The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-11

Joint Resolution for Temporary He
mission of the Duties.

Joint Resolution for Temporary Re
mission of the Duties.
WASHINGTON, March 10.-No business
of real Importance was transacted by the
Senate in open session to-day. The session
! lasted only an hour, the time being largely
consumed in disposing of routine morning
business. A few bills of minor Importance
were pasesd. The Rev. Edward Everett
| Hale, of Boston, delivered the invocation
at the opening of the Senate to-day and
subsequently was accorded the unusual
honor of an informal reception on the floor
of the Senate. The joint resolution to re-
| vive the grade of lieutenant general of the
army was reported from the military af-
fairs committee by Mr.. Warren, and Mr..
| Cockrell Dem, Mo- said he desired it to be
understood that the report was not unan-
imous.
Senator Chandler, of New Hampshire, of
the Senate naval affairs committee, to-day
introduced a joint resolution providing for
the temporary admission free of duty of
naval supplies procured abroad. Following
is the text of the resolution: "That such
guns, ammunition and other naval supplies
as may be purchased abroad by this gov
eminent for the national defense prior to
Jan. l. 1899, shall be admitted to any part of
the United States free of duty
The resolU ion was introduced at the re4
quest of the secretary of the navy,
who, in letter to Senator Hale, said:
Under existing law a varying but consid-
cradle ad valorem duty on articles falling
within the category of naval supplies is i'm
posed. The effect of the resolution, If
adopted, will be to remit all duties on guns,
ammunition and other naval supplies which
it may be found necessary to purchase
abroad. The temporary remission of duty
on these supplies is deemed important, in
asmuch as without some special enactment
of this nature such portion of the appro-
| priation made by Congress for the purpose
as may be expended abroad would be very
materially reduced by the deduction there
| from of duty, amounting in some cases to
nearly one-half of the purchase price,
Mr. Allison, of Iowa, called Mr.. Chand-
ler's attention to the fact that resolutions
and bills of the character of the one pre-
| scented ordinarily originate in the House.
| Mr.. Chandler admitted that that was true,
| but said that he had introduced it with the
| idea of having it referred to the finance
committee. He was willing, he said, to
| trust to the wisdom of that committee to
make proper disposition of the resolution.
At his suggestion the resolution was re-
| lSIISu 10 the COululIl60 Oh finance.
| The Senate committee on interstate COM
merce to-day agreed to recommend the con-
firmation of Hon. w. j. Calhoun as inter-
| state-commerce commissioner There was
no opposition.
| The Senate to-day in executive session re-
jected the nomination of Henry S. Williams
| to be postmaster at Aberdeen, S. D. SEN
| ator Cannon read the newspaper attacks
| upon Senator Pettigrew and the latter
| stated that he would not ask the Senate to
reject the nomination if he did not feel that
| the attack was such that If it were made
| on any other senator, whatever his per-
sonal relations to him, he would feel i'm
| PEELED to sustain him. Afidavits were read
| to the effect that Williams had refused to
retract the article because he said he want
ed the postoffice. After this a number of
| speeches were made all against confirma-
| ton, some of the speakers being Senators
Davis, Teller, Allison and Cannon.
| AT this juncture Senator Davis made an
| effort to have the Hawaiian treaty consid-
! cred, but Senator Bacon, who had been ex-
pected to speak asked for further time. He
said that his thought has recently been di-
rected in entirely different channels and
| that he felt that he was entitled to some
days for preparation. No other Senator ap.
consented that the matter should be post
poned until rext week. which was done.
Other nominations were then taken I'D in
Guiding some of those of nonresidents, who
were opposed on the ground that they vio-
| lated the home rule principle
There was a roll call on the nomination
of Charles d. Keyes, of Texas, to be agent
at the Fort Apache agency in Arizona
which resulted in vote of II for and %
| against The result of this vote developed
| the want Of q quorum and the roll was
! called to secure the necessary number
| These appearing, viva voce vote was
| taken, which also resulted against Keyes.
In the same way, j. J. Power, of Pennnsyi-
vania, was defeated for receiver of public
/ moneys at Perry, Oklahoma Senator
| Hanna suggested that the matter should go
over until another day and motion was
/ entered TO reconsider the votes of rejection
which was pending when the Senate adj
| journed. There several other nonres-
| ident nominations and it was intimated
after the adjournment that there might
be an effort to have them withdrawn.
Bills extending for three years the time
| for the construction OF the line of the Chi
cage, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Com
pany through the Indian Territory and to
/ dulnOr1Ze Jonn X. WHHalnS, IrSC ueuten-
ant, Third Artillery, United States army
| to accept the decoration Of chevalier of the
/ Legion of Honor from the president of the
! French Republic, were passed Considera-
ton of bills on the general calendar was
then begun, the first being measure au-
thorizing the president to take such steps
as no might deem necessary 70 obtain an
Indemnity from the Spanish government
| for injuries done TO two Americans, August