The Portland daily press., 1898-04-07
Thousands Who Assembled in Con.
gressional Galleries.
LONG LOOKED FOR PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE NEVER CAME.

| Washington, April 6.-When the Senate
convened today intense expectancy
amounting.to extreme excitem emit pre-.
vailed both on the floor and in the gal
leries. The Presidents message has been
positively promised and it's coming was
awaited with genuine anxiety. Ten
minutes after the Senate convened con-
sideration of the sundry civil bill was re-
sumed and with the exception of eight
minutes consumed by an executive SEES
sion, in which Senator Davis announced
that no message would be sent in today,
| the entire session was consumed by the
appropriation bill. 1t was practically
completed when laid aside for the day.
Senator Proctor was the first Senator to
1 make his appearance OH the floor. The
people in the galleries recognized him and
slight ripple OF applause ran through
| the great crowd.
| Mr.. Allison asked unanimous consent
| that the Senate resume consideration of
the sundry civil bill. This was agreed to
and amid buzz in the galleries the clerk
began to read the bill.
| When that part OF the bill providing
that no part of the appropriation for
Howard University in this city, should
| be used for the theological department.
was reached, Mr. Hawley of Connecticut
| interrupted the reading. Ho said that
everywhere the United States recognized
| that there was God. Such recognition
| is made in the Senate and House every
day, and the army posts and warships Of
the nation have their ohaplains. He de-
sired therefore to know whether this pro-
vision prohi bited religious instruction at
| the university.
| Mr.. Allison explained that it in no
manner interfered with religious in
struction, bat no part OF the appropriation
could be used In support OF the theological
| department..
At 1.80 Mr.. Davis, chairman of the
committee on foreign relations moved
| that the Senate go into executive session.
| Division was demanded and the vote
| rs. IL disclosed the absence of a quorum.
| A call Of the Senate was requested. While
this was proceeding. the hundreds in the
galleries awaited the action of the Senate
| with almost breathless interest, as all
| realized that after Whiting for hours to
| hear the message read from the Senate
| they were likely now to be disappointed.
| The call of the Senate indicated the
! presence of 70 Senators.
MIR. Mills OF Texas. expressed the hope
that the call for the yeas and nays upon
L.
drawn and that the Senate might without
division go into executive session. On q
viva voce vote the motion prevailed and
the Vics President at 1877 ordered the
galleries cleared. Eight minutes after the
| Senate resumed legislative business in
| open SESSION. AS soon as it became noised
about the corridors that the galleries were
again open, q tremendous rush up the
| stairways began and few minutes after
ward the galleries were again nearly
| filed.
Hundreds, however. tired and disap-
pointed, had already left the capitol.
At the request of Mr.. Allison, consider
alton of the sundry civil bill was re-
| sumed.
The reading of the bill was concluded
| and the amendments which had been
passed over informally were taken up.
The committee amendment to the ap-
preparation for the Immigrant station at
| Ellis Island, n. Y, was first considered.
| Mr.. Fairbanks of Indiana, offered all
amendment to the amendment appropri-
ating S55, 200 for an immigrants disin-
| fectant bath house and laundry; $4,000
| for a kitchen and restaurant and SIC, 900;
| for repairs to the crib work. His amend
ment was agreed to and the committee s
amendment as amended was adopted.
All other committee amendments We're
agreed to.
MT. ljaVlS SeCuT6u Iile ttucIUiOH u al
amendment extending to $3.50, 900 the
| limit of cost of the public building in St.
Paul.
An amendment by Mr.. Cullom appro-
priating SIS 200 to restore the banks of
| the Ohio river at Shawneetown, His, re-
Gently swept away by floods, was adopted.
An amendment which was practically
Pettus of Alabama. 1t poyided an appro-
priation of $500, 900 to be Immediately
available for the improvement of Mobile
| bay, in order that warships and their
barges might reach the wharves of Mobile
| to obtain coal and supplies. Mr.. Pettus,
and Mr. Morgan made an appeal for the
amendment as it was a measure really
| necessary as matter of national defence.
Mr.. Allison said he was opposed to
making a river and harbor act out of the
sundry civil bill. He said other amend
ments had been offered which might be
regarded as war measures.
Mr., Gray OF Delaware, advised Mr..
| Allison that he had an amendment for
| the Improvement of the harbor of Will
mington, Delaware. because the factories
| Of that city which were working upon
army and navy supplies were seriously
EN- barrassed by the condition of the har-
Dor.
| In reply Mr.. Allison said any measures
providing necessary means for the
| national Q6IouS0 Woulu pass DOUn tne
Senate and House promptly. He believed
that if the proposed amendment was
necessary for the national defense, it
ought to be passed upon by committee
of the Senate which had that subject
directly in charge. He suggested before
that all such amendments be submitted
| to the proper committees Meantime he
asked that the bill be laid aside and the
whole question went over
A resolution accepting the collection of
etchinas and engravings proposed to be
donated to the National library by Mrs
Hubbard, widow of the late Gardiner g.
Hubbard, was called up. Mr.. Mills and
MIR. Bacon objected to the feature of the
resolution which provided that special
mart of the library should be set aside for
ffhe collection and that it should be
known as the Gardiner Green Hubbard
gallery" - ~,
Hoar of Massachusetts supported the reso-
luton, the latter pointing out that the
collection was one of the most valuable
collections Of engravings illustrating the
| life of Napoleon in the world.
Mr.. Bacon antagonized the proposition
setting aside any part of the library to be
Lroyy11 as the stGardiner Green Hubbard