Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-12-30
SENATE AND HOUSE.
WORK OF OUR NATIONAL LAW.
MAKERS
A week,s Procecd,ngs in the Hale Of
congress-lmportant Measures Die
guessed and Acted Upon-An lmpar
.iai Resume Of the Business.

N80u 8AG0VkAa0 . ~
On Thursday the House surpassed alt
in tho expedition with which It
passed the pension appropriation bill.
one OF the most fruitful themes
Of acrimonious partisan debate. it q
passed in twenty minutes without criti-
although carrying $145, 1880, 81
100000 more than the act for the current
year. The House then began considera-
ton of the bill to incorporate the Interna-
tional American Bank. This project was
by the Pan-.American Con-
gress in 1850. An agreement was effected
for a vote at 3 o'clock Friday. 1t was
supported in debate by Mcssrs. Brosius
(Rep.. Pa.), Adams (Rcp.. Pa.). Lacey
(Rep., lowa). and Walker (Rep., Mass.),
and opposed by Mr.. Cox (Dem.. Tenn.),
jenkins Rcp.. Wis.), briggs (Dem., N.
W, and Bartlett (Dcm.. Cal. In the
Senate the urgent deficiency appropria-
ton bill making provision for the army
and navy for the next six months dis
placed the Nicaragua canal bill, prevent
ing even the taking of a vote on the ques-
ton OF the postponement of the latter
until after the holidays, as had
been intended. The deficiency bill was
passed after a spirited discussion. turning
principally on the point of keeping the
volunteer soldiers in the service.
The bill to incorporate the International
overwhelming adverse majority Of the.
House OH Friday. The debate upon the
which opened Thursday. was
concluded at 3 o'clock. Mr.. Dinglcy, the
floor leader of the majority. made an ar
gumcnt in its support. The other speak
ers ON Friday were Hill of Connecticut in,
it's support and Messrs. Bell Pop. Colo.),
Sulzer (Dem., N. ". Maxwell Pop,
Neb.), Maddox (Dcm.. Gal and Swanson.
Dem.. Va.l in opposition. The vote by
which the bill was defeated stood 1903
yeas to 14S nays. The bill to extend the
customs and revenue laws of the United
States over the Hawaiian Islands was
passed without opposition. The bill, Mr..
Dingley explained, carried with it the
civil service laws relating TO appointments
in the customs and revenue service in Ha-'
waii.
Saturday in the House was devoted to,
the Indian appropriation bill, which was
passed substantially as reported. This il
the third of the appropriation bills to pass
and it clears the calendar of the big sup
ply bills. The Senate was not in session..
Monday was suspension day in the
House, and several bills were passed, the
most important of which was the bill an
propriating Sa35O,0OO for the Philadelphia
exposition Of 1899. The vote was exceed
ingly close. 1t had but two votes more
than the necessary two-thirds. Bills were
also passed under suspension Of the rules
to authorize the distribution of the as
sets of the Freedmen's Bank. to enlarge
the scope Of the Fish Commission to in
clude game birds, for the relief Of the
Fourth Mounted Arkansas Infantry and
for the relief of John w. Lewis, of Ore
gon. The Senate had q busy day, and
there were several important speeches.
MIR. Platt, OF Connecticut, spoke against
the Vest resolution. which declares that
the United States has no power to acquire
territory. Mr.. Proctor, Of Vermont. and
MIR. Hale. of Maine. exchanged divergent
views upon the subject Of a commission
of Senators TO visit Cuba. The confer
ence report on the urgent deficiency bill
was agreed to. The Senate then took I'm.
the Nicaragua canal bill, and Mr.. Berry.
(Ark.) spoke upon his amendments to the
measure.
The House resolution providing for adj
journment of Congress from Dec. 81 to,
Jan. 4 was adopted by the Senate without
division OH Tuesday. Mr.. Gallinger favor
ably reported Mr.. Proctor's resolution pro-
viding for n committee Of Senators to visit
Cuba and Porto Rico with a view to as
certaining the conditions OH the islands
and reporting on them. with recommends
tions. Senator Teller then addressed the.
Senate upon MIR. Vests resolution dcclar-
ing that under the constitution no poweris
given to acquire territory to be held md
governed permanently as colonies. Sew
eral private pension bills were disposed of.
after which Mr.. Elkins called up the bill
relating to the registry of foreign built
vessels in this country. At . o'clock the.
Nicaraguan canal bill displaced the regis
try measure. and Mr.. Caffery spoke i'm on.
position to it. The debate on the %arricml-
tural bill was signalized By the first
speech In the House on the question Of
annexation of the Philippines. Mr.. Will
liams of Mississippi submitted a general
argument against their annexation. After
Mr.. Williams remarks the agricultural
bill was passed. 1t carried S.. G96 800 or
$1S7, 120 more thar the current law. Be-
fore adjournment for the day the confer
ence report on the army and navy def
cheney bill was adopted.
The last session of the House before tle
holiday recess was held on Wednesday
and lasted but an hour. The Bailey reso-
luton directing an investigation of the
right of the members who volunteered in
the Spanish-American war to seats in the
House was adopted, and several bills Of
minor Importance were passed. One Of
these provided for holding terms of the
District and Circuit courts at Hammond.
Ind. The absence of a quorum of the
Senate saved Senator Proctor's resolution
providing for the appointment of a COM
mittee of Senators to investigate the con-
ditions in Cuba and Porto Rico during the
approaching long recess of Congress from
decisive defeat. An effort was made by
Mr.. Daniel of Virginia to obtain consider
alton for the resolution, but his motion
mustered only eight Of the thirty-eight
votes cast. No business of Importance
was disposed of at Wednesdays session.
Only some routine business, including the
passage of a few private pension bills, was
frnNSOrfnI AJ;oru,,o. % .,.. - -.