The age-herald., 1898-01-15
IN THE SENATE.

After the transaction of some routine business in the senate today MT. Hoar, of
 Massachusetts, presented the following resolution, I<sppos8ng amendment to the constitutions:
 That the following article be proposed to the legislatures of the several states as an amendment to the constitution of the United States:
 The term of office of senators and mem- bers of the Fifty-sixth congress shall con- tinue until the 30th day of April in the year 1899 at noon. The senators whose ex- isting term would otherwise expire on the 4th day of March in the year 1899. or there after, shall continue in office until noon of the 30th day of April, succeeding such ex- piration; and the 30th day of April, at noon, shall thereafter be substituted for the 4th of March as the commencement and termination of the official term of presi- dent, vice-president senators and repre- sentatves in congress-"
 The resolution was referred to the com mittee on privileges and elections
 MT. Pettus of Alabama secured the pass age of bill to regulate the duties of the United States judges in the district courts in Alabama.
 The McKenna Case.
 Almost the entire four hours of the eX- ecutive session of the senate today was de- voted to the indirect consideration of the nomination of Hon. Joseph McKenna, now attorney-general, to be associate justice or the supreme court. The discussion was the result on the part of Senator Allen. (pop) of Nebraska to secure a postponement For two weeks. In the end compromise was reached deferring consideration untl week from today, on the condition that the Nebraskan senator would agree to allow a vote to be taken on that day.
 The debate upon McKenna's nomination was precipitated by Senator Hoar, chair man of the committee on Judiciary, Who called up the nomination in accordance with his notice of yesterday and asked TOT immediate action. In doing this MT. Hoar spoke briefly of the opposition to MT. Mc- Kenna, saying that the Judiciary commit tee had investigated most of the charges made and had reached the conclusion that they were without foundation He said that the greater number of charges had been made by the members of the Amerf- can Protective association, and that as they had been founded solely upon the fact that MT McKenna was a Catholic In re- iigion, they had not been deemed worthy of serious consideration. MT. Hoar dwelt at some length upon this point, excoriating any man who would attempt to inject question of religion into controversy over a mans fitness for office He said that such an effort was entirely un-American and unpatriotic, and should not for mo- ment receive the consideration of fair minded men.
 The A. P. A. Influence
 Senator White, of California, also spoke of the efforts of the A. F. A. to interfere with the course of the senate in giving proper attention to a question the determi- nation of which should depend upon ques- tions of justice between man and man, rather than upon an appeal to bigotry, prejudice and false claim of patriotism He spoke of the A. P. A. as "fools who could not be properly characterized in the senate" He had no patience, he said with men who held the opinion that Catholics must necessarily consult the Pope or some other high functionary of the Catholic church in every important transaction of their lives, and added that he was vinced that the American senate would not be influenced for moment by such repre- sentations as an order of the character of the A. P. A. would make MT. McKenna's confirmation should depend entirely upon different considerations. As for himself, while he did not contend that MT McKen- na was a giant in his legal attainments, still he believed him to be an honorable man, a competent lawyer and just jurist, and he should support his confirmation. Allen Obients.
 MT. Allen disclaimed any intention to father any of the charges made but as- serted that his sole purpose was to secure time for their proper investigation. He. adde that he might himself vote for Me Kenna's confirmation, but said that before doing so he desired to be convinced that the assertions made derogatory to MT. | McKenna's character as a jurist were | without foundation.
 | It was 4:3O bsfore an agreement was reached for concluding the McKenna mat 1 ter at the sitting on next Friday, and by | genral consent the senate postponed con- | sideration of the Hawaiian treaty until | next Monday
 Laundrymen Strike.