The San Francisco call., 1898-01-18
CONGRESS HARD AT WORK

mission. By this time the galleries and the floors were crowded. Wolcott was in fine voice and spoke with only occasional reference to his manuscript, which ne had before him. He was accorded the closest attention by his auditors, among whom were many members Of the House. Wolcott introduced his subject by say Ing he was glad to make a statement re- specting certain phases of the work Of the recent Bimetallic Commission, but in so doing he spoke unofi1cially, not com hitting his associates in the slightest de- gree, either to his opinions or deductions.
 Allen of Nebraska, desiring to speak upon the resolution which had been the basis of Wolcott's remarks, asked that the resolution be read.
 Lodge of Massachusetts demanded the regular order of business, which was the immigration bill, and as he was sustained by the Vice-President, Allen said that, as he had the floor, he would speak on that bill.
 Hoar of Massachusetts announced that he would be compelled to leave the cham Der, and requested Allen to yield him a few minutes for some remarks upon the bill. The request was granted, and Hoar spoke in favor of the bill.
 Spooner of Wisconsin, while supporting the general character of the bill, pointed out feature which, he said. was indefen- sible, namely, that requiring an immi- grant to both read and write portions of the United States constitution. Rather than support the provision requiring the immigrant to write as well as read he would be compelled to vote against the bill.
 At the conclusion of Spooner's remarks, an agreement having been reached by the Wisconsin Senator and Lodge, in charge of the measure, that MT. Spooner should draft an amendment providing that steamship companies should take back to Europe the wife and children of an immigrant who failed to meet the requirements of the proposed law, Lodge spoke briefly in support of the measure; He declared that the opposition to the bill had been stimulated by the German steamship companies, who would suffer by its passage. They had aroused the aided materially by the Deputy Com missioner of Immigration. who had him self been a citizen or this country for scarcely seven years.
 The amendment offered by Spooner was then adopted by 42 to %.
 Caffery of Louisiana offered an amend ment increasing the age of immigrants affected by the bill from 16 to 21 years. The amendment was lost by 2S ayes to 36 noes.
 Kyle of South Dakota offered an amendment providing that any immigrant convicted within a year of his landing in this country of felony or other vio- lation of the law shall be returned to the country from which he came The amend ment was lost without division The bill was then placed on its passage and passed by a vote of 45 to 2S, the detailed vote being as follows:
 Ayes-Allison. Baker. Burrows, Cannon; Car ter Chandler. Clifton. Clark. Davis. Elkins, Hanna, Hansbrough Harris Hawley, Hoar. Mason. Morrin. Penrose. Perkins. Pettigrew, Platt of Connecticut. Platt of New York. Spooner Teller Thurston Tillman, Warren. Wetmore, Wilson and Wolcott-45.
 Clay. Cockren, Daniel, German. Heitfeld, Jones of Arkansas, Kenny. Lindsay McEnery, pan NnrnbX Petfus RaIins Roache stew art. Turpie, Walthall and White-2s
 After the immigration bill was disposed of the Senate devoted some time to the Among the measures considered was one called, up by MT. Hansbrough of North Dakota, amending section 2234 of the Re Vised Statutes so that registers of land offices and receivers of public moneys for each land district established by law shall be liable under their bonds for all moneys received by them for the sale of Indian lands. The bill was passed.
 bill authorizing the Muscogee Coal and Railroad Company to construct and operate railway through the Indian Ter ritory and Oklahoma Territory and for other purposes was passed, on motion of Baker.
 Carter, chairman of the Census Com mittee, gave notice that after the dispo- sition tomorrow of the urgent deficiency bill he should insist upon the considera- ton of the unfinished business, which is the measure providing for the appoint ment of a director and thirty-one other employees of the twelfth and subsequent cenSuSeS.
 Allison. chairman of the Appropriation Committee, in this connection desired 1t to be understood that the appropriation bills which, under the Senate procedure, have the right of way over other legisla- ton, would be pressed by his committee and that the pension appropriation bill, now on the calendar, would be called up probably on Wednesday.
 In response to an inquiry from White of California Carter said he had no desire to endeavor to displace the consideration of the Hawaiian annexation in executive session, but he thought the census meas ure ought to be passed promptly. Bills were passed providing for an American register for the steamer Navahoe, and to amend section 4440 of the Revised Stat utes, authorizing the licensing of mates on river and ocean steamers.
 The joint resolution providing for par ticipation by the United States in the fisheries exposition to be held this year in Bergen, Norway. which had been passed by the House, was passed.
 The Senate then, at 4:45 D. n.. on motion of Quay, went into executive session, and at n m adiOurnad