had under consideration the bill making
appropriations for fortifcations and coast
defenses. Little interest seemed to be mani
tested in the proceedings less than one-half
of the members being present during the
NI,n hi