The San Francisco call., 1898-01-15
An Appropriation Made for the Fish Exposition at
 Bergen.
RELICS OF THE CIVIL WAR.
Vast Damages for Seizures Lead Up 10 Argument and Considerable
 FlibusterinJ.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House,

Washington, Jan. II.
 It was the intention of the House managers to proceed with the diplo- matic and consular appropriation bill to-day, but owing to the excited con- dition of affairs in Havana and the wildly exaggerated reports afloat they decided to avoid the possibility of open ing up a Cuban debate by relinquish- ing the day to the Committee on Claims In charge of bills on the private calen- dar. Before this order was entered upon, the agriculture bill was passed. Most of the day was consumed in a filibuster against a bill to pay the pub fishing house of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, at Nashville, Tenn. $23S, 900 on account of seizure and use of the property of that corporation dur ing the war. This took up the time until o'clock when the House ad- journed.
 Until the House adjourned last night the amendment to the agricultural ap- prOpriation bill, providing for the pub licatiOn of another edition of the Horse Book was pending. To-day the friends of the amendment cOmprO- missed with the Appropriations Com mittee by agreeing to a reduction of the number to be printed from 15O 900 to 75,000. As amended the amendment was adopted and the bill was passed.
 The resolution accepting the invita- ton of the Government of Norway to participate in the International Fish cries Exposition at Bergen, from May to September, 1898, was called up by Simpkins (R.) of Massachusetts.
 Cannon, chairman of the Appropria tions Committee, said that he thought
 
 running wild We had domestic eX positions at Philadelphia, Chicago, Gin cinnati, New Orleans, Atlanta and Nashville, and we were now about to have one at Omaha. Abroad we had participated in the eXpositiOns at Vii enna, Paris, Berlin and Brussels. The anxiety of WOuld-be commissioners to have the honor and glory of our coun- try represented at these foreign expo sitions was agonizing. Now, here came this exposition at Bergen. Twenty thousand dollars to be appropriated now. If this resolution passed Congress would be called on to foot the bill for a deficiency of LOGO. He gave it as his deliberate judgment that the inter ests of the United States did not re- quire our participation in this eXposi ton. If we did our duty by the Paris Exposition that would be enough.
 The resolution was adopted
 
 motion of Perkins (R.) of Iowa. direct ing the director of the Geological Survey to prepare and have printed 10000 cop ies of a map of Alaska showing the most feasible routes to the gold fields. The House then went into committee of the whole for the consideration of bills on the private calendar.
 A bill for the payment of ST. 900 to William s. Grant of Gardiner Me, for supplies designed for the United States, but confscated by the Confederate Government at the opening of the re- bellion, was favorably acted upon
 The Senate bill to refer to the Court of Claims the claim of the corporation of the book agents of the Methodist Church, South, was next taken up. Cooper D) of Texas, in charge of the bill. moved as a substitute an appro- priation of s23S,000 for the full settle ment of this claim
 The property of the corporation, which was located at Nashville, Tenn. was seized and held by the United States from 1862 to 1866, when it was turned over to the owners. Cooper re- ferred to.the fact that the profits of the concern were applied to the support of superannuated ministers. Thousands Of petitions from religious bodies, he said, had been received, urging the pas- sage of the bill. Dalzell (R.) of Penn sylvania inaugurated filibuster dSditlSI tne iuedSuTe by demanding the reading of the report of the bill. which consisted of about fifty pages, the read ing of which would consume several hours.
 At the conclusion of an hour. when Dalzells time expired, the friends of the bill attempted to secure an agree ment for closing the debate. but ali re- quests looking to this end were ob- tected to-
 Richardson (D.) of Tennessee appeal- ed to the other side to allow a vote on the bill. Savers (D.) of Texas said tbis was as just claim as had ever been presented to Congress. The amount asked by the Methodist Episconai Church, South, in this bill, he said wa not 50 per cent of the amount which had been recommended in the Court of Claims. Leading bishops and divines North and South had indorsed it. Com mon justice, not charity, demanded it's passage.
 Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio made a fem minute speech in support of the bill He said he knew personally enough about the claim to say that s23S 900 was very low estimate Of the damage sus- tafned by the corporation. After fur ther discussion and before disposing of the bill the House adjourned.